GLN

The GLN or Global Location Number supports the identification of physical, legal or functional entities. GLNs are a fixed length 13-digit numbers composed of a GS1 Company Prefix, a Location Reference and a Check Digit. GLNs are used to identify physical locations, legal entities and functional locations.

Legal Location

Legal entities (companies, governments, etc.) receive and send orders electronically. The GLN is used to identify the trading partners in such transactions.

Physical Locations

If a trading partner is expected to deliver an item to an individual store, the store will be assigned a GLN. If the trading partner is expected to deliver the item to an individual fridge in the store, a GLN should be assigned to that fridge.

Functional Entities or Locations

While a single GLN may meet all the business needs of a very small organisation, larger, more complex organisations may have more than one GLN to represent individual functional entities within the organisation. For example a hospital may have a separate GLN for its billing department or a company using eCom may use individual GLNs for each EDI mailbox.