Logistic units are handled by a number of partners along the supply chain and may cross industry and national boundaries. Efficient supply chains therefore require a label (and associated EDI messages) that follows international and multi-industry standards. EAN International and UCC provide a standard for the numbering and bar coding of logistic units : the UCC/EAN Logistics Label. The UCC/EAN Logistics Label combines a world-wide unique reference number, the Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) with a secure bar code symbology, UCC/EAN -128. This combination allows all participants in the supply chain to use a common, standard solution for their individual tracking and tracing needs.
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1. PURPOSE
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The purpose of the UCC/EAN Logistics Label is to provide clear and concise information about the unit to which it is affixed. It uniquely identifies the logistic unit for administration and logistics purposes and provides an article identification for the unit, or its contents, together with additional manufacturer and customer information in machine readable form.
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2. BENEFITS
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A multi-industry and international standard : the non-significance of the SSCC or Serial Shipping Container Code allows any logistic unit (individual units or groups of units that are part of the same transport transaction and that need to be tracked and traced) to be identified by any business and provides partners with an international solution. The UCC/EAN Logistics Label is fully compatible with internationally recognised standards (ISO, CEN/MITL - Multi Industry Transport Label).
A secure solution: The use of UCC/EAN-128 symbology on the label allows one of the most accurate forms of data capture. The structure of the bar code is standardised and has two independent self-checking features.
Time and cost reduction: The UCC/EAN Logistics Label reduces errors by helping the integration of logistic operations internally and externally. The partners only need one label for all parties in the supply chain, and it may include a wide range of information through the use of AIs (Application Identifiers). The label originally applied by the manufacturer is re-used by all parties to the final customer.
Links the physical and electronic information flows: The Logistics Label provides a link between the physical flow of goods (using bar codes) and the electronic information flow (using EDI).  EANCOM® is the international EDI messaging standard provided by EAN International. It is an implementation guideline of UN/EDIFACT (United Nations, Electronic Data Interchange for Administration Commerce and Transport) standard messages.
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3. THE SERIAL SHIPPING CONTAINER CODE
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The SSCC or Serial Shipping Container Code provides an anumbiguous identification for logistic units and is the only mandatory field on the UCC/EAN Logistics Label. The SSCC can be used by all parties in the supply chain as a reference number to the relevant information held in computer files.
The SSCC as an entity identifier
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The SSCC is a non-significant, fixed-length, 18-digit number which does not contain any classifying elements
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Extension Digit
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EAN / UCC Company prefix & Serial reference number
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Check digit
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N
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N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 N8 N9 N10 N11 N12 N13 N14 N15 N16
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C
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- The extension digit is assigned by the user according to internal needs.
- The company prefix is allocated to an UCC/EAN system user by an EAN Numbering Organisation or the UCC.
- The serial reference number is assigned by the user and is structured according to internal needs.
- The check digit is calculated according to the UCC/EAN algorithm.
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4. THE SSCC IN BAR CODE FORM
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The UCC / EAN-128 symbology and the associated Application Identifiers (AIs) are used to represent the SSCC, and any additional data required, in machine readable form. UCC/EAN-128 is reserved exclusively for the encoding of data elements prefaced with an UCC/EAN Application Identifier.
The AI that identifies the following data as an SSCC is 0 0
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5. INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON A UCC/EAN LOGISTICS LABEL
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100% availability of networks and EDI servers cannot be guaranteed and it is recommended to provide the logistic unit with the minimum information necessary to allow a simple and quick reception in the absence of an electronic despatch advice.
The UCC/EAN Logistics Label provides a standard way to indicate various fields of relevant information in order to help interpretation and processing by all trading partners involved.
Unit information :
Unit identification (SSCC). MANDATORY
Article Identification (UCC/EAN identification number of the trade unit)
Additional manufacturing information (dates, batch number,...)
Transport information :
Consignment number, location number,...
Customer information :
Order information (purchase order number,...)
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6. LABEL STRUCTURE
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The UCC/EAN Logistics Label is structured in three parts
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7. LABEL SIZE GUIDELINES
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The recommended size for the label is the A6 format (105 mm x 148 mm). If other dimensions are required, the width is best constant held at 105 mm while the height of the label can vary and depends on the amount of information required.
The bar codes represented on the UCC/EAN Logistics Label should be vertically oriented
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The trade unit is identified with an UCC/EAN-128 barcode. In this example it contains the article number(AI 01), the minimum durability date(AI 15) and the batch number(AI 10)
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The pallet is identified with an UCC/EAN Logistics Label
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8. EXAMPLES OF APPLICATION IDENTIFIERS USED ON THE UCC/EAN LOGISTICS LABELS
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AI
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Full Title
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00
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Serial Shipping Container Code
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01
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Identification of a trade item (EAN-14)
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02 with 37
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Identification of trade items contained + count of trade items contained
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10
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Batch or Lot Number
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11
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Production Date
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13
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Packaging Date
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15
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Minimum Durability Date
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17
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Maximum Durability Date
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410
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Ship to - Deliver to UCC/EAN International Location Number
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422
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Country of Origin of a Trade Item
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400
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Customer's Purchase Order Number
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