The Telecommunication Industry Forum (TCIF), in cooperation with the Uniform Code Council (UCC), has completed its Universal Product Code (U.P.C.) implementation guide-Product ID Coding Guideline
The existence of multiple identification codes in the telecommunications industry has been a major burden and created inefficiencies to manufacturers, distributors, resellers and end users alike.
The TCIF has developed a "Product Identification Coding Schemes" guideline which establishes the product coding structures of choice for the telecommunications industry. The guideline recommends that companies migrate away, on a voluntary basis, from the use of other product code structures for business transactions.
This guideline establishes a standard product identification method throughout the supply chain; from manufacturer to shipper, to distributor, to retailer, to reseller, to end user. The automated supply chain processes are greatly simplified by reducing the need to cross-reference product identifiers at each step in the chain.
Item Interchangeability Guideline (TCIF-97-001) defines when manufacturers/suppliers should change part numbers. A new ID number is assigned any time an item cannot be co-mingled in an inventory bin or is not acceptable to the customer in all applications. An item is interchangeable if it can be co-mingled in inventory and selected without regard for which item is picked.
Exhibit 1 of this guideline includes a decision tree for determining interchangeability (which CMII grads will recognize). lines which provide an approach for the implementation of a universal product identification system.
The Telecommunications Industry Forum (TCIF) was founded in June, 1996 to promote understanding and implementation of global standards, guidelines and emerging technologies involving electronic data interchange, electronic commerce and bar coding.
You may visit the TCIF home page at www.atis.org/atis/tcif/ and click on "guidelines" to review the product data management guidelines that have been developed for the telecommunications industry.
TCIF Documents; Tiers 1, 2 and 3
"Product Identification Coding Schemes" is a Tier 1 document which establishes the preferred conventions for manufacturer part numbering.
Implementation guidelines for the product identification coding schemes are Tier 2 documents.
Tier 3 documents include:
• Item Interchangeability Guideline
• Serialization Guideline
• Product Marking Guideline
• Product Package Label Specification
• Shipping and Receiving Bar Code Labels
• Package Labeling Implementation
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