DPCI Barcode Generator

What a DPCI actually is

DPCI stands for Department-Class-Item. It is the identifier Target uses internally to organise its own catalogue, and it is written as three groups of digits — a two-digit department, a three-digit class, and a four-digit item:

052  –  08  –  1246 department – class – item

A DPCI is not a UPC or an EAN. UPC and EAN are global product identifiers issued through GS1 and printed on the packaging so any retailer's checkout can scan them. A DPCI only means something inside Target's systems. That distinction matters before you print anything: a DPCI barcode is for internal workflows — shelf labels, pick lists, planogram sheets, inventory audits, backroom organisation — not for checkout.

Code 128 or Code 39?

A DPCI is just digits, and both formats encode digits fine. The practical difference is width:

If nothing in your workflow demands Code 39, use Code 128 and you will fit more label on the same tag.

Where to find a DPCI number

• On a shelf label in store — the three hyphenated groups, usually printed in a top corner of the tag.
• On Target.com — in the product details section of an item page.
• In an internal system export — often as nine digits with no hyphens, which this tool accepts too.

Printing labels that actually scan

• Keep the quiet zone. Leave clear white space either side of the bars. Cropping tight to the barcode is the most common reason a printed label fails to read.
• Print at full black. Greyscale or "eco" modes soften bar edges and cost you reads.
• Do not scale non-uniformly. Stretching the width relative to the height distorts the bar ratios.
• Choose SVG for larger prints. It stays sharp at any size; PNG is fine for standard shelf tags.

Frequently asked questions