This article explains the four product statuses, including the PreMarket status, and questions you should ask before setting a product's status to In Use. View this module for an overview of the product lifecycle:
Selecting the Status for a Product
Learn more about the four product statuses in GS1 US Data Hub:
When you click Add New Product in GS1 US Data Hub, it starts to build your product detail record. This product is initially in Draft status. You can delete this product when it's in the Draft status.
When you assign the GTIN and save the product detail record, your product is set to PreMarket.
Think of this status as the “Pre-production stage.” While the product is in the PreMarket status, you can modify product attributes - except for Packaging Level.
Can I delete a product that's in the PreMarket status?
If you no longer want this product detail record, you can "retract" the GTIN by clicking the Retract PreMarket GTIN button. This will retract the GTIN and make it available to be assigned again. The product detail record will be deleted.
Note: If you have built a hierarchy of items (for example, an Each, then a Case, then a Pallet) as PreMarket, and you want to retract all of these items, you will first need to retract the highest level item (Pallet), then the lower level item (Each).
Note: Per the GS1 General Specifications: “an allocated GTIN shall not be reallocated to another trade item.” So there are questions to consider before you click the Retract PreMarket GTIN button. Refer to the GS1 General Specifications, section 4.2.5 - "GTIN non-reuse" - for more details.
Download a For Placement Only Barcode Image:
Click the View Barcode button to generate a “For Placement Only” - or FPO – barcode symbol file. You can send this file to your packaging designer, to ensure it fits properly on your product artwork. This watermark barcode symbol is NOT the final artwork, but it can be useful for testing the placement of the barcode symbol on your packaging.
When you are ready to launch your product into the marketplace, click the Set Status to In Use button. Think of In Use as your “Production” stage. The product and the assigned GTIN are now permanently linked to each other.
Before You Set the Status to In Use:
Before you change the product’s status from PreMarket to In Use, here are three questions to consider:
- Are the product attributes and packaging final?
- Are you ready to produce and sell this product to consumers?
- Are you ready to start sharing this information with trading partners?
If you answer “Yes” to each of the questions, you're ready to click the Set Status to In Use button.
As the GS1 General Specifications states: “An allocated GTIN shall not be reallocated to another trade item.” Certain attributes, such as net weight and unit of measure, cannot be changed. If these attributes change, you should set the status to Archived, then create a new product and assign a new GTIN.
For more details, view the What Fields Can Be Changed article.
By default, an In Use product is shared with all GS1 US Data Hub Product View/Use subscribers - and with global marketplace via the Verified by GS1 service. But you can change these sharing options.
Generate a Barcode:
In GS1 US Data Hub, when you set the status to In Use, you can now generate a scannable barcode image that you can download. You can also work with a GS1 US Standards Professional Barcode and Image Print Vendor.
In some cases, you may have a product that has been discontinued. In these situations, you can change the product’s status from In Use to Archived.
When this takes place, it is not possible to generate a barcode for a product in the Archived status. By default, your Archived products are still shared with Product View/Use subscribers. These products are displayed with the Discontinued status.
When a product is in the Archived status, you can revert it back to In Use, provided no changes are made that necessitate a GTIN change, as per the GTIN Management Standard.
Download:
Product Create Guide:
