Here are some helpful hints when adding an item to Barcode Manager.
Sub-brand is not required
A Sub-brand is a recognisable branding of a product that identifies a subset of products within a wider brand to further differentiate that range. For example, Diet Coke is a sub-brand of Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is the main brand, but Diet Coke is used as a sub-brand to give the customer further information about the product. Diet Coke is treated as a sub-brand and not just a variant of the original product as it identifies a group of unique products such as Diet Coke, Diet Coke Caffeine Free, etc.
Your product line may not include a sub-brand and so is not required to to create the GTIN.
Product Type Description
The Product Type Description is the most basic way to identify your product. For example, if the product you are entering is a Tomato and Basil Soup, you would identify your item at its most base level as soup. Any other information about your product, such as the colour, flavour, etc. would be saved for the next field - Product Variant.
Product Variant adds more information
The Product Variant field is where you will add any descriptive information about your product that makes it unique. This can include the scent, flavour, colour, size, etc. From the previous example, you would enter Tomato and Basil as the Product Variant since that is the unique flavour of the soup.
Net Content is a numeric value
Net Content is a numeric value only. You cannot include any letters when filling in the Net Content field. For example, if your Tomato and Basil Soup is 250 millilitres, you would enter 250 in the Net Content box and then choose millilitres from the drop down menu under Net Content Measurement Unit. Do not put 250ml, or any version of that into the Net Content field. This will cause an error.
Brick Code Search
The easiest way to search for your GPC Brick Code is right in the Brick Code field. Start by type in the most basic description of your product, such as what you included in the Product Type Description box (e.g. soup) and Barcode Manager will provide options for you to choose from. Click the one that best fits your product and it will populate the field for you.
If you are having trouble finding your product, you may need to widen your search term as anything too specific may not turn up any results. You can also search the GPC browser directly by clicking the link below the box. Check out How do I find my Brick Code for more information.
Tip - If you keep getting errors when trying to create your GTIN, check out Why won't Barcode Manager let me create a new product? for more information on common errors and how to resolve them.