Resources

This guidance document provides an overview of the barcoding and barcode scanning technologies available for, and in use within, discrete elements of ITN supply chain operations as of 2025. It further elaborates where and under what circumstances the incorporation of these technologies and associated processes should be considered to achieve end-to-end supply chain visibility.
The guidance is presented in the following sequence.

• A highlight of some key characteristics of packaged ITNs and their supply chain programming and illustration of some of the supply chain challenges that have arisen as a result of these characteristics.
• The enablers of AIDC for use in ITN supply chains: details of different ITN barcode (data carriers) formats and their content, bar code scanners and the digitalization applications that manage information captured and shared.
• Where and when to apply AIDC within and across ITN supply chains.

The SOPs complement the guidance on planning the use of barcode scanning for ITN supply chains at the country level and can be adapted to fit the specific country context and supply chain design.