Pharmaceutical Manufacturer 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



- Returned goods from a Wholesale Distributor or Repackager.
- Received goods due to intra-company transfers from a distribution warehouse owned by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer or a 3PL.
- Purchased goods from another Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturer only communicates the receipt of purchased goods when they also serve as a distributor.

- Returned goods from a Wholesale Distributor or Repackager.
- Received goods due to intra-company transfers from a distribution warehouse owned by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer or a 3PL.
- Purchased goods from another Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturer only communicates the receipt of purchased goods when they also serve as a distributor.

- Returned goods from a Wholesale Distributor or Repackager.
- Received goods due to intra-company transfers from a distribution warehouse owned by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer or a 3PL.
- Purchased goods from another Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturer only communicates the receipt of purchased goods when they also serve as a distributor.

- The transfer of a shipment when the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer transfers product from one facility to another. There are two types of transfers:
- If the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer is tracking internal warehouse transfers between two facilities/warehouses that are owned by that Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
- If the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer is tracking the transfer of goods to a 3PL.
- The sale of goods when the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer sells product to a Wholesale Distributor. This message indicates the change of ownership.
- The return of goods back to the original Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturer only communicates the return of goods when they also serve as a Wholesale Distributor.

- The transfer of a shipment when the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer transfers product from one facility to another. There are two types of transfers:
- If the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer is tracking internal warehouse transfers between two facilities/warehouses that are owned by that Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
- If the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer is tracking the transfer of goods to a 3PL.
- The sale of goods when the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer sells product to a Wholesale Distributor. This message indicates the change of ownership.
- The return of goods back to the original Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturer only communicates the return of goods when they also serve as a Wholesale Distributor.

- The transfer of a shipment when the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer transfers product from one facility to another. There are two types of transfers:
- If the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer is tracking internal warehouse transfers between two facilities/warehouses that are owned by that Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
- If the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer is tracking the transfer of goods to a 3PL.
- The sale of goods when the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer sells product to a Wholesale Distributor. This message indicates the change of ownership.
- The return of goods back to the original Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturer only communicates the return of goods when they also serve as a Wholesale Distributor.

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

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers 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.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers 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.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers 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.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers use 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 Owner to:
- Disaggregate items from the container if already packed.
- Send government reporting for the sampling of serialized product.

- Disaggregate items from the container if already packed.
- Send government reporting for the sampling of serialized product.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers use the Void Shipment message to void a completed delivery. They void a shipment for two possible reasons:
- The Wholesale Distributor does not accept the delivery because of a desire to completely cancel the order.
- The Wholesale Distributor accepts the delivery but the delivery contains incorrect information. They then void this delivery and create a new one to replace and correct the inaccurate information.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers use the Void Shipment message to void a completed delivery. They void a shipment for two possible reasons:
- The Wholesale Distributor does not accept the delivery because of a desire to completely cancel the order.
- The Wholesale Distributor accepts the delivery but the delivery contains incorrect information. They then void this delivery and create a new one to replace and correct the inaccurate information.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers 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.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers 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.
Serialized Operations Manager Partners

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

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers 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.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers receive the Update Serial Number Status (EPCIS v1.2 - SAP ICH) from a 3PL, 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.