Why Use SSCC? Benefits, ROI and Practical Reasons

Introduction

At first glance an SSCC is just a number. But in practice, using SSCCs unlocks a range of operational and strategic benefits. Whether you run a small manufacturing line, a 3PL warehouse, or a large retail network, understanding why to use SSCCs helps justify the effort of implementing labels, ASN routines and software integration. This article explains the benefits, return on investment (ROI), practical use cases, limitations, and simple steps to get value from SSCCs.

Primary reasons to use SSCCs

• Automated receiving and faster dock operations — Scanning an SSCC at the dock confirms receipt of a pallet and links it to the ASN or PO. This eliminates manual counting and reduces dock-to-stock time, improving throughput and labor utilization.
• Enhanced traceability and recall readiness — Because each logistic unit has a unique SSCC, you can track the movement and history of a specific pallet during transport and storage. In a recall or quality investigation, SSCCs let you quickly identify affected units.
• Better inventory accuracy — SSCCs tie the physical pallet to records in WMS and ERP systems. This reduces discrepancies between on-hand counts and system records, improving fulfillment accuracy and reducing stockouts or overstocks.
• Simplified returns and claims — Returns and damage claims are easier when both sender and receiver reference the same SSCC. The unique identifier speeds verification and reduces disputes.
• Improved transport visibility and exception handling — Carriers scan SSCCs at key events, which feeds visibility platforms and helps detect delays, misroutes or damages earlier. This enables proactive customer communication and corrective actions.
• Compliance with trading partner requirements — Many large retailers and marketplaces require SSCCs on palletized shipments. Implementing SSCCs ensures you can trade smoothly with these partners.

Operational ROI examples

While exact savings vary, common measurable benefits include:

• Reduced receiving time — Scanning SSCCs can cut dock receiving time per pallet by a significant percentage versus manual checking. For high-volume DCs, this leads to meaningful labor savings.
• Fewer receiving errors — Faster, more accurate receiving reduces invoicing disputes and inventory reconciliation costs.
• Lowered stock discrepancies — Better inventory accuracy reduces emergency replenishment and lost sales, improving overall service levels.
• Faster recall resolution — In regulated industries, quicker and more precise recalls reduce legal and reputational costs.

How SSCCs support automation

SSCCs are most powerful when combined with electronic messaging like ASNs and integrated WMS/TMS. An SSCC in the ASN allows the receiver’s WMS to automatically create inbound tasks, allocate receiving resources, and update locations once the pallet is scanned. In transport, SSCC scans feed carrier visibility dashboards, enabling automated ETA updates for customers.

Practical business scenarios

• Retail supplier — A supplier labels pallets with SSCCs and includes them in ASNs. Retail DCs scan pallets to speed unloading and automatically reconcile pallets to POs.
• 3PL operations — A 3PL uses SSCCs on inbound pallets to manage client inventory and to create outbound pallets for multiple clients. Each SSCC corresponds to a single client’s logistic unit and can be traced individually.
• Pharma and food — SSCCs link logistic units to lot and expiry data in electronic messages, allowing traceability across cold chain and enabling fast, targeted recalls.

Limitations and things SSCCs do not replace

SSCCs uniquely identify logistic units but do not hold product-level attributes. To know what is inside a pallet you still rely on GTINs, quantity data, lot numbers and ASN content. So SSCCs are best used together with product and batch identifiers in electronic messages and labels.

Common implementation pitfalls

• Using SSCCs without integrating them into ASNs or WMS — reduces the benefit, since scanning alone is not enough.
• Reusing SSCCs — reuse causes traceability errors and should be avoided.
• Poor label quality or placement — unreadable barcodes undermine the speed benefits of SSCCs.

Getting started: practical steps

1. Obtain a GS1 company prefix if you don’t yet have one.
2. Create a simple SSCC numbering plan (extension digit strategy and serial allocation rules).
3. Update packing and labeling processes so SSCCs are assigned at palletization.
4. Include SSCCs in the ASN or other electronic messages to trading partners and carriers.
5. Integrate SSCC scans into your WMS and TMS workflows for automated receiving and transport visibility.

Conclusion

SSCCs are a low-cost, high-value element of modern logistics. They accelerate receiving, improve inventory accuracy, enable traceability, and are required by many trading partners. When combined with ASNs, WMS and TMS integration, SSCCs deliver measurable operational savings and better customer service. For organizations looking to make warehousing and shipping more efficient, adopting SSCCs is a practical, proven first step.