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 ESM Partners

These messages are specifically intended for 3PLs that use TraceLink for regulatory reporting and track & trace data exchange, but do not use the full TraceLink serialization platform as the system of record for serialization management.

3PLs use the ESM Update Serial Number Status message to synchronize serial number status update data from their enterprise serialization system of record. This can be used to correct mistakes or indicate certain state changes for compliance reporting purposes.

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

3PLs send theTake Product Sample 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.
  • Trigger a notification to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer which may trigger government reporting by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer for the sampling of serial numbers.