Global location numbers

A Global Location Number (GLN) provides a standard means to identify physical locations and legal entities to improve the efficiency of communication within the supply chain.

A GLN is a globally unique 13-digit number that identifies an entity or a location. A GLN is used to identify these locations and entities:

  • A physical location, such as a warehouse or a particular storage bin within a warehouse
  • A legal entity, such as a company or customer
  • A function that occurs within a legal entity

You can assign a GLN to more than one record simultaneously in FSM, so you can use the same GLN in different types of transactions. For example, a GLN can be assigned to Inventory Locations and Requesting Locations, or to a Vendor and Vendor Locations in Purchasing and Payables. A GLN must be active before it can be associated with any global location number type.

As the name implies, global location numbers are the GS1 identification key for locations.

This list shows examples of the records to which a GLN can be assigned:

  • Global ledger company
  • Inventory company
  • Inventory location
  • Requesting location
  • Manufacturer
  • Manufacturer division
  • Vendor
  • Payables vendor location
  • Purchasing vendor
  • Purchasing vendor location
  • Bin
  • Buyer

For a GS1 GLN Executive Summary, see: http://www.gs1.org/sites/default/files/docs/idkeys/GS1_GLN_Executive_Summary.pdf

For information about GLNs, see the GS1 website: www.gs1.org