Enterprise Services WIKI
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Overview

The Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) is an Internet-based registry where companies can store product data. GDSN enables secure and continuous data synchronization of both product and location information. Data synchronization is the process that allows trading partners to have consistent item data in their respective systems at the same time. Retailers and suppliers connect to a selected data pool, which is typically managed by the local GS1 member organization, which is in turn connected to the GS1 Global Registry. Suppliers electronically transfer (using GSMP standards) product data and location information to the data pool or registry. The product data includes such attributes as size, height, weight and packaging information. Retailers subscribe to just the specific data that is of interest to their organization.

The Process

To be effective, data synchronization must be a continuous process. It is an ongoing business process that requires continuous exchange of data between trading partners. Hence, when a supplier publishes a change, it is propagated to the retailers in near real time. The classification system used in the GDSN is the Global Product Code (GPC). Only items classified according to the GPC will be registered in the GS1 Global Registry. GDSN has proven to be effective in enabling business process around new product introduction.

About GS1

GS1, formerly EAN, has been serving the consumer products and adjacent trade industries for more than 30 years with the Universal Product Code (UPC), the ubiquitous barcode. Fundamentally, GS1 is in the business of selling numbers that uniquely identify an object, typically a physical object such as a product or a shipping container. Barcodes have brought tremendous gains in efficiency to many industries as a machine readable font. However, the GS1 number system is still most widely known in the retail trade industries.

Industry Standards for the Retail Industry

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1 Comment

  1. Anonymous

    For more information on GS1 and GDSN visit the SAP GS1 Wiki pages on https://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/GS1/Main .