Create UCC-128/GS1-128 Labels the Right Way: Data from 850/855/856 Without Errors

Every shipment is under a microscope when you handle UCC-128 or GS1-128 labels. When a shipping label does not match your EDI documents, the results are predictable—chargebacks, delays, confusion, and plenty of frustration. If you are overseeing operations for a manufacturer or distributor, then getting this step right is not about perfectionism; it is about keeping customers and avoiding unnecessary costs.

Why UCC-128 and GS1-128 Labels Are Critical and Where Mistakes Begin

If you have ever watched a dock worker scramble to apply new labels at the last minute, you know these details quickly become operational problems. The most common issue is a disconnect between the data used to create the 856 Advance Ship Notice (ASN) and the data used to generate shipping labels. If the label and EDI documents tell different stories, the receiving partner will spot it every time. This is the main cause of rejected deliveries and chargebacks.

What A Shipping Label Needs To Do

• Display a Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) that is directly referenced in your 856 ASN. The SSCC should not appear anywhere else.
• Clearly show important fields from your 850 (purchase order) and 855 (acknowledgment). These include what was ordered, confirmed, and shipped.

The only way to be certain your label is correct is to drive both label and ASN content from the same, consistent data structure. Validate everything against the original order and confirmations.

Keep UCC-128 and GS1-128 Label Data Flow in Sync

Key Documents That Shape Every Label

• 850 Purchase Order: Contains what the customer ordered, where to ship, and required delivery dates.
• 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment: Confirms what you accepted, split or canceled. Any changes here must be respected on the label.
• 856 ASN: This submission details what is being shipped in each box and is the direct reference point for your carton labels.

If these documents contradict each other, your labels will not match expectations at receiving. Align all three at every step to stay compliant.

What Goes On a GS1-128 (UCC-128) Shipping Label?

• SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code): Unique identifier for the carton or pallet. Receiving partners use this as their point of reference.
• GTIN: Global Trade Item Number identifies the specific product case if required by the trading partner.
• Quantity: Number of units in the carton or pallet.
• Production or Expiry Dates: Used if required by your customer.
• Human-readable fields: Printed information like PO number, destination, carton count, and department usually pulled directly from EDI data. Manual entry invites mistakes.

For each trading partner, double-check which fields they require. Even one field left out or formatted incorrectly can trigger financial penalties.

Step-by-Step: How to Get GS1-128/UCC-128 Labels Right

1. Build a Reliable Data Map for Your Labels

Bring EDI, IT, and warehouse teams together to document exactly where every field comes from. For example:

• SSCC: Generated when handling unit is created. You will reference the same code in the ASN MAN segment and print it on the label.
• PO Number: Found in your 850 BEG03 segment and repeated in the ASN. Confirm it matches on the label.
• Customer references/departments: Pulled from the right REF segments and matched in the label and ASN.
• Ship-to Address: Comes from the N1, N3, N4 elements in the purchase order.

Save these mappings for each trading partner so you have a standard reference every time you ship.

2. Generate Correct SSCCs Every Time

SSCCs have to be unique (never reused) and follow GS1 formatting. Use your assigned company prefix and track the sequence for every carton or pallet. The check digit must be correct for each label you print. Having a centralized way to store and look up SSCCs is useful, especially if you need to reprint a label after ASN submission.

3. Sync Label Printing With ASN Creation

Both the label and ASN documents should be built from the same data set. If labels are printed using a separate process or after information changes, label-to-ASN mismatches will occur. Ideally, both should pull from the same staging tables, and any carton repack or change after ASN should trigger a data review before printing.

• If labels are reprinted after ASN submission, make sure nothing has changed elsewhere in the system.
• If you use any manual process for label data entry or "label request" forms, this increases risk for errors and chargebacks.

4. Double-Check Data Against 850 and 855

Before printing, build a quick validation process that cross-checks:

• PO numbers and shipping addresses match the 850 with no typos or missing fields.
• Any canceled, split, or date-changed lines in the 855 are updated in both the ASN and on the labels.

Simple automated checks can stop most avoidable errors before they hit the warehouse.

5. Put Labels Through Real-World Testing

Before rolling out a new label process, test it with full and partial shipments, mixed pallet scenarios, and anything unusual your biggest customers might require. If your trading partner has a compliance portal, run your output through it upfront to confirm you have it right.

Best Practices From Experience

• Be sure your barcodes are actually using the GS1-128 format. Some systems default to Code 128, which is a different symbology and might not scan correctly.
• The FNC1 character (Function Code 1) is required at the start of some GS1-128 element strings. Make sure your label software and scanners recognize it.
• Human-readable fields matter. The content should match exactly, including leading zeros when applicable, so that both the system and the person at the receiving dock are on the same page.

Smarter EDI and Label Integration: What We Have Learned

If you are an EDI coordinator, technical manager, or in IT leadership, you know the struggles: mailbox fees, setup charges, and the real pain of remapping processes when a retailer or logistics partner updates specs. Many manufacturers spend too much time fixing these problems after the fact. Our experience with EDI integrations for ERPs like NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Infor VISUAL, or SAP shows that unifying the label and EDI data makes life easier. One central process for updating, monitoring, and validating EDI documents and labels reduces chargebacks and after-hours support calls.

Essential Checks You Can Start Right Now

• List and review all your current label versions. Compare them to your top trading partners' posted requirements and look for gaps before going live with any changes.
• Document how SSCCs are generated in your process and confirm your GS1 company prefix is consistent. Prevent accidental reuse or manual overrides.
• Configure your system to allow label printing only after the ASN data set is complete. This reduces the risk of mismatches.
• Automate 850 and 855 cross-checks before printing labels, not just before transmitting the ASN. Catch date or item mismatches while you can still make changes.
• Pilot any changes with your highest-volume or most penalty-prone trading partner. Gather real error data with each shipment and use it to improve the process.

How EDI, Compliance, and Broader Strategy Interconnect

Understanding label compliance is only part of the B2B shipping puzzle. It helps to see how onboarding new trading partners, mapping documents, and routine compliance all fit together. For a deeper look at building these foundations, see our guide on trading partner onboarding in EDI. If you work with major retailers, our resource on EDI compliance requirements for retailers can help clarify what matters in those environments.

Turn Label Compliance Into an Operational Strength

We have learned that having 850, 855, and 856 documents aligned and driving the label process results in lower error rates, less manual rework, and fewer chargebacks. It allows you to ship confidently and focus on business outcomes, not technical cleanup. If you are looking for ways to tighten your EDI and labeling operations, we are always open to a conversation with teams facing similar challenges. To see how we approach EDI and label integration, you can learn more or request a demo on our site.