You cannot discern name or type of item from them. There are multiple types of non-transparent IDs.

Consecutive Number

Consecutive numbers are the most basic type of non-transparent ID - that is, 1, 2, 3,...0001, 0002. Items are generally listed in the order in which they were entered.

Let us take a look at the following example:

Of course it can be clearly observed that this type of ID tells us nothing about the item itself or about the category it belongs to.

EAN Code

The most commonly used non-transparent IDs are 13-digit EAN codes, which can be found on most products (for more information see AutomaticallyAssigned EAN Codes). It’s a good idea to enter items in the register using their EAN codes, when using EAN code and barcode scanners for items in your store.

Let us take a look at the following example where items are sorted by category:

EAN codes make it very easy for you to track items. The easiest way to enter EAN codes is with a barcode scanner: just scan the item’s EAN code and enter the missing information in the register.