The following are frequently asked questions concerning P&G labelling requirements:
Q: If I want to qualify my label according to the new standard, how do I get that done?
A: Please contact the Lowry Computer Products Team, and we will walk you through the steps of completing this action item.
Technical questions can also be answered by Dale Hanson at Procter and Gamble.
His e-mail address is: Hanson.dp@pg.com
Phone number: 513-634-9765
Q: I ship to other Sectors and Regions of P&G. Are they going to be requesting bar code labels, too? If so, will their label specifications be the same?
A: Yes, all P&G operations will use the same standard.
Q: How long does it take to get a EAN.UCC Company Prefix and how much does it cost?
A:
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- The normal time to get a Company Prefix from the Uniform Code Council is 4 weeks. Assigning the number will be expedited for a $35 fee. Timing will then be 3-5 days.
- In Europe The EAN Company Prefix has to be requested to the EAN ‘s affiliate of the country where the Company is based (there is a EAN affiliate per each European Country, list of EAN affiliates can be asked to EAN international Organization). Time and fee to get a Company Prefix vary from country to country . As a general rule the costs are proportional to the company's gross sales.
| The following are contact information for the UCC and EAN Council: | |
| Uniform Code Council ADD: 8163 Old Yankee Road Suite J Dayton, Ohio 45458 PHONE: 937-435-3870 | |
| In Europe, the equivalent of UCC is: | |
| EAN International Organization ADD: 145 Rue Royale B-1000 Brussels, Belgium PHONE: +3222271020 e-mail: info@ean.be WWW: http://www.ean.be | |
| Please contact them to receive relevant documentation. |
Q: What is the length of a Company Prefix?
A: Company Prefix can range in length from 5 to 10 digits. Use at least 7 digits for the Company Prefix. As an example, if your Company Prefix is only 5 digits long, add "00" to the front of it. If the Company Prefix is 10 digits long, shorten the serial number field to 6 digits.
Q: With longer Company Prefix, will I run out of serial numbers in a time period shorter than 1 year?
A: No, the UCC and the EAN should only be assigning 8 to 10 digit long Company Prefix to companies who are smaller and who do not have a volume large enough to cause them to run out of unique serial numbers in less than 1 year.
Q: How should I use the new Extension Digit, which replaced the Packaging type?
A: The Extension digit can be assigned any number between 0 and 9. It can also be used to extend the field length of the serial number. It may be advisable at this point to leave it as an unassigned digit at this point. The supplier should communicate with their plant contact on how they intend to use the Extension Digit.
Q: How do I calculate the Modulo 10 and Modulo 103 characters? The instructions in the manual are not clear.
A: The method for calculating the Modulo 10 check character is shown in an example in Appendix B, page 62 of the "Application Standard for Shipping Container Codes". If you do not have this standard, a copy can be obtained from the Uniform Code Council.
The Modulo 103 check character is a standard feature of the UCC/EAN 128 symbology. The formula is given on page 700 of the label specification. The value for each set of numbers is also given in the table on this page. If additional reference material is needed, page 5 of the "USS-128, Uniform Symbology Specification". An example is worked on this page including figures representing the bar code. If you do not have this standard and would like a copy, it can be obtained from Automatic Identification Manufacturers(AIM), phone: 412-963-8588.
Q: Where do we get the 4 alpha character code that is part of the Vendor Lot Number?
A: This code is assigned by P&G and will be the same for all P&G locations that you supply. If you do not have this code, contact your P&G buyer or plant contact.
Q: Putting the label on the outside of the stretch wrap is going to subject the label to lots of wear and tear. Wouldn't it be better to put it on the inside of the stretch wrap?
A: Two or three layers of stretch wrap will still allow scanning of the bar codes to occur if their are no wrinkles in the stretch wrap. However, this will still decrease the scanning distance of the bar code by at least 12"(30mm). Wrinkles of multi layers of stretch wrap will make the bar codes unscannable. Since scanning distance is critical, we prefer labels not be put under the stretchwrap.
Q: I only put two labels on my square units now. Why did you increase the requirement to 4?
A: It is necessary that our operators in the warehouse be able to scan the rolls and unit loads from any direction. Additionally, if a label get damaged in transit, the data can still be scanned from one of the remaining in tact labels
Q: Are there any specific size requirements for the overall label size? Minimum size? Maximum size?
A: All human readable information and bar codes must be printed within the specifications. This will set the minimum size label. No bar code can exceed 6.5"(165mm). This is due to a limitation of the handheld scanners used in the warehouse. Human readable information can exceed the 6.5"(165mm). There is no maximum label size.
Q: The Purchase Order is not available to me when I produce and apply my label. Is it really a requirement?
A: The Purchase Order Number must at least be on the bill of lading. We realize putting the purchase order on each label may not provide an efficient operation at the supplier, so it is not required.
