Appendix C. Product tracing

Orders are traced from downstream suppliers to upstream suppliers, including through intermediaries, if the Producer Roles and supply chain are configured to support them.

The order of priority for tracing when multiple parameters are given is: Purchase Order Number, Invoice Number, Packing List Number, Purchase Date.

The tracing function only requires one input to trace (although multiple inputs can be provided, if known).

Trace Product using Purchase Order Number

The methodology used when a Purchase Order Number is supplied is:

• Find all purchase transactions where the Purchase Order Number matches the one provided.
• From this purchase transaction, find the list of all products that were included in the transaction.
• For each product, identify the transformation process that was used to combine input products together.
• For each input product, look up details of business partners or entities they purchased from.
• Continue this tracing process until you reach the most upstream supplier in the supply chain.

Invoice Number or Packing List Number

Tracing from an Invoice number follows the same algorithm as above, but instead of beginning the trace at a sale transaction, it begins the trace at a purchase transaction. Follow the algorithm as specified above.

Purchase Date

When a purchase date is provided instead of a document number, Global Trace will trace all purchases made by the selected supplier within a two-week time frame of the date provided. This trace will continue to the most upstream supplier.