How do I fix "Invalid GTIN"?

Copy the barcode from the packaging or your supplier. Spaces, dashes and a provably missing leading zero are fixed automatically.

Google Merchant CenterSKUs & IDsImport blockerAuto-fixable

Invalid GTIN

The gtin isn't 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits with a correct check digit, or a spreadsheet turned it into scientific notation.

What is this issue?

The gtin isn't 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits with a correct check digit, or a spreadsheet turned it into scientific notation.

Affected field:gtin

Import blocker: your file will fail to import until this is resolved.

What it looks like in your file

In your file

	id	title	gtin
2	MUG-01	Acme Ceramic Coffee Mug, 12 oz	4.00638E+12
3	TOTE-01	Acme Canvas Tote Bag, Natural	4006-3813-3393-1

After the fix

	id	title	gtin
2	MUG-01	Acme Ceramic Coffee Mug, 12 oz	4006381333931
3	TOTE-01	Acme Canvas Tote Bag, Natural	4006381333931

This issue is fixed automatically. Upload your CSV to fix it now.

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Why Google Merchant Center rejects this

Google checks every GTIN against GS1 rules. Wrong GTINs get products disapproved or matched to the wrong item.

Google Merchant Center-specific note

Google checks every GTIN against GS1's rules and the GS1 database. A GTIN that doesn't match the product can get it disapproved or matched to someone else's listing.

Valid values / expected format

✓8, 12, 13 or 14 digits (GTIN-8, UPC, EAN, ITF-14)
✓The last digit must be the correct check digit
✓Digits only: no spaces, dashes or letters

Fix in StriveFormats

StriveFormats removes spaces and dashes, restores a leading zero when the check digit proves it was dropped, and flags GTINs with the wrong length, a wrong check digit or scientific notation.

Auto-fixable: this issue is corrected automatically when you click Fix Issues.

Open CSV Fixer View template Google Merchant Center Fixer guide

Fix in Excel

1In Excel, select the gtin column, right-click it and choose 'Format Cells' > 'Text'. Do this before pasting barcodes, or Excel turns them into scientific notation.
2If values already show as 4.00638E+12, the digits are gone: copy the barcodes again from your supplier or product system.
3Press Ctrl+H and replace spaces and dashes with nothing.
4Check each barcode against the number printed on the packaging.
5Save as Text (Tab delimited) (*.txt).

Fix in Google Sheets

1In Google Sheets, select the gtin column and go to Format > Number > Plain text before pasting barcodes.
2If values already show as 4.00638E+12, the digits are gone: copy the barcodes again from your supplier or product system.
3Press Ctrl+H and replace spaces and dashes with nothing.
4Check each barcode against the number printed on the packaging.
5Go to File > Download > Tab Separated Values (.tsv), then rename the file to end in .txt.

Prevent it next time

✓Format barcode columns as Text before pasting, in every spreadsheet you use.
✓Copy GTINs from the manufacturer or GS1, never type them by hand.
✓Don't invent a GTIN. If a product has none, leave gtin blank and give an mpn, or set identifier_exists to no.

How StriveFormats detects this

StriveFormats strips spaces and dashes from each gtin, checks that it has 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits, and recalculates the check digit. Values in scientific notation are flagged because their digits can't be recovered.

►Technical detail

A GTIN's last digit is a check digit calculated from the others, so a typo or a lost digit almost always shows up as a wrong check digit. Spreadsheets cause most GTIN errors: long numbers are shown as 4.00638E+12 and saved that way, and leading zeros are dropped from UPCs. StriveFormats only adds a zero back when the check digit proves the shorter number was a 12- or 13-digit GTIN missing its first zero.