What is a Supply Chain

GS1 US Help Center

Maintain and Improve Location Data Quality

When you Add a Global Location Number (GLN), adding high-quality data can improve the way your company and trading partners identify the parties involved in transactions.

View the questions and answers below, which are categorized by these segments:

Adding and Maintaining GLNs             Address Data                GLN Attributes

Adding and Maintaining GLNs

Follow these steps to make changes: 

1. Locate the location you want to change.​  
From the My Locations page, click the GLN for the location you want to edit. The Location Detail page displays.​ 

2. Click the “Edit” button for the GLN or GLN Type.​  
You have two options: ​ 

  • Edit the GLN attributes 
  • Edit the GLN Type. ​ To make the GLN Type Inactive, click the Make Inactive button. To make changes, you will need to make this GLN Type Active again 

3. Change attributes for this Location Detail​  
Make necessary changes, then click Save.​  
​  
Note: Not all GLN changes are permitted. For more information on what changes you can make to a GLN, view the GLN Allocation Rules Standard and Guiding Principles tool.

All GLNs must have an Administrative Parent. When you create your first GLN, you have to select the Top Level GLN as the parent.

As you start to build additional GLNs, consider building a GLN hierarchy, in which you define a relational structure of locations and parties to support supply chain processes and transactions.

If you are creating GLNs for Healthcare, view the GS1 US Building a GLN Hierarchy document to learn more.

From the My Locations page, click the Location Name for the location you want to view.​  When you have located the location, click the Location Description link. The Location Detail page displays. Click Hierarchy tab to view the location parent/child relationship. 

Export this Hierarchy Data.​  To export this hierarchy data, click the Export Hierarchy Data button. 

You cannot delete a Published GLN. However, you can change the GLN Type(s) contained in the GLN to Inactive.

You cannot remove these GLNs, but you can make the GLN Types for these GLNs "Inactive." You can use the import template to update these GLNs. To learn more, read the Resolve Duplicate GLN article.

There may be a need to replace an existing GLN with a new GLN. For example, a company is closing two existing distribution centers, and opening a single new distribution center to serve the same purpose; it can associate the GLN of the new distribution center with the two former GLNs, for internal purposes.

Follow these steps to replace the GLN:

1. When entering the new GLN, type the “former” 13-digit GLN in the Replaces GLN field. If you want to enter another GLN that is being replaced, click the Add another GLN to be replaced link. You can enter up to 10 GLNs.

2. Click Save Draft or Publish GLN.

Note: Replacing a GLN does not automatically set the "Replaced GLN" status to Inactive. You will still have to take this step. 

Click the GLN to view the Location Detail Record. Click the History tab, and scroll down to view the first activity, in which this GLN moved from the DRAFT to PUBLISHED State. This is the date the GLN was published.

GLN History

Only Managed GLN subscribers (healthcare) can transfer a GLN. View the Transfer a GLN article learn more.

Address Data

View the Create a Location article for guidance.

View the Create a Location article for guidance.

If your Top Level GLN address (also referred to as your "Legal Entity GLN") changes follow these steps:

a. Login and click Manage Account then Edit Company Information & Contacts. Here you can edit the company information.

b. Visit the My Locations page (shown below). Click Edit for the Legal Entity GLN type. Change the address, then click Save.