- Feature
- GS1-128, GS1 DataMatrix and GS1 QR barcodes in Electronic Reporting
- Availability
- Generally available in Finance 10.0.49, enabled by default
- Industry focus
- Medical device manufacturers
In the medical device industry, a label is a regulated document. Unique Device Identification (UDI) requirements in the United States, the European Union and other markets mean that devices and their packaging must carry machine-readable identifiers, and GS1 standards are among the most widely used ways to produce them. Getting the barcode wrong is not a cosmetic issue; it can hold up shipments and trigger compliance questions.
The industry challenge
Medical device makers produce GS1 barcodes on product labels, shipping cartons, pallet labels and sometimes on commercial documents such as packing slips and delivery notes. Encoding has to be correct: the right application identifiers for the device identifier, lot or serial number, expiry date and so on, with the right structure for each symbology.
Where the ERP could not generate these barcodes natively, manufacturers relied on external barcode libraries, separate label software or custom code. Each adds cost, maintenance and validation effort. In a regulated environment, every additional component in the labelling chain may need to be qualified, and every upgrade re-tested.
The result is a fragile set-up: documents that come from the ERP, barcodes that come from somewhere else, and a validation burden that grows with each integration.
What Microsoft delivered in Finance 10.0.49
Electronic Reporting (ER) in Finance 10.0.49 can generate GS1-128, GS1 DataMatrix and GS1 QR barcodes natively, without external libraries. The capability is enabled by default.
Documents built with ER, the framework Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management use for many business documents and formats, can now carry GS1 barcodes produced within the same configuration.
Where the value shows up
| Business area | Impact |
|---|---|
| Regulatory labelling | GS1 barcodes produced within the ERP's document framework |
| Validation effort | Fewer external components in the documentation chain to qualify and maintain |
| IT cost | Less spending on barcode libraries and custom integration code |
| Distribution | Shipping documents can carry scannable GS1 identifiers for partners and hospitals |
| Traceability | Lot, serial and expiry data encoded from the same transactional data |
A worked scenario
(An illustrative example.) A manufacturer of orthopaedic implants ships to hospitals and distributors across Europe. Its packing slips and delivery notes come from Dynamics 365, but the GS1 DataMatrix barcodes on them were produced by a third-party component that needed revalidation every time either system changed.
After the update, the documentation team rebuilds the delivery note in ER using the native GS1 DataMatrix capability, encoding the device identifier, lot and expiry date from the shipment data. They validate the output with barcode verification equipment and their quality team, then retire the external component, removing one item from the validated systems inventory.
Adoption considerations
- Separate labels from documents. Primary device labels may still be produced in dedicated labelling systems. Decide which outputs belong in ER.
- Verify barcode quality. Use verification equipment to confirm print quality and encoding meet GS1 and customer requirements.
- Follow your validation process. In regulated environments, document testing and approval of new or changed ER configurations.
- Check master data. Device identifiers, lot numbers and expiry dates must be accurate in the system before they are encoded.
- Coordinate with partners. Confirm that distributors and hospital systems can read and use the barcodes you plan to print.
The bottom line
For medical device manufacturers, every component in the labelling chain carries a validation cost. Native GS1 barcode generation in Electronic Reporting reduces that chain and brings barcode production closer to the transactional data it encodes. It will not replace every labelling system, but it can simplify documents that currently depend on bolt-ons. Review your labelling and document landscape with an experienced Dynamics 365 adviser before re-platforming.
Source: Microsoft: What's new or changed in Dynamics 365 Finance 10.0.49