SSCC Serial Shipping Container Code

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SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code)

• How to format an SSCC

2
Format of GS1 standards

• All GS1 numbers (UPC, GTIN, SSCC, GLN)
  essentially have 3 parts
• Company Prefix a number assigned and managed by
  GS1 that uniquely identifies a company from any
  other company across the globe.
• Reference Number assigned by the owner of the
  Company Prefix to identify what is being numbered
  (e.g. a pallet, a case, an item, a location,
  etc.)
• Check Digit an algorithm that serves as a
  checks and balances to ensure preceding digits
  were entered correctly.

NOTE All three parts must not be separated in
order to maintain uniqueness
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GS1 Data Structures
GTIN 14 digits
SSCC 18 digits
GLN 13 digits
UPC 12 digits
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Item/Case
Item
Location
Pallet
NOTE The Company Prefix can vary from 6 digits
to 9 digits. As such, the reference will also
vary depending on the size of the Company Prefix.
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SSCC (Serial Shipping container code)

• 18 digits long
• Each SSCC is unique
• Used for pallet identification only
• Each and every pallet has a UNIQUE SSCC to track
  that unique pallet throughout its life

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SSCC Diagram
18 DIGITS LONG
Position 18 Packaging Type For simplicity
sake, recommendation is to use a 1 , which is
fully within the expanded list of guidelines
issued by GS1.
Position 17 0 showing Company Prefix was
assigned in the U.S. or Canada
Position 2 - 16 Combination of Company Prefix
and Serial
Position 1 Check Digit
 IF   Length of Company Prefix    THEN    Length
of Serial Number                       
6 digits                        9
digits                        7
digits                            8
digits                        8
digits                             7
digits                        9
digits                             6 digits
It is for this reason that the Company Prefix is
said to be variable-length.
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Example SSCC encoded in a 128 Barcode
(00) 1 0 6 1 4 1 4 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1
Check Digit
Company Prefix
Pallet Reference Number (i.e. Serial Number)