Many people interchange the phrases “SKU” and “UPC,” but it’s critical for small company owners and staff who handle inventory to understand the distinction. SKUs are unique identifiers for products, while UPCs are unique identifiers for items.

SKUs and UPC numbers are not the same, yet they share many of the same applications and best practices. SKUs are unique internal product inventory identifiers for a specific organisation, whereas UPC barcodes are external product tracking numbers that are standardised for universal usage by any corporation. SKU and UPC numbers can be used interchangeably to track products in a company, but they have different purposes.

SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)

SKU numbers are alphanumeric identifiers used by businesses to manage inventory quantities and sales. They can be allocated to both physical objects and chargeable intangible products such as repair time units or warranties. As a result, SKUs may be viewed as codes allocated to a company’s billable entities. ..

  1. Choose a unique name for your product.
  2. Use a prefix and suffix to make your code unique.
  3. Use a four-digit number for your code.
  4. Make sure the code is easy to remember and type. ..

The best way to keep your codes secret is to use a combination of letters and numbers. To improve readability, begin codes with a letter. Avoid utilising SKUs from the manufacturer.

UPC (Universal Product Codes)

UPC codes are 12-digit numeric codes that are used to track trade products in grocery stores. When you shop at the grocery store, the clerk will scan your UPC code to see what products you have bought. ..

A UPC is a unique code that identifies a product and remains constant during its shelf life.

Different merchants may offer a product with the same UPC, but this does not mean that the product is the same. ..

Comparison Between SKU And UPC

UPC barcodes are universal and stay consistent for a product regardless of which retailer sells it. This makes it easier to track down the product, as well as preventing products from being allocated multiple SKU numbers by different firms.

There are a few key distinctions between SKUs and UPCs when it comes to product identification. SKUs are alphanumeric, while UPCs are numeric. UPC barcodes must be 12 digits long, but SKU numbers can be whatever length that the company assigns to them.SKU numbers are generated by the organisations that utilise them internally, whereas UPC barcodes are managed by GS1. Companies can freely generate their own SKU numbers, but UPC barcodes must be acquired and licensed.

Today, corporate software app suppliers are developing ways to combine SKU and UPC scanning, as well as digital inventory tracking, point-of-sale, and order processing fulfilment, and accounting software to make utilising SKUs and UPCs easier and efficient.

How Do You Keep Track Of SKUs And UPCs?

  1. The best POS systems provide a variety of features, including barcodes and scanning capabilities, that make it easy to manage inventory and make mistakes.
  2. They also often include software that helps you track sales and stock levels, which can help you optimize your inventory and improve your bottom line.
  3. If you’re looking for a POS system that can handle large quantities of inventory, look for one with features like automatic packing and shipping capabilities.

Square for Retail is a new POS system that allows you to add bulk inventory to your store, as well as print barcode labels directly from the system. Additionally, UPC data can be entered into your store’s library or imported through a CSV file.

Shopify is a platform that allows you to create and manage your own ecommerce store. You can add items to your store through an app called SKUGen, which makes it easy to develop and maintain your store’s inventory. You can also buy and associate UPCs with items through a third-party app.

This platform allows you to update your products individually or import data through a CSV file.

Conclusion

Inventory management can help you free up working capital, which can then be used for more productive uses. Choose your inventory management system sensibly, based on your company’s needs and financial capabilities.

Where can I find the product’s product number?

Product labels often include UPCs and SKUs, which are clearly distinguished from each other.

Yes, you can generate your UPC.

GS1 assigns unique UPCs to businesses on a plan-by-plan basis.