Table of contents
Overview
The SOM Sales Shipment transaction is an XML-based message used to record and communicate the shipment of serialized products between companies and their trading partners. It allows for the exchange of important shipment information without granting partners direct access to the serialization system of record. The message supports various use cases, including commission and shipping events, and can handle both aggregated and non-aggregated product data..
Triggered at the point of shipment, this transaction captures EPCIS-compliant shipping events and serialization data, including product identifiers, aggregation hierarchy, shipping location, and recipient details. It provides downstream systems, trading partners, and regulatory authorities with a verifiable and auditable record of compliant serialized product movement through Serialized Operations Manager (SOM).
This transaction follows the GS1 EPCIS 1.2 standard and integrates with internal and external systems to automate compliance and enable end-to-end traceability.
Key Use Cases
- Record the shipment of serialized products.
- Provide downstream partners with serialized shipment data for verification and receipt.
- Enables companies who do not use TraceLink for serialization to still share shipment information via MINT to trading partners.
- Enable traceability and auditability of serialized units across the supply chain.
- Support integration with ERP, WMS, and regulatory systems.
- Facilitate secure, standards-based communication using EPCIS 1.2 XML.
Data Elements Included
An EPCIS 1.2 – SOM Sales Shipment transaction includes (varies widely based on country and products involved):
- Event Type: ObjectEvent with business step "shipping" and action "observe" to indicate serialized product movement.
- Serialized Products Shipped: SGTINs, SSCCs, AIs, etc. of the serialized units shipped.
- Delivery Number: Linking the order information to the serialized pick information for this delivery.
- Transaction Date and Time: Timestamp of the shipment transaction.
- Facility ID: GLN or other identifier of the ship from location.
- Destination Party: GLN or customer ID of the receiving party.
- Transaction Identifier (optional): Links this transaction to a PO, ASN, Sales Order Number, etc.
- Aggregation Hierarchy (optional): Parent-child relationships between units, cases, and pallets.
- Order Item: Capturing the item code, lot number, and quantity for each item in the shipment.
- Shipment ID (optional): Unique identifier for the shipment (e.g., ASN or delivery number).
- Carrier and Tracking Info (optional): Logistics provider information.
- Drop Shipment: Identifies if this shipment is a drop shipment.
Benefits of EPCIS 1.2 – SOM Sales Shipment
- Enables compliant and traceable shipment of serialized products.
- Ensures accurate and verifiable serialized product movement.
- Automates data exchange with trading partners and internal systems.
- Can be integrated with Suspicious Order Monitoring processes.
- Enhances traceability, audit readiness, and regulatory compliance.
- Reduces manual errors and accelerates order-to-cash cycles.
Business Process: EPCIS 1.2 – SOM Sales Shipment
The SOM Sales Shipment transaction fits into the serialized distribution and compliance workflow as follows (other use cases may apply):
- A sales order is created.
- Serialized units are picked, packed, and staged for shipment.
- Once shipment quality checks have completed, the EPCIS 1.2 – SOM Sales Shipment transaction is triggered.
- Serialized shipment data is transmitted to TraceLink and downstream partners.
- The shipment is delivered, and receiving parties verify the EPCs upon receipt.
- TraceLink logs the transaction for traceability, compliance, and audit purposes.
How TraceLink Supports EPCIS 1.2 – SOM Sales Shipment
TraceLink’s OPUS Platform, powered by B2N Integrate-Once™, enables secure and compliant shipment processing by:
- Capturing EPCIS 1.2-compliant shipping events with full serialization context.
- Integrating with SOM, ERP, and WMS systems to automate shipment authorization.
- Transmitting serialized shipment data to trading partners and regulatory endpoints.
- Providing real-time dashboards and audit logs for monitoring shipment status.
- Supporting exception handling for partial shipments, rejections, or re-shipments.
- Ensuring secure data exchange through digital signatures and encrypted transport.
Explore More B2B Serialization Integration Capabilities
- EPCIS Serialization: Record and share commissioning events at unit, case, or pallet level for regulatory compliance.
- Serialized Shipments: Record serialized outbound shipments in EPCIS format.
- SOM Receipt: Confirm serialized product receipt and reconcile shipments with SOM-cleared orders.
- SOM Country Clearance: Apply destination-specific SOM rules before enabling export or distribution.
Need Help Implementing EPCIS 1.2?
Contact us to learn how our Opus Platform and B2N Integrate-Once™ model can help you automate SOM-cleared shipments, maintain serialization compliance, and ensure secure data exchange across your pharmaceutical supply chain.
