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Convert a UPC-E Barcode to UPC-A

Learn how to convert a 6 or 8-digit UPC-E barcode into its 12-digit UPC-A equivalent so it can be entered into Vori.

Vori requires a 12-digit UPC-A barcode to create a product. Some products, often smaller packaged goods, use a UPC-E instead: a compressed barcode that can appear as 6 or 8 digits on the packaging. These cannot be entered into Vori directly and need to be expanded first.

This guide walks you through how to identify which format you have and how to find or calculate the correct UPC-A.

Table of Contents 


How do I know if I have a UPC-E?

UPC-E barcodes appear on small product packaging where a full barcode would not fit. You can identify one by looking at the barcode itself and the digits printed below it:

  • 6 digits: The number system digit (usually 0) and check digit have been stripped. You will see only the compressed middle portion.
  • 8 digits: The full UPC-E structure, starting with 0 or 1 and ending with a check digit.

If you scan the barcode and Vori does not find a matching product, or if the barcode field shows fewer than 12 digits, you likely have a UPC-E.


Option 1: Look up the UPC-A using a barcode lookup tool (recommended)

The fastest and most reliable method is to look up the product online using the UPC-E as printed.

  1. Go to a barcode lookup site such as barcodelookup.com or buycott.com.
  2. Type in the UPC-E digits as they appear on the packaging.
  3. If a match is found, the product listing will include the full 12-digit UPC-A.
  4. Use that 12-digit code when creating the product in Vori.

💡 Tip: You can also try scanning the barcode with your phone's camera app or a free barcode scanner app. Many will display the expanded UPC-A automatically.


Option 2: Convert the UPC-E manually

If a lookup does not return results, you can expand the barcode yourself using the rules below.

Step 1: Identify your starting digits

Locate the digits on the packaging:

  • If you have 6 digits, add a leading 0 to the front. You now have 7 digits.
  • If you have 8 digits, drop the last digit (the check digit) and the first digit. You now have 6 middle digits. Add the first digit back to the front to work with 7 digits total.

You should now have a 7-digit string in the format: N D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6, where N is the number system digit (0 or 1).

Step 2: Expand based on the last digit (D6)

The last digit of your 6 compressed digits tells you how to expand:

Last digit (D6) UPC-A structure
0, 1, or 2 N + D1 + D2 + D6 + 00000 + D3 + D4 + D5
3 N + D1 + D2 + D3 + 00000 + D4 + D5
4 N + D1 + D2 + D3 + D4 + 00000 + D5
5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 N + D1 + D2 + D3 + D4 + D5 + 00000

This gives you 11 digits. You still need to calculate the check digit to complete the 12-digit UPC-A.

Step 3: Calculate the check digit

  1. Starting from the left, multiply every odd-position digit (positions 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11) by 3.
  2. Add those results together, then add the even-position digits (positions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10).
  3. Take the total, find the next multiple of 10, and subtract the total from it. The result is your check digit.

✏️ Note: If the total already ends in 0, the check digit is 0.


Enter the UPC-A in Vori

Once you have the full 12-digit UPC-A:

  1. Open Vori OS or Back Office and navigate to the product details page. 
  2. Enter the 12-digit code in the Barcode field.
  3. Enter in the additional required details.
  4. If no existing product is found, select Create New Product or Save.