GS1-128 Labels and VICS BOL Printing

The GS1-128 carton label

Big-box retailers require every carton to wear a GS1-128 label (also known as a UCC-128 label) at delivery. It's a 4×6 thermal label with a barcode encoding the SSCC carton serial, plus human-readable text the retailer's receiver scans: PO number, vendor name, ship-to address, carton X of Y, and (for retailers like Costco grocery) lot code and expiry date. ShipWave's carton label template is pre-configured for each supported retailer—you don't edit fonts or barcode placement.

Lot and expiry tracking

For products that require lot/expiry tracking (food, grocery, supplements, batteries, regulated electronics), assign lot codes and expiration dates to inventory at the receiving step (Admin → Inventory → Receiving). When you pick that inventory into an outbound shipment, ShipWave attaches the lot/expiry to the SSCC and prints it on the carton label. The same data flows into the ASN's carton hierarchy so the retailer's system can reject anything mismatched at receiving.

Generating and printing labels

When you purchase a shipping label for an EDI order, ShipWave automatically generates the GS1-128 carton labels alongside the carrier shipping label. They appear in the Print queue tied to the warehouse's assigned thermal printer (Zebra ZD420, Brother QL series, etc.). The pick/pack staff prints the carton labels first, applies them to each carton, then prints the carrier label. For warehouses without a thermal printer assigned, you can download a PDF and print on standard 4×6 label stock.

The VICS BOL

For LTL freight (anything moving on a pallet via XPO, Estes, Old Dominion, etc.), retailers require a VICS BOL (Voluntary Inter-industry Commerce Solutions Bill of Lading)—a standardized BOL with specific layout requirements. ShipWave generates a VICS-compliant BOL PDF for LTL EDI shipments automatically. Download it from the order detail page under the Documents tab. Print on letter paper, sign, and hand to the LTL driver at pickup.

Reprinting and corrections

Need to reprint a carton label after it got damaged? From the order detail page, click Reprint carton labels. Need to amend a BOL (wrong pallet count, fixed weight)? Click Regenerate BOL and ShipWave rebuilds the PDF from the current shipment state. SSCC numbers are stable across reprints so you don't accidentally double-allocate a serial.

FAQs

Do I need my own GS1 company prefix?

Yes for production retail. SSCCs encode a GS1 company prefix that uniquely identifies the manufacturer/shipper. Apply for one at gs1us.org if you don't have it; it's a flat annual fee. Add the prefix to Admin → EDI → GS1 Settings in ShipWave.

What if my thermal printer isn't showing up in ShipWave?

Make sure it's on the same network as the ShipWave print client and listed under Admin → Printers. Cloud thermal printers like Brother and Zebra Link-OS register automatically.

Can I customize the carton label layout?

The required GS1 zones (SSCC barcode, ship-to text, PO number) are fixed per retailer compliance. You can add an optional brand logo in the top-right zone via Admin → Brand Settings → Carton Label Logo.

Printing GS1-128 carton labels and VICS BOLs