Weber Etiketten: Why is FNC1 important, and why can two identical matrix codes yield different results?

2026-08-043 min.

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Two square codes might appear identical, containing the same information and even give the same result when scanned. When scanned by a professional reader, however, in a production or storage environment, one might be identified as a GS1 DataMatrix, while the other as an ordinary Data Matrix. The GS1 DataMatrix begins with the special function character FNC1, which informs the scanner that the data is structured according to GS1 rules. What is the boundary between these two codes, why is FNC1 so crucial, and how can a minor error disrupt the automated processing?

The answer we will find with Weber Etiketten Bulgaria – part of the German Bluhm Weber Group and a company, that is specialized in solutions for industrial marking and labelling. "The visual resemblance between Data Matrix and GS1 DataMatrix often creates the impression that the two codes are interchangeable. However, a professional scanner detects how the data is structured and may return an error if the expected GS1 sequence is missing," Weber Etiketten Bulgaria commented to BalkanEngineer.com.

The difference between the two codes begins with the first symbols. A GS1 DataMatrix contains an FNC1 character immediately after the start character, thereby "signaling" to the scanner that the data follows GS1 rules. The ordinary Data Matrix does not include such an initial instruction, so the reader identifies it as a standard two-dimensional code. It is important to note that FNC1 is not printed as a visible letter or graphic symbol, therefore it cannot be visually verified. When the scanner decodes the matrix, the functional symbol decides how to interpret the next set. If the FNC1 character is present in the correct position, the reader expects GS1 Application Identifiers and data structured according to their specific formats. "The FNC1 acts as a start instruction. It signals to the scanner that it is receiving a GS1 DataMatrix code and that the subsequent values should be interpreted using Application Identifiers," Weber Etiketten Bulgaria commented.