Serial Shipping Container Code
How is an SSCC different from a GTIN?
The SSCC identifies a logistic unit like a pallet or tote, while the GTIN identifies a trade item or product. The SSCC tracks the container itself, not the item contents, and is unique to each handling unit.
Where is an SSCC typically encoded for scanning?
The SSCC is most commonly encoded in a GS1-128 barcode on a GS1 Logistics Label. Some deployments also use RFID to carry the SSCC for automated reading.
How does the SSCC improve traceability and warehouse operations?
It gives each pallet or carton a unique identifier tied to shipment, lot, and handling events. This enables dock receiving against ASNs, location accuracy, FIFO/FEFO discipline, and end-to-end traceability for recalls.
The Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) is a GS1 18-digit identification key assigned to a logistic unit such as a pallet, case, parcel, or tote. It functions as a license plate for the unit itself, not the product inside, enabling unique tracking through receiving, putaway, picking, shipping, and customer receipt.
An SSCC is created when a pallet or tote is built and packed. A warehouse operator prints a GS1-128 label and applies it to the physical unit. Every subsequent scan--goods receipt, putaway, transfer, picking, dispatch--updates the WMS record tied to that code. Receiving a pallet against an ASN confirms the exact logistic unit before putaway. In raw material flow, a pallet of resin or chemical drums carries an SSCC linked to lot, batch, and stock status, supporting FIFO and traceability. When production consumes that material, scanning the SSCC posts the issue to the correct inventory and lot record. The code travels with the unit until shipment, letting the customer verify receipt against the ASN. This links physical flow to system transactions. At every step, scanning errors are minimized because the SSCC is validated by its check digit.
Duplicate pallet records: Reusing an SSCC for a second logistic unit makes the WMS merge both pallets into one record. The result is mispicks, wrong receipts, and lost traceability across the warehouse.
Dock receiving stalls: When the SSCC label does not match the ASN or WMS record, receiving staff must manually investigate while trucks wait, delaying putaway and quickly creating a backlog of unloaded trailers.
Inventory that does not exist: A correct SSCC attached to incorrect pallet content, quantity, or lot data misleads downstream systems. The warehouse shows stock that is not physically present, causing stockouts, allocation errors, and recall failures.