Healthcare, Laboratory and UDI Labels
Verify specimen, medication and device labels — GS1 Data Matrix included — on screen before you print them.
The problem
In healthcare the cost of a label error is not a reprint. If the barcode on a specimen tube does not scan, the sample is taken again; if the UDI on a device label is encoded wrongly, the traceability chain breaks. And most of these errors are invisible: a GS1 Data Matrix and a plain Data Matrix look identical and can even carry the same text — only the symbology identifier the scanner reports (]d2 vs ]d1) tells them apart.
What does Labelixa do?
Is your GS1 Data Matrix really GS1?
When FNC1 is requested through the `^BX` escape character, the preview engine produces a real GS1 Data Matrix; if it cannot, it returns a warning instead of quietly drawing a plain symbol.
Application Identifiers
(01) GTIN, (10) lot, (17) expiry date and (21) serial number travel in a single symbol, and the reading system knows which field is which.
Small surfaces and readability
Specimen tubes and ampoule labels are narrow. Change the module size and compare the output — find the scanning problem on screen, not in the laboratory.
Patient data never stays on the server
The rendering service is stateless: the ZPL you send is never written to disk or logged.
Example label
ZPL
^XA
^FO25,20^A0N,26,24^FDSTERILE SINGLE USE^FS
^FO25,54^A0N,20,18^FDUDI-DI: 09501101530003^FS
^FO25,84^A0N,20,18^FDLOT: 4512 EXP: 2027-05-31^FS
^FO25,118^BXN,4,200,,,,_^FD_1(01)09501101530003(17)270531(10)4512^FS
^XZ
Commonly used symbologies
How to integrate
- Paste your label template into the preview tool and see it at real size.
- For a GS1 Data Matrix, declare the escape character in `^BX` and start the data with FNC1; if no warning appears, the symbol is GS1.
- Pick the module size for your surface width and compare the outputs.
- Once the template is settled, generate labels from your hospital information system through the API.
Go to the API reference →
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a plain Data Matrix from a GS1 Data Matrix?
If the first codeword of the symbol is FNC1 the scanner reports `]d2`; a plain Data Matrix reports `]d1`. The two look identical, so the difference can only be measured with a reader.
Is the patient data on the label stored by you?
No. The rendering service is stateless: the ZPL you send is never written to disk or logged.
Does Labelixa certify UDI compliance?
No. Labelixa produces the label and helps you verify it; the regulatory compliance decision remains the manufacturer's responsibility.
