What Is a Check Digit? The Key to Barcode Accuracy & Validation

BY: TRAVIS WAYNE / DATE: 06/19/2025 / TOPICS: AUTOMOTIVE, FOOD & BEVERAGE, HEALTHCARE, MANUFACTURING, MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, RETAIL, SHIPPING & RECEIVING, WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION, BARCODE BASICS, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

What is a check digit? Simply put, a check digit is an extra number added to a barcode to help detect errors. Barcode check digits are calculated using algorithms during both barcode creation and scanning. If the scanned check digit matches the created check digit, the barcode was scanned correctly.

Check digits are foundational to barcode data integrity, validation, and quality. In this blog, we’ll dive into what check digits are, how they work, and why they’re important.   

Global Companies Face Major Labeling Challenges. Here Are 10 Ways Global Label Management Helps.

BY: DOUG NIEMEYER / DATE: 02/27/2025 / TOPICS: MANUFACTURING, MEDICAL DEVICE, FOOD & BEVERAGE, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT

Companies with multiple locations have unique labeling challenges. When its locations are spread around the world, those challenges are magnified. Better connections are essential in a global labeling environment, so companies should consider how label management software can streamline operations and improve international connectivity.

UDI Labeling Regulations Explained: How to Comply & Where to Start

BY: JENNA WAGNER / DATE: 10/24/2024 / TOPICS: MEDICAL DEVICE, HEALTHCARE, PHARMACEUTICAL, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, LABEL DESIGN

This blog will guide you through UDI labeling regulations, breaking down the essentials for compliance.

GS1 Barcode Generator Creates Compliant GS1 Barcodes for You

BY: TRAVIS WAYNE / DATE: 08/22/2024 / TOPICS: MANUFACTURING, SHIPPING & RECEIVING, AUTOMOTIVE, CHEMICAL, HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL DEVICE, RETAIL, WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION, PHARMACEUTICAL, LABEL DESIGN, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Barcodes have been used for over fifty years to communicate information between buyers, sellers, distributors, governments, and more. While a barcode could contain any random string of numbers, the power of barcodes is in standards. 

GS1 is the organization behind the most widely used barcode standards in the world. Generating accurate GS1 barcodes is a priority for any business. In this blog, we’ll discuss how to generate GS1 barcodes using barcode label design software.  

Everything You Need to Know for Improving Your Labeling Process

BY: NICK RECHT / DATE: 06/26/2024 / TOPICS: MANUFACTURING, WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION, FOOD & BEVERAGE, MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, LABEL DESIGN

On June 26th, 1974, the first barcode was scanned on a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Gum. This year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the barcode. To this day, barcodes serve the same purpose as they did in 1974, identifying products throughout the supply chain. However, they have evolved significantly since 1974, with many advancements to 1D and 2D barcodes.  

Are You Ready for the New Windsor Framework Regulations?

BY: BOB TILLING / DATE: 05/16/2024 / TOPICS: MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, LABEL DESIGN

In the wake of Brexit, the regulations on medicinal products are undergoing significant changes. It is crucial for companies involved in the manufacturing and distribution of these products to the UK to keep well-informed in order to ensure compliance and avoid potentially expensive recalls and penalties.

5 Tips for Managing Labeling and Artwork Management

BY: BOB TILLING / DATE: 01/25/2024 / TOPICS: MANUFACTURING, RETAIL, CHEMICAL, MEDICAL DEVICE, FOOD & BEVERAGE, COLOR LABELING, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, CLOUD LABELING

In a recent webinar co-hosted by Kallik and TEKLYNX, industry experts gave insight into the evolving world of labeling and artwork content management for 2024. The webinar focused on providing practical advice and innovative solutions while centering around 5 Top Tips for Effective Labeling and Artwork Content Management in 2024.

Smarter Labeling: Reduce Label Files with Variable Data

BY: TRAVIS WAYNE / DATE: 11/30/2023 / TOPICS: AEROSPACE & DEFENSE, AUTOMOTIVE, CANNABIS, FOOD & BEVERAGE, MANUFACTURING, MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, RETAIL, LABEL DESIGN, PRINT AUTOMATION

When you need to print a label, how long does it take to find the correct file, populate the correct data, and start the print job? If you’re not leveraging the power of variable data on smart label templates, it could take several minutes just to find the right label file!

What is a Label Audit Trail? Everything You Need to Know

BY: CASEY SCIANO / DATE: 10/20/2022 / TOPICS: HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, LABEL TRACEABILITY, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

If you encountered a labeling error today, would you be able to confidently pinpoint how and why it took place? Unfortunately, for many companies, the answer is “no.” Many companies have a label design and approval process that is informal, manual, and prone to mistakes.

So, how can you reduce the risk of labeling errors to near zero? You can set your company up for success by implementing an automated label audit trail. A label audit trail is a reliable, consistent way of documenting changes made to label designs. Maintaining an accurate label audit trail reduces the risk of labeling errors and helps pinpoint the cause if they happen. 

The Ins and Outs of Life Sciences Labeling for Patient Safety

BY: JENNA WAGNER / DATE: 07/07/2022 / TOPICS: HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Life sciences companies have a lot of factors to consider when it comes to labeling, including changes in regulations on an ongoing basis from authorities like the FDA and EU to protect public health and improve patient safety.  This blog will go through global labeling regulations, compliance, labeling system validation, and labeling and artwork management solutions to support it all. 

Achieve Higher Quality Labels Through Better Connections

BY: TRAVIS WAYNE / DATE: 04/21/2022 / TOPICS: CHEMICAL, FOOD & BEVERAGE, HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, LABEL TRACEABILITY

When it comes to barcodes and their use on labels such as product, inventory, shipping, and case labels, quality is paramount. A poor-quality barcode label can result in delays in production, returns, chargebacks, poor customer experience, and potentially recalls – no company wants to face those headaches. Thankfully, there are many options and solutions to help improve the quality of barcode labels and safeguard your business’ labeling processes.

Better Connections for More Secure Barcode Labeling

BY: ANTHONY BIENIEWSKI / DATE: 03/24/2022 / TOPICS: HEALTHCARE, PHARMACEUTICAL, MEDICAL DEVICE, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, LABEL TRACEABILITY, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

According to the Enterprisers Project, security must be a top priority for technology executives in 2022. Building a secure barcode labeling process is an important piece of a company’s security strategy that has a direct impact on the bottom line.  

Mislabeling is one of the top causes of recalls in the United States, and labeling errors stem from gaps in labeling security. This blog will discuss ways to create a managed, controlled, and secure barcode labeling process leveraging better connections between people, software, and process. 

The Basics of IQ OQ PQ and Its Role in Labeling System Validation for Highly Regulated Industries

BY: NICK RECHT / DATE: 03/08/2022 / TOPICS: HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Quality assurance (QA) is critical in manufacturing to ensure safety for employees and consumers of the product being manufactured. In highly-regulated industries like medical device manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences, regulatory authorities like the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union (EU) have guidelines related to process validation to confirm a company’s processes will result in reliable outputs and meet all necessary quality standards.

How Automatic Label Inspection Technology Helps Prevent Labeling Errors

BY: MARK WORLIDGE, FOUNDER AND CEO OF PERCEPTOR INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES LTD / DATE: 09/23/2021 / TOPICS: MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, AEROSPACE & DEFENSE, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Thermal printing is an extensively used and mature technology that is extremely reliable, but print issues can still occur when printing labels. Manufacturers depend on thermal printing for product identification, dosage information, voltage currents, use-by dates, batch information, model and serial numbers, to name a few.

By leveraging automatic label inspection technologies, you can inspect every label as it is printing and avoid critical labeling errors that can cost you time and money.  

Enterprise Labeling Software: How to Manage Compliance Labeling

BY: TRAVIS WAYNE / DATE: 04/08/2021 / TOPICS: AUTOMOTIVE, CANNABIS, CHEMICAL, FOOD & BEVERAGE, HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, LABEL TRACEABILITY, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Compliance labeling is critical for manufacturers and distributors in many industries. Managing compliance labeling doesn’t need to cause headaches when you use a robust and reliable enterprise labeling system. Following these key principles will set you up for compliance labeling success.

3 Medical Device Industry Use Cases for Label Security & Traceability

BY: NICK RECHT / DATE: 03/25/2021 / TOPICS: MEDICAL DEVICE, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, LABEL TRACEABILITY, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

How three different medical device companies implemented security and traceability into their labeling process.

How 3 Companies Improved Label Printing by Integrating With SAP

BY: TRAVIS WAYNE / DATE: 03/09/2021 / TOPICS: AUTOMOTIVE, MANUFACTURING, MEDICAL DEVICE, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, PRINT AUTOMATION

Integrating label printing systems with SAP is a guaranteed way to decrease labeling errors and maximize ROI while also speeding up your label printing process.

Why TEKLYNX is the Best Labeling Software for Medical Devices

BY: NICK RECHT / DATE: 06/09/2020 / TOPICS: MEDICAL DEVICE, ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT, LABEL TRACEABILITY, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

The medical device industry is one of the most highly regulated industries out there.

EU MDR Labeling Software Helps Companies Comply

BY: DOUG NIEMEYER / DATE: 03/12/2020 / TOPICS: MEDICAL DEVICE, PHARMACEUTICAL, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Lately, there’s been quite the buzz around the European Union Medical Device Regulation or better known as, EU MDR. The EU MDR is a priority for all companies in the medical device industry that distribute products in the EU and will officially take effect on May 26, 2021. This regulation has more need for data management and complex assessment procedures than the regulation it replaces (MDD – Medical Devices Directive).