How to create a barcode
Choose the format required by the receiving system
Use the symbology expected by your stock system, trading partner or retailer. Code 128 is a useful option for internal text identifiers when your system supports it. Do not assume every barcode reader accepts every type.
Enter a number or reference you are entitled to use
Use your assigned product identifier for retail work, or an agreed internal reference for your own system. The tool checks supported formatting and calculates or validates check digits for the supported GTIN formats.
Export and test the actual label
Download SVG for scalable artwork or PNG for a fixed image. Preserve the bars’ proportions and quiet zones. Check with the intended reader and obtain the verification your retailer or supply chain requires.
Supported barcode types
The tool renders Code 128, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, ITF-14, Code 39, Codabar and MSI. Their character sets and lengths differ. Code 128 accepts common letters, digits and symbols; Code 39 uses uppercase letters and a smaller character set. Follow the selected format’s validation message instead of padding or deleting digits merely to make an image appear.
Retail identifiers and internal references are different
An EAN or UPC image represents a product identifier; drawing it does not allocate the identifier or register the product with a retailer. GS1 Australia explains how GTINs relate to retail symbols. EAN-8 requires an appropriate GTIN-8, not a shortened EAN-13. For internal assets, use a consistent naming scheme supported by your own database.
A check digit checks arithmetic, not ownership
For example, the tool can calculate the thirteenth digit from a 12-digit EAN-13 body or validate a complete 13-digit input. That check helps catch some input errors. It does not establish that the number is assigned to your company, belongs to the right product or will be accepted by a retailer. Verify the identifier separately.
Code 128 is not a complete GS1-128 workflow
A generic Code 128 label and a GS1-128 logistics label are not interchangeable just because both use bars of the same family. This tool does not author GS1 Application Identifier data structures, allocate SSCCs or certify shipping labels. If a trading partner requests a specific logistics standard, use its requirements and a suitable verified workflow.
Choose print dimensions for the application
Retail symbol dimensions, bar height, clear areas and placement depend on the symbology and application. Use the original SVG where your design process supports it. Keep strong contrast, avoid clipping the clear margins and test the label on its final surface. A quick successful scan is useful but does not replace formal barcode verification.
A barcode does not store a retail price catalogue
A checkout normally uses the scanned identifier to look up a record in the retailer’s system. Creating the image here does not set the product description, selling price or stock level in that system. For a customer-facing webpage, menu or contact action, a QR code is usually the more suitable format.
Example: internal equipment labels
A workshop can agree on references such as TOOL-001 and render them as Code 128 labels if its scanner and asset system support that format. Keep each reference unique and map it to the right record before attaching the label. Scanning the bars returns the reference; it does not create the maintenance record. For a product sold through a retailer, use the appropriately assigned retail identifier instead of reusing the internal reference.
Illustrative workflow, not a customer case study.Check before you share
- The symbology is supported by the receiving scanner and system.
- The identifier is correct and authorised for the intended product or asset.
- The final printed label preserves the required dimensions and clear margins.
- Any retail or supply-chain verification requirement has been checked with the recipient.