When to Use Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF)? Practical Timing and Selection Guide

Deciding when to use Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF) comes down to the type of data you need to represent, the physical label environment, and the business processes that will scan the barcode. This beginner-friendly guide explains practical scenarios and selection criteria so you can choose ITF at the right time.

Core selection criteria

• Data type: Use ITF when the information you need to encode is strictly numeric. If you need letters, special characters, or structured GS1 application identifiers (beyond simple numeric codes), consider alternatives like Code 128 or GS1-128.
• Label surface and printing quality: ITF performs well on corrugated and other rough surfaces where high-resolution print quality is not guaranteed. If your labels will be printed on smooth, high-contrast materials, other symbologies may also work; choose ITF when you expect lower print fidelity.
• Space constraints: ITF offers high numeric density, making it a good option when you need to fit many digits on a relatively small area of a carton.

When in the product life cycle to choose ITF

1. Packaging design phase: Decide on barcode symbology early in packaging design so label placement and dimensions are integrated into dielines and print layouts.
2. Production and printing setup: Select ITF when configuring case printers and label applicators on the packing line so encoding and print quality settings match the chosen symbology.
3. Onboarding with trading partners: If a retailer or distribution partner requires ITF-14 or similar carton-level coding, adopt ITF during vendor compliance setup.

Operational scenarios that call for ITF

• High-volume case packing: When thousands of cartons per day leave a packing line, ITF is an efficient choice for the case-level identifier.
• Corrugated printing: When labels are printed directly on cardboard or applied to corrugated cases, ITF’s tolerance for lower print contrast and slight smearing helps maintain read rates.
• Simple numeric identifiers: Internal carton serial numbers, batch numbers that are numeric, or GTIN-14 all fit ITF’s numeric-only constraint.

When not to choose ITF

Avoid ITF in these situations::

• If the identifier includes letters or mixed characters.
• If you need to encode multiple data elements with explicit application identifiers (use GS1-128 or 2D barcodes in that case).
• If labels will be very small (consider Data Matrix or QR code for high data density and error correction).

Compliance-driven timing

Sometimes the “when” is dictated by trading partners or standards. Large retailers and distributors may mandate ITF-14 on supplier cartons for compliance. If you are onboarding with such a customer, you must implement ITF at the moment you start shipping to them, which typically occurs during vendor enablement or the first production run for that customer.

Testing and validation - when to test

1. Prototype labels: Test barcode readability on sample cartons before full production.
2. Pilot production: Run a limited batch and validate read rates through the actual receiving and sortation points that will handle the cartons.
3. Go-live verification: On the first day of full production or first large shipment to a new partner, monitor scanning performance and be ready to adjust print settings or label placement.

Implementation timeline tips

• Plan label format, size, and placement during packaging design to avoid late rework.
• Coordinate with your WMS/TMS provider early so the numeric identifiers encoded in ITF are generated in the correct format and include any required check digits.
• Allow time for print qualification: ensure your printers and label materials produce bars with sufficient contrast and correct module widths.

Example decision points

• A food manufacturer is adding a new SKU shipped in corrugated cases; because the retailer requires carton GTINs and printing will be direct to cardboard, the manufacturer selects ITF-14 before production begins.
• An electronics company needs to encode serial numbers that include letters; they decide not to use ITF and instead adopt Code 128 labels for combined alphanumeric data.
• A third-party logistics provider sees inconsistent scan rates on a new supplier’s ITF labels; they pause full-scale processing until label printing settings are corrected and requalified.

Summary

Choose Interleaved 2 of 5 when your use case involves numeric-only identifiers on cartons, when printing is done to corrugated materials, and when you need a compact, reliable barcode for logistics workflows. Implement ITF early in packaging and vendor onboarding, validate it with pilot runs, and avoid it where alphanumeric or multi-element data is required. With those rules of thumb, you’ll know when ITF is the right tool for your labeling needs.