GS1 DataMatrix, with the application identifiers filled in
A GTIN alone is rarely enough. GS1 DataMatrix carries batch, expiry and serial alongside it, in the structure scanners expect — which is why it is the symbology on medical devices and pharmaceutical packs.
Vector export for print. 7-day free trial, no credit card required. Marking a regulated product line? Book 20 minutes and we’ll walk through the application identifiers with you.
DataMatrix is not a QR code
They look similar and they are not interchangeable. DataMatrix packs more data into a smaller mark, which is why it goes on things a QR code physically will not fit — a surgical instrument, a vial, a circuit board.
GS1 DataMatrix is the DataMatrix symbology carrying GS1 application identifiers: a defined grammar where (01) is the GTIN, (10) the batch or lot, (17) the expiry date, (21) the serial number. A scanner reading it knows which field is which, rather than receiving one undifferentiated string.
Where it is required rather than optional
Medical devices carry a UDI — a Unique Device Identification mark — and GS1 DataMatrix is one of the accepted carriers for it. Pharmaceutical packs in the EU carry a serialised GS1 DataMatrix under the Falsified Medicines Directive.
In both cases the requirement is not simply “print a code”. It is that the code carries the right identifiers in the right structure. We generate the mark to that structure; we do not certify your compliance, and any regulated submission should be checked against your notified body or competent authority.
What we generate
GS1 DataMatrix with GTIN plus the application identifiers you need — batch, expiry, serial — encoded with the correct separators rather than concatenated by hand.
Vector output for print, because these marks are frequently reproduced small and a raster image will not hold up at that size. Bulk generation from CSV when the serial changes per unit.
We also generate the wider barcode family — EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 128, ITF-14, PDF417, Aztec — if the same product line needs more than one symbology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between DataMatrix and GS1 DataMatrix?
DataMatrix is the symbology — the square of modules. GS1 DataMatrix is that symbology carrying data structured with GS1 application identifiers, so a scanner can tell the GTIN from the batch number from the expiry date. A plain DataMatrix holding the same characters is not the same thing to a scanner.
Can I use GS1 DataMatrix for UDI?
GS1 DataMatrix is one of the accepted carriers for UDI marks on medical devices. What we do is generate a mark with the identifiers correctly structured. Whether your specific submission satisfies your regulator is a question for your notified body, not for a code generator.
Why not just use a QR code?
Size. DataMatrix holds comparable data in a smaller footprint, which is the whole reason it ends up on vials, instruments and small components. Where space is not tight, a GS1 Digital Link QR is often the better choice because a phone camera reads it more readily.
Do I get vector output?
Yes. These marks are often printed at a few millimetres across, and a raster export will not survive that. SVG and PDF export are included.
Generate a GS1 DataMatrix with the identifiers structured properly
GTIN, batch, expiry and serial in GS1 application identifiers. Vector export for print.
No credit card required. No ads on your scan pages, ever. Marking a regulated product line? Book 20 minutes and we’ll walk through the application identifiers with you.