SSCC
The Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) is the GS1 identifier for a logistics unit — a specific physical unit such as a pallet, case or parcel made up for shipping. It is an 18-digit number, unique to that one unit, usually carried on a GS1 logistics label as a barcode and often the number inside an ASN or despatch advice.
Where the GTIN says what product a unit contains, the SSCC identifies the individual handling unit itself, so it can be tracked and traced through the supply chain, scanned at each handover, and linked to its contents and shipment. It is the backbone of pallet-level track-and-trace.
The SSCC lets every pallet or carton be identified and tracked as a unique object, so a scan at any point tells exactly which unit moved, what is in it and where it belongs. That is what makes accurate goods receipt, cross-docking and traceability possible at the handling-unit level.
What is the difference between a GTIN and an SSCC?
A GTIN identifies a product type; an SSCC identifies one specific physical logistics unit (a particular pallet or carton). One SSCC unit may contain many items of one or more GTINs.