More than one in ten failed lookups is a barcode typed into the batch code box. It is the single most common mistake, and it is easy to avoid once you have seen it.
The standard EAN or UPC barcode is the number under the striped label. It identifies the product — this shade, this size, this SKU — rather than its production run. Every unit of that product carries the same barcode whether it was made this month or four years ago. That standard retail barcode does not contain the batch date.
The batch code identifies the production run. It is short, usually mixes letters and digits, and is stamped or printed straight onto the packaging with no label next to it. That is the one that encodes when the product was made.
A square 2D code can carry extra information, including a batch or expiry field. That is a different standard from the familiar EAN or UPC strip of digits. If you are looking at a square code, check the text printed nearby instead of assuming it is a date. GS1 explains the distinction →
These exact strings were entered as batch codes over and over. All of them are barcodes.
| Entered | Brand | Times |
|---|---|---|
| 3147758030297 | Lancôme | 2,778 |
| 3605975028799 | Kiehl's | 2,144 |
| 3614272623507 | Lancôme | 1,985 |
| 747930039525 | La Mer | 1,752 |
| 3605975038132 | Kiehl's | 1,670 |
Count the characters. In our current format catalogue, nearly every code with a known length is 3 to 12 characters — see how long is a batch code? A long digits-only string in a standard striped EAN or UPC label is the product barcode, not the code to enter here.
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