United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC)
Reviewed by Dasha ShakovVP Marketing, Proton
Updated
What is UNSPSC?
The United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC) is a global system that gives each kind of product or service an eight-digit code. The codes are arranged in four levels (segment, family, class and commodity), and large buyers use them to classify and analyze spending; some ask suppliers to include them in catalog files.
How it works
UNSPSC classifies types of products, not individual items, so many of a distributor’s SKUs share the same code.
UNSPSC example
A hospital asks for the distributor’s catalog file with a UNSPSC code on every line, so the product team fills in the missing codes before sending it.
Further reading
Related terms
- Product taxonomyA product taxonomy is the system of categories and subcategories a distributor uses to organize its catalog, such as Plumbing > Valves > Ball valves.
- Punchout catalogA punchout catalog is a connection that lets a customer’s buyer shop on a supplier’s website from inside the buyer’s own purchasing system.
- Product attributesProduct attributes are the structured facts that describe a product, such as size, material, voltage or certification, each stored in its own field.
