The track & trace (tracking and traceability) refers to the ability to locate in real time (track) and to reconstruct the full history of the stages (trace) of a parcel, pallet or asset throughout the supply chain, thanks to a unique identifier (SSCC, RFID) coupled with an information system that records every scan or event.
Two complementary functions: real-time tracking and history
The track answers the question “where is this shipment right now?”: current position, status (in transit, in customs, delivered), estimated delivery time. It relies on successive scans (drop-off, transit, arrival), GPS data for road transport, or IoT sensors for continuous monitoring. The trace answers a different, complementary question: “where has it been, and when?”. It reconstructs the full journey history from the same recorded events, which is essential in the event of a dispute, a product recall or a quality check.
Technically, track & trace relies on the same building blocks as logistics identification: an SSCC code or an RFID tag uniquely identifies the unit, every scan at a checkpoint (departure dock, transit hub, receiving dock) feeds the system, and EDI exchange (in particular via a DESADV dispatch advice) synchronizes information between the chain's partners even before the parcel physically arrives.
Inside a warehouse, this same principle also applies to tracking the robots themselves: the autonomous pallet truck is controlled and monitored via its supervision platform, which centralizes mission dispatch and the real-time status of each machine, a form of track & trace applied to handling assets rather than to goods alone.
Tracking your internal flows raises the same issues as track & trace for your shipments. The robot, controlled via its supervision platform, offers real-time visibility into its pallet-transport missions. Discover the robot or contact us.
FAQ
What is the difference between track and trace?
Track gives the current position and status of a shipment, in real time. Trace reconstructs the full history of its journey (dates, locations, stages), useful in particular in case of a dispute or a quality check, from the same data recorded at each scan.
Is track & trace mandatory?
No general legal requirement mandates it, but it has become a de facto standard expected by e-commerce customers as well as B2B principals, in particular through structured EDI/DESADV exchanges between the successive partners in the supply chain.
Does track & trace also work inside a warehouse?
Yes, the same principle applies to internal flows: a fleet manager on the market, for example, tracks the position and status of each handling robot in real time, following the same model as tracking a parcel in outbound transport.
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