3PL Use Cases

TraceLink Roles

TraceLink API Guides group messages by application. Each API Guide contains all messages available within that application. Your company's business type (e.g. CMO, Wholesale Distributor, 3PL) and role in the TraceLink Network (Owner or Partner1) determine which of these messages to develop (i.e. not all messages within this guide may fulfill your business or compliance needs).

See below to confirm which messages you should develop based on your role in the supply chain and/or the TraceLink Network.

Configure and exchange (send or receive) each message separately as a best practice.

Serialized Operations Manager Owners

3PLs send the Registration (XML) message to inform TraceLink of the registration of serial numbers.

3PLs send the Country Clearance (XML) message to TraceLink, informing TraceLink that product is being imported into, or exported from, countries and provides supporting documentation.

3PLs send the Country Clearance (EPCIS v1.2) message to TraceLink, informing TraceLink that product is being imported into, or exported from, countries and provides supporting documentation.

3PLs send the Update Serial Number Status (EPCIS v1.2 - SAP ICH) to a Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, which contains serial number status event data. SAP ICH Pharmaceutical Manufacturers receiving this outbound message are then able to send specific values for each EMVS pack status from their ATTP system to support reporting to the EU Hub.

Serialized Operations Manager Partners

3PLs use the Market Release message to designate that a full or partial lot of imported product is released for circulation and that all required registration is complete.
3PLs use the Receipt message to communicate:
  • A transfer receipt to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This receipt contains information about the transfer of goods to a another 3PL facility.
  • A return receipt to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This receipt contains information about returned goods that are received back into the system.
    • This message is only used in this way if the 3PL has an agreement with the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer to receive customer returns.
3PLs use the Receipt message to communicate:
  • A transfer receipt to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This receipt contains information about the transfer of goods to a another 3PL facility.
  • A return receipt to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This receipt contains information about returned goods that are received back into the system.
    • This message is only used in this way if the 3PL has an agreement with the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer to receive customer returns.
3PLs use the Receipt message to communicate:
  • A transfer receipt to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This receipt contains information about the transfer of goods to a another 3PL facility.
  • A return receipt to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This receipt contains information about returned goods that are received back into the system.
    • This message is only used in this way if the 3PL has an agreement with the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer to receive customer returns.
3PLs use the Sales Shipment message to communicate:
  • The transfer of a shipment to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This message contains information about the shipment that is sent from the 3PL to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer or to a different 3PL facility.
  • The return of goods back to the original Pharmaceutical Manufacturer when a different Pharmaceutical Manufacturer acts as the distributor.
3PLs use the Sales Shipment message to communicate:
  • The transfer of a shipment to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This message contains information about the shipment that is sent from the 3PL to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer or to a different 3PL facility.
  • The return of goods back to the original Pharmaceutical Manufacturer when a different Pharmaceutical Manufacturer acts as the distributor.
3PLs use the Sales Shipment message to communicate:
  • The transfer of a shipment to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer. This message contains information about the shipment that is sent from the 3PL to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer or to a different 3PL facility.
  • The return of goods back to the original Pharmaceutical Manufacturer when a different Pharmaceutical Manufacturer acts as the distributor.
3PLs use the Sales Drop Shipment message to communicate:
3PLs send the Take Product Sample (XML) message to update item status to "Sampled" when quality personnel remove serialized product for sampling purposes. This enables a Serialized Operations Manager Partner to:
  • Disaggregate items from the container, if already packed.
  • Send a message to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, which might trigger government reporting by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer for the sampling of serial numbers.
3PLs send the Take Product Sample (EPCIS v1.2) message to update item status to "Sampled" when quality personnel remove serialized product for sampling purposes. This enables a Serialized Operations Manager Partner to:
  • Disaggregate items from the container, if already packed.
  • Send a message to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, which can trigger government reporting by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer for the sampling of serialized product.

3PLs use the Country Clearance (XML) message to inform TraceLink that product is being imported into, or exported from, countries and provides supporting documentation.

3PLs use the Country Clearance (EPCIS v1.2) message to inform TraceLink that product is being imported into, or exported from, countries and provides supporting documentation.

3PLs send the Aggregation Update (XML) message to TraceLink, which reports the aggregation or disaggregation events for one or more serialized parent containers and child items.

3PLs send the Aggregation Update (EPCIS v1.2) message to TraceLink, which reports the aggregation or disaggregation events for one or more serialized parent containers and child items.

3PLs use the Update Serial Number Status message to integrate with an enterprise system to report serial number status updates. This can be used to correct mistakes or change the state of a product.
3PLs use the Update Serial Number Status message to integrate with an enterprise system to report serial number status updates. This can be used to correct mistakes or indicate certain state changes for compliance reporting purposes.