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GS1 prefixes

A GS1 company prefix is the licensed number range that GS1 assigns to your organisation. Every GTIN (barcode number) you create begins with one of your GS1 prefixes. Registering your prefixes in Traceable lets the platform confirm that the GTINs on your battery passports genuinely belong to you, which is part of demonstrating GTIN ownership under EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542 Annex XIII.

You manage prefixes in Settings → Company Profile, in the GS1 Prefixes section.

Why this matters​

The publish gate (the set of checks a battery passport must pass before it goes live) uses your registered prefixes in two ways:

  1. Paid plans require at least one registered prefix. On a paid plan, a battery passport cannot be published until your company has registered at least one GS1 prefix. If you have none, the publish gate reports a "GS1 prefix not registered" gap and blocks publication.

  2. A product's GTIN must match one of your prefixes. If a product has a GTIN assigned, that GTIN must begin with one of your registered prefixes. If it does not, the publish gate reports a "GTIN ownership invalid" gap and blocks publication until the mismatch is resolved.

On free and trial plans these checks are not enforced, but registering your prefixes early is recommended so that publishing works immediately when you upgrade.

note

Registering a prefix does not generate GTINs for you, and Traceable does not verify the prefix against the GS1 licensing registry. Registration records which prefixes you own so that the platform can check your GTINs against them. Obtaining a GS1 licence and assigning GTINs to your products remains your responsibility.

Registering a prefix​

  1. Go to Settings → Company Profile and scroll to the GS1 Prefixes section.
  2. Enter a prefix in the input field. A prefix is 4 to 12 digits, numbers only.
  3. Press Enter or click Add. The prefix appears as a badge in the list.
  4. Repeat for each prefix your GS1 licence covers (up to 50 per company).
  5. Click Save changes to persist the list.

Your changes are not saved until you click Save changes. Adding or removing prefixes only updates the on-screen list until you save.

Removing a prefix​

  1. In the GS1 Prefixes section, click the × on the prefix badge you want to remove.
  2. Click Save changes.

There is no in-place edit. To correct a prefix, remove the incorrect one and add the correct one, then save.

caution

If you remove all prefixes on a paid plan, the publish gate will block publishing any battery passport until you register at least one prefix again.

Validation rules​

RuleDetail
FormatDigits only, 4 to 12 digits per prefix
Maximum50 prefixes per company
DuplicatesA prefix already in your list cannot be added again

If you enter a value that breaks one of these rules, the page shows an inline message, for example:

  • "<value>" is not a valid GS1 prefix (4-12 digits only).
  • Prefix "<value>" is already in the list.
  • Maximum 50 GS1 prefixes per company.

How prefixes relate to QR codes and GTINs​

When a product has a GTIN assigned, Traceable can build a GS1 Digital Link QR code for it (the format EU Battery Regulation requires on the physical battery). The GTIN in that QR code is the same GTIN the publish gate checks against your registered prefixes. Registering your prefixes therefore keeps your QR codes, your published passports, and your declared GTIN ownership consistent.

For how GTIN-based QR codes are generated, see QR codes. For the developer view of GTIN resolution, see DPP endpoints.