How to Convert a GLN to an sGLN

Overview

This article serves as a guide for converting a GLN to it's sGLN format. There are two general cases: GLNs with a Global Company Prefix and GLNs without one. Attached to this article is a document created by GS1, the organization that standardizes GLNs, on the subject.

GLN Structure

GLNs will fall into two categories:

• Enumerated under a Global Company Prefix (GCP)
• Individually Licensed or from the Managed GLN Program
  • These GLNs can be identified by the first four digits. They will always start with either '1100' or '1200'

GLNs Enumerated under a GCP will consist of three parts:

• Global Company Prefix
• Location Reference
• Check Digit

Individually Licensed GLNs or GLNs from the Managed GLN program do not have a GCP and instead consist of two parts:

• Location Reference
• Check Digit

Example of a GCP Enumerated GLN

1. GCP (08600050558) + Location Reference (0) + Check Digit (7) = 0860005055807
   
   1. GCP: 08600050558
   2. Location Reference: 0
   3. Check Digit: 7

Example of an individually Licensed/Managed GLN

1. Location Reference (120012341234) + Check Digit (9) = 1200123412349
   
   1. Location Reference: 120012341234 
   2. Check Digit: 9

Converting GLNs

Enumerated Under GCP

Converting any other GLNs requires knowing the GCP (or at least the length of it) of the company who's GLN you are converting. When converting GLNs to sGLNs, the check digit is dropped and replaced with an extension digit. This extension digit will almost always be 0. Once the check digit is replaced with the extension digit, place a '.' between the GCP and Location Reference, and another between the Location Reference and the extension digit.

Here is the example GLN from above converted to an sGLN:

• 08600050558.0.0

Individually Licensed/Managed GLN Program

Converting GLNs that are individually licensed or part of the Managed GLN Program is quite simple. Since there is no GCP included in these sGLNs, the Location reference is treated as the GCP in the conversion, and the process follows the same format as GLNs enumerated under a GCP. In this case, both '.' in the conversion are included in between the Location Reference and the Extension Digit (which is basically always 0).

Here is an  the example GLN from above converted to an sGLN:

• 120012341234..0