If a buyer asks for an SSCC, supplying a product number or purchase-order reference may not satisfy its receiving process. First establish what the number is meant to identify.
The product and its transport unit are different
GS1 Denmark’s SSCC explanation describes a unique identifier for each logistics unit, such as a pallet or parcel. Two units containing identical products still need separate SSCCs within that identification system. GS1 also distinguishes product and shipment identifiers.
A GTIN is not necessarily a serial number for one individual physical item. Likewise, one order may involve several pallets and more than one transport booking.
Two identical pallets, one customer order
Consider a fictional order for 80 cases of one product, packed as two pallets of 40 cases. The cases have the same product identifier, but the pallets are separate handling units. Call their logistics identities Unit A and Unit B for this example; these are explanatory labels, not valid SSCC numbers.
If the receiver reports only Unit A arrived, the supplier can investigate Unit B without asking which copy of the product number went missing. If both arrive, the buyer still needs its agreed checks to establish contents and condition.
The transport booking might have one master reference with two unit references, or separate package references. Confirm the actual structure rather than expecting the product number to open the courier’s tracking screen.
Build a small cross-reference table
A working dispatch sheet can connect purchase order, product, quantity, logistics-unit identifier and carrier reference. Keep each column’s role stable. If a pallet is rebuilt, follow the relevant identification rules instead of casually copying a label from another unit.
For returns, include the supplier’s return authorisation too. It answers permission and receiving questions; it does not replace the transport identity. This prevents a repair desk from receiving a pallet it cannot match to an approved return.
Do all WTM customers need an SSCC?
No universal SSCC requirement is being imposed here. Follow the requirements agreed with your customer and WTM for the shipment. A distribution customer may need structured unit identification, while an occasional parcel sender may only need the prescribed shipment label and reference.
The WTM Customer Portal keeps shipment requests and available delivery documents together. Provide any warehouse-specific identifiers during booking so the transport information can be associated with the buyer’s records.
Is printing a product barcode enough to identify a pallet uniquely?
Not when multiple pallets carry the same product. Product identity and individual transport-unit identity serve different purposes.
Can one carrier reference cover several pallets?
It can, depending on the carrier’s record structure. Confirm how each handling unit is represented and how the receiver should report a discrepancy.
