The National Location Registry (NLR) is a central directory of unique Global Location Numbers (GLNs) which identify legal, physical and operational locations. The NLR delivers the ability for trading partners to communicate location master data using global standards that support interoperability across the supply chain. GS1 internationally maintains a database of GLNs called GEPIR. In Australia the NLR database of GLNs is maintained by GS1 Australia with support from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and the Department of Health.
GLNs are a unique 13-digit reference number that may be assigned to specific suppliers and trading partners. GLNs can be assigned to identify any location against which data needs to be captured, including legal entities such as companies, operational entities such as a specific department within the legal entity or physical entities such as a specific office or warehouse, or even a warehouse aisle, shelf, storage bay or specific room in a building.
The NLR facilitates the dissemination of this location data from a central, validated, electronic source. For healthcare suppliers, it supports the National Product Catalogue (NPC) by replacing the current manual processes used by healthcare providers to communicate NPC Price Locations to suppliers.