SIST ISO/IEC 15459-6:2025

Information technology - Automatic identification and data capture techniques - Unique identification - Part 6: Groupings

ISO/IEC 15459-6:2014 specifies a unique string of characters for the identification of groupings of products, product packages, transport units and items. The character string is intended to be represented in a linear bar code symbol and two-dimensional symbol or other automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) media attached to the entity to meet management needs and/or regulatory needs (e.g. customs clearance). To address these needs, different types of identifiers are recognized in the various parts of ISO/IEC 15459, which allows different requirements to be met by the unique identifiers associated within the context of the specific parts of ISO/IEC 15459.
The unique identifiers for grouping of products, product packages, transport units and items enables grouping by type, characteristics, order, manufacturing, quality, location, movement, etc. to be uniquely identified. It is possible to use with other unique individual identifiers defined in other parts of ISO/IEC 15459. Encoding these unique identifiers in a data carrier enables information about the item processing to be clearly identified.

Technologies de l'information — Identification automatique et techniques de capture de données — Identification unique — Partie 6: Regroupements

Informacijska tehnologija - Tehnike za samodejno razpoznavanje in zajem podatkov- Enotna identifikacija - 6. del: Razvrščanje v skupine

Ta del standarda ISO/IEC 15459 določa enoten niz znakov za identifikacijo razvrščanja izdelkov, paketov izdelkov, prevoznih enot in predmetov v skupine. Niz znakov naj bi bil predstavljen s simbolom linearne črtne kode in dvodimenzionalnim simbolom ali drugim elementom za samodejno razpoznavanje in zajem podatkov (AIDC), pritrjenim na entiteto, da so izpolnjene potrebe glede upravljanja in/ali regulativne potrebe (npr. carinjenje). Za obravnavo teh potreb so v različnih delih standarda ISO/IEC 15459 opredeljene različne vrste identifikatorjev; tako lahko enolični identifikatorji, povezani v okviru posameznih delov standarda ISO/IEC 15459, izpolnjujejo različne zahteve.
Enolični identifikatorji za razvrščanje izdelkov, paketov izdelkov, prevoznih enot in predmetov v skupine omogočajo enolično identifikacijo takšnega razvrščanja po npr. vrsti, značilnostih, vrstnem redu, izdelavi, kakovosti, lokaciji, premikih itd. Uporabljati jih je mogoče z drugimi enoličnimi posameznimi identifikatorji, opredeljenimi v drugih delih standarda ISO/IEC 15459. Kodiranje teh enoličnih identifikatorjev v nosilcu podatkov omogoča jasno identifikacijo informacij o obdelavi predmeta.
Identiteta za razvrščanje v skupine je namenjena »iskanju« in je ni mogoče neposredno uporabiti kot identiteto entitete v najstrožjem pomenu definicije, kot se na primer uporablja v standardih ISO/IEC 15459-1, ISO/IEC 15459-4 in ISO/IEC 15459-5.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 15-May-2025
• ICS: 35.040 - Information coding
• ICS: 35.040.50 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Technical Committee: ITC - Information technology
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 06-May-2025
• Due Date: 11-Jul-2025
• Completion Date: 16-May-2025
• Ref Project: ISO/IEC 15459-6:2014 - Information technology - Automatic identification and data capture techniques - Unique identification - Part 6: Groupings

Overview

ISO/IEC 15459-6:2014 defines a standardized unique identifier string for groupings of products, product packages, transport units and items for use with automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) media (e.g. linear bar codes, 2‑D symbols). The standard supports management and regulatory needs (for example customs clearance) by enabling groupings - by batch, type, shipment, quality, location or movement - to be uniquely identified and looked up in information systems.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Purpose: Identity for groupings is intended primarily for “look‑up” purposes and can be used together with individual identifiers from other parts of ISO/IEC 15459. It is not a strict replacement for individual-entity identities defined in Parts 1, 4 and 5.
• Structure & Qualifier: Grouping identities include a qualifier component. Qualifiers may use data formats supported by ISO/IEC 15434 or ISO/IEC 9834‑1. Examples of qualifier schemes: GS1 Application Identifiers (AI 01, 402) and ASC MH10 Data Identifiers (25P, 25T, 25K, 26K).
• Length limits: Maximum of 50 characters per identity; for practical AIDC use it is recommended to keep identities as short as possible and preferably ≤20 characters for one-line linear bar codes.
• Character set: Permissible characters are from the invariant character set ISO/IEC 646 (alphabetic, numeric and selected special characters). More compact encoding is achieved with uppercase letters and digits. Issuing Agencies may impose additional character‑repertoire rules.
• AIDC implementation: All common AIDC technologies can carry these identities. Application standards referencing the ISO/IEC 15459 identity as a primary key are expected to be developed by Issuing Agencies.

Practical applications and users

Who uses ISO/IEC 15459-6:

• Manufacturers and packagers assigning batch or product‑type groupings.
• Logistics and transport operators labeling shipments and transport unit groupings.
• Retailers and distributors managing grouped assortments or returns.
• Customs, regulatory agencies and auditors that require standardized, machine‑readable grouping identifiers for clearance and traceability.
• Software vendors, WMS/ERP integrators and AIDC solution providers implementing barcode/2D symbol encoding and look‑up services.
  Practical uses include batch traceability, shipment consolidation identification, quality‑control grouping, and linking grouped entities to database records for inspection or regulatory reporting.

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 15459 series (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) - individual entities, registration and common rules
• ISO/IEC 646 - invariant 7‑bit character set
• ISO/IEC 15434, ISO/IEC 9834‑1 - qualifier data formats
• ISO/IEC 19762‑1 and GS1 General Specifications - AIDC vocabulary and application rules

Keywords: ISO/IEC 15459-6, unique identification, groupings, AIDC, barcode, 2D symbol, GS1 AI, data identifier, batch number, transport unit, supply chain traceability.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2025
Informacijska tehnologija - Tehnike za samodejno razpoznavanje in zajem
podatkov- Enotna identifikacija - 6. del: Razvrščanje v skupine
Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 6: Groupings
Technologies de l'information — Identification automatique et techniques de capture de
données — Identification unique — Partie 6: Regroupements
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: ISO/IEC 15459-6:2014
ICS:
35.040.50 Tehnike za samodejno Automatic identification and
razpoznavanje in zajem data capture techniques
podatkov
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 15459-6
Second edition
2014-11-15
Corrected version
2016-09-01
Information technology — Automatic
identification and data capture
techniques — Unique identification —
Part 6:
Groupings
Technologies de l’information — Identification automatique et
techniques de capture de données — Identification unique —
Partie 6: Regroupements
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2014
© ISO/IEC 2014, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Ch. de Blandonnet 8 • CP 401
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.iso.org
ii © ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Identities for individual entities . 2
5 Identities for grouping of entities . 2
6 Identity for grouping of products, units and items . 2
6.1 General . 2
6.2 Maximum number of characters permissible in a unique identity. 3
6.3 Permissible character sets in an identity . 3
7 Implementation of coding using AIDC media . 3
Annex A (informative) Groupings . 4
Annex B (informative) Identities for groupings . 6
Annex C (informative) Use case for identities for groupings. 8
Bibliography .10
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved iii

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical
activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the
work. In the field of information technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee,
ISO/IEC JTC 1.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for
the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject
of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the
Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology; Subcommittee
SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 15459-6:2007), which has been
technically revised.
This corrected version of ISO/IEC 15459-6:2014 incorporates the following correction plus other minor
editorial modifications. Clause 6.3 has been modified as follows:
“6.3 Permissible character sets in an identity
The identity shall use alphabetic, numeric and special characters from the invariant character set
ISO/IEC 646, see Annex A in ISO/IEC 15459-3.
More compact data encoding may be attained by using only upper case alphabetic characters and
numeric digits.
An Issuing Agency may have additional requirements on the repertoire of characters found within
identities using its IAC.
Any data processing system shall be capable of processing identities using the full repertoire of
characters permitted by ISO/IEC 646.”
A list of all parts in the ISO/IEC 15459 series can be found on the ISO website.
iv © ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Unique identities can occur at many different levels, at item level, on the transport unit, on the
returnable transport item, at grouping levels, and elsewhere. Such entities are often handled by several
parties, both public and private, throughout their lifecycle. Each of these parties must be able to identify
and trace such distinct entities so that reference can be made to associated information such as quality
inspection data, the chemical substance contained, the batch or lot number of parts, components or raw
materials, etc.
The associated information is typically held in some kind of database. The information can be accessed
using EDI exchange or another appropriate access protocol, e.g. a directory access protocol.
There are considerable benefits if the identity of the entity is represented as a bar code or other AIDC
(Automatic Identification and Data Capture) media and attached to or made a constituent part of that
which is being uniquely identified so that
— it can be read electronically, thus minimizing errors;
— one identity can be used by all parties;
— each party can use the identity to look up its computer files to find the data associated with the entity.
All AIDC technologies have the potential to encode an identity. It is expected that application standards,
using various automatic identification technologies, will be developed based upon the identity as a prime
key. These application standards, which can include additional rules for which level of identification
should be used, are often made available from the Issuing Agency.
The identity for groupings of products, product packages, transport units and items defined in this
part of ISO/IEC 15459, and represented in AIDC media attached to the entities (e.g. raw material,
parts, transport units, finished goods, consumer products, assets, etc.), meets the needs defined in
ISO/IEC 15459-3, Common Rules.
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 15459-6:2014(E)
Information technology — Automatic identification and
data capture techniques — Unique identification —
Part 6:
Groupings
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 15459 specifies a unique string of characters for the identification of groupings
of products, product packages, transport units and items. The character string is intended to be
represented in a linear bar code symbol and two-dimensional symbol or other AIDC media attached
to the entity to meet management needs and/or regulatory needs (e.g. customs clearance). To address
these needs different types of identifiers are recognized in the various parts of ISO/IEC 15459, which
allows different requirements to be met by the unique identifiers associated within the context of the
specific parts of ISO/IEC 15459.
The unique identifiers for grouping or products, product packages, transport units and items enables
grouping by e.g. type, characteristics, order, manufacturing, quality, location, movement, etc. to be
uniquely identified. It is possible to use with other unique individual identifiers defined in other parts
of ISO/IEC 15459. Encoding these unique identifiers in a data carrier enables information about the
item processing to be clearly identified.
The identity for groupings is intended for “look-up” purposes, and cannot be directly used as an entity
identity in the strictest sense of the definition as used, for example, in ISO/IEC 15459-1, ISO/IEC 15459-
4, and ISO/IEC 15459-5.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 646, Information technology — ISO 7-bit coded character set for information interchange
ISO/IEC 15459-1, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 1: Individual transport units
ISO/IEC 15459-2, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 2: Registration procedures
ISO/IEC 15459-3, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 3: Common rules
ISO/IEC 15459-4, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 4: Individual products and product packages
ISO/IEC 15459-5, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 5: Individual returnable transport items (RTIs)
ISO/IEC 19762-1, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC)
techniques — Harmonized vocabulary — Part 1: General terms relating to AIDC
GS1 General Specifications
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved 1

3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 19762-1 and
ISO/IEC 15459-3 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
4 Identities for individual entities
An individual instance of an entity is aptly identified by an identity that is different from any other
identity. The description of such a form of unique identification is described in ISO/IEC 15459-
1, ISO/IEC 15459-4 and ISO/IEC 15459-5. The provisions in ISO/IEC 15459-1, ISO/IEC 15459-4 or
ISO/IEC 15459-5 shall be used for individual entities.
Where unique identi
...

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 15459-6
Second edition
2014-11-15
Corrected version
2016-09-01
Information technology — Automatic
identification and data capture
techniques — Unique identification —
Part 6:
Groupings
Technologies de l’information — Identification automatique et
techniques de capture de données — Identification unique —
Partie 6: Regroupements
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2014
© ISO/IEC 2014, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Ch. de Blandonnet 8 • CP 401
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.iso.org
ii © ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Identities for individual entities . 2
5 Identities for grouping of entities . 2
6 Identity for grouping of products, units and items . 2
6.1 General . 2
6.2 Maximum number of characters permissible in a unique identity. 3
6.3 Permissible character sets in an identity . 3
7 Implementation of coding using AIDC media . 3
Annex A (informative) Groupings . 4
Annex B (informative) Identities for groupings . 6
Annex C (informative) Use case for identities for groupings. 8
Bibliography .10
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved iii

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical
activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the
work. In the field of information technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee,
ISO/IEC JTC 1.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for
the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject
of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the
Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology; Subcommittee
SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 15459-6:2007), which has been
technically revised.
This corrected version of ISO/IEC 15459-6:2014 incorporates the following correction plus other minor
editorial modifications. Clause 6.3 has been modified as follows:
“6.3 Permissible character sets in an identity
The identity shall use alphabetic, numeric and special characters from the invariant character set
ISO/IEC 646, see Annex A in ISO/IEC 15459-3.
More compact data encoding may be attained by using only upper case alphabetic characters and
numeric digits.
An Issuing Agency may have additional requirements on the repertoire of characters found within
identities using its IAC.
Any data processing system shall be capable of processing identities using the full repertoire of
characters permitted by ISO/IEC 646.”
A list of all parts in the ISO/IEC 15459 series can be found on the ISO website.
iv © ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Unique identities can occur at many different levels, at item level, on the transport unit, on the
returnable transport item, at grouping levels, and elsewhere. Such entities are often handled by several
parties, both public and private, throughout their lifecycle. Each of these parties must be able to identify
and trace such distinct entities so that reference can be made to associated information such as quality
inspection data, the chemical substance contained, the batch or lot number of parts, components or raw
materials, etc.
The associated information is typically held in some kind of database. The information can be accessed
using EDI exchange or another appropriate access protocol, e.g. a directory access protocol.
There are considerable benefits if the identity of the entity is represented as a bar code or other AIDC
(Automatic Identification and Data Capture) media and attached to or made a constituent part of that
which is being uniquely identified so that
— it can be read electronically, thus minimizing errors;
— one identity can be used by all parties;
— each party can use the identity to look up its computer files to find the data associated with the entity.
All AIDC technologies have the potential to encode an identity. It is expected that application standards,
using various automatic identification technologies, will be developed based upon the identity as a prime
key. These application standards, which can include additional rules for which level of identification
should be used, are often made available from the Issuing Agency.
The identity for groupings of products, product packages, transport units and items defined in this
part of ISO/IEC 15459, and represented in AIDC media attached to the entities (e.g. raw material,
parts, transport units, finished goods, consumer products, assets, etc.), meets the needs defined in
ISO/IEC 15459-3, Common Rules.
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 15459-6:2014(E)
Information technology — Automatic identification and
data capture techniques — Unique identification —
Part 6:
Groupings
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 15459 specifies a unique string of characters for the identification of groupings
of products, product packages, transport units and items. The character string is intended to be
represented in a linear bar code symbol and two-dimensional symbol or other AIDC media attached
to the entity to meet management needs and/or regulatory needs (e.g. customs clearance). To address
these needs different types of identifiers are recognized in the various parts of ISO/IEC 15459, which
allows different requirements to be met by the unique identifiers associated within the context of the
specific parts of ISO/IEC 15459.
The unique identifiers for grouping or products, product packages, transport units and items enables
grouping by e.g. type, characteristics, order, manufacturing, quality, location, movement, etc. to be
uniquely identified. It is possible to use with other unique individual identifiers defined in other parts
of ISO/IEC 15459. Encoding these unique identifiers in a data carrier enables information about the
item processing to be clearly identified.
The identity for groupings is intended for “look-up” purposes, and cannot be directly used as an entity
identity in the strictest sense of the definition as used, for example, in ISO/IEC 15459-1, ISO/IEC 15459-
4, and ISO/IEC 15459-5.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 646, Information technology — ISO 7-bit coded character set for information interchange
ISO/IEC 15459-1, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 1: Individual transport units
ISO/IEC 15459-2, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 2: Registration procedures
ISO/IEC 15459-3, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 3: Common rules
ISO/IEC 15459-4, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 4: Individual products and product packages
ISO/IEC 15459-5, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 5: Individual returnable transport items (RTIs)
ISO/IEC 19762-1, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC)
techniques — Harmonized vocabulary — Part 1: General terms relating to AIDC
GS1 General Specifications
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved 1

3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 19762-1 and
ISO/IEC 15459-3 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
4 Identities for individual entities
An individual instance of an entity is aptly identified by an identity that is different from any other
identity. The description of such a form of unique identification is described in ISO/IEC 15459-
1, ISO/IEC 15459-4 and ISO/IEC 15459-5. The provisions in ISO/IEC 15459-1, ISO/IEC 15459-4 or
ISO/IEC 15459-5 shall be used for individual entities.
Where unique identification for grouping of entities, which are not necessarily of the same type, is
required the provisions of Clause 5 and Clause 6 of this part of ISO/IEC 15459 shall be used.
5 Identities for grouping of entities
The grouping of entities for which the type, usage, quality, or delivery, etc. is considered the same could
be determined to be uniquely and distinctly identified and such a grouping should be unambiguously
identified by a qualifier and string as defined in Clause 6 so that groupings can be distinguished from
entities using other qualifiers.
The qualif
...

FINAL
INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
DRAFT
STANDARD FDIS
15459-6
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31
Information technology — Automatic
Secretariat: ANSI
identification and data capture
Voting begins on:
2014-06-03 techniques — Unique identification —
Voting terminates on:
Part 6:
2014-08-03
Groupings
Technologies de l’information — Identification automatique et
techniques de capture de données — Identification unique —
Partie 6: Regroupements
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO
SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION
OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH
THEY ARE AWARE AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING
DOCUMENTATION.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
Reference number
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO-
ISO/IEC FDIS 15459-6:2014(E)
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES,
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON
OCCASION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE
LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME STAN-
DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
©
NATIONAL REGULATIONS. ISO/IEC 2014

ISO/IEC FDIS 15459-6:2014(E)
© ISO/IEC 2014
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail [e-mail]
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC FDIS 15459-6:2014(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Identities for individual entities . 2
5 Identities for grouping of entities . 2
6 Identity for grouping of products, units and items . 2
6.1 General . 2
6.2 Maximum number of characters permissible in a unique identity. 3
6.3 Permissible character sets in an identity . 3
7 Implementation of coding using AIDC media . 3
Annex A (informative) Groupings . 4
Annex B (informative) Identities for groupings . 6
Annex C (informative) Use case for identities for groupings . 8
Bibliography .10
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved iii

ISO/IEC FDIS 15459-6:2014(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical
activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the
work. In the field of information technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee,
ISO/IEC JTC 1.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for
the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject
of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction
and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology, Subcommittee
SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 15459-6:2007), which has been
technically revised.
ISO/IEC 15459 consists of the following parts (as a result of the reconstruction of previously published
parts 1 to 8), under the general title Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture
techniques — Unique identification:
— Part 1: Individual transport units
— Part 2: Registration procedures
— Part 3: Common rules
— Part 4: Individual products and product packages
— Part 5: Individual returnable transport items (RTIs)
— Part 6: Groupings
iv © ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC FDIS 15459-6:2014(E)
Introduction
Unique identities can occur at many different levels, at item level, on the transport unit, on the returnable
transport item, at grouping levels, and elsewhere. Such entities are often handled by several parties,
both public and private, throughout their lifecycle. Each of these parties must be able to identify and
trace such distinct entities so that reference can be made to associated information such as quality
inspection data, the chemical substance contained, the batch or lot number of parts, components or raw
materials, etc.
The associated information is typically held in some kind of database. The information can be accessed
using EDI exchange or another appropriate access protocol, e.g. a directory access protocol.
There are considerable benefits if the identity of the entity is represented as a bar code or other AIDC
(Automatic Identification and Data Capture) media and attached to or made a constituent part of that
which is being uniquely identified so that
— it can be read electronically, thus minimizing errors;
— one identity can be used by all parties;
— each party can use the identity to look up its computer files to find the data associated with the
entity.
All AIDC technologies have the potential to encode an identity. It is expected that application standards,
using various automatic identification technologies, will be developed based upon the identity as a prime
key. These application standards, which can include additional rules for which level of identification
should be used, are often made available from the Issuing Agency.
The identity for groupings of products, product packages, transport units and items defined in this
part of ISO/IEC 15459, and represented in AIDC media attached to the entities (e.g. raw material,
parts, transport units, finished goods, consumer products, assets, etc.), meets the needs defined in
ISO/IEC 15459-3, Common Rules.
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved v

FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC FDIS 15459-6:2014(E)
Information technology — Automatic identification and
data capture techniques — Unique identification —
Part 6:
Groupings
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 15459 specifies a unique string of characters for the identification of groupings
of products, product packages, transport units and items. The character string is intended to be
represented in a linear bar code symbol and two-dimensional symbol or other AIDC media attached
to the entity to meet management needs and/or regulatory needs (e.g. customs clearance). To address
these needs different types of identifiers are recognized in the various parts of ISO/IEC 15459, which
allows different requirements to be met by the unique identifiers associated within the context of the
specific parts of ISO/IEC 15459.
The unique identifiers for grouping or products, product packages, transport units and items enables
grouping by e.g. type, characteristics, order, manufacturing, quality, location, movement, etc. to be
uniquely identified. It is possible to use with other unique individual identifiers defined in other parts
of ISO/IEC 15459. Encoding these unique identifiers in a data carrier enables information about the item
processing to be clearly identified.
NOTE The identity for groupings is intended for “look-up” purposes, and cannot be directly used as an entity
identity in the strictest sense of the definition as used, for example, in ISO/IEC 15459-1, ISO/IEC 15459-4, and
ISO/IEC 15459-5.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 646, Information technology — ISO 7-bit coded character set for information interchange
ISO/IEC 15459-1, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 1: Individual transport units
ISO/IEC 15459-2, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 2: Registration procedures
ISO/IEC 15459-3, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 3: Common rules
ISO/IEC 15459-4, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 4: Individual products and product packages
ISO/IEC 15459-5, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 5: Individual returnable transport items (RTIs)
ISO/IEC 19762-1, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) techniques —
Harmonized vocabulary — Part 1: General terms relating to AIDC
ANS MH.10.8.2, Data Identifier and Application Identifier Standard
© ISO/IEC 2014 – All rights reserved 1

ISO/IEC FDIS 15459-6:2014(E)
GS1 General Specifications
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 19762-1 and ISO/IEC 15459-3
apply.
4 Identities for individual entities
An individual instance of an entity is aptly identified by an identity that is different from any other identity.
The description of such a form of unique identification is described in ISO/IEC 15459-1, ISO/IEC 15459-4
and ISO/IEC 15459-5. The provisions in ISO/IEC 15459-1, ISO/IEC 15459-4 or ISO/IEC 15459-5 shall be
used for individual entities.
Where unique identification for grouping of entities, which are not necessarily of the same type, is
required the provisions of Clause 5 and 6 of this part of ISO/IEC 15459 shall be used.
5 Identities for grouping of entities
The grouping of entities for which the type, usage, quality, or delivery, etc. is considered the same could
be determined to be uniquely and distinctly identified and such a grouping should be unambiguously
identified by a qualifier and string as defined in Clause 6 so that groupings can be distinguished from
entities using other qualifiers.
The qualifier component of an identity for a grouping may use any data format supported by ISO/IEC 15434
or ISO/IEC 9834-1. What formats to be used are to be specified by the Issuing Agency rules. For the
purpose of this standard examples are not meant to be exha
...