Traceability: Transparency and Control Across the Entire Supply Chain
Traceability is essential for ensuring transparency and control throughout the life cycle of a product. It enables businesses to track and share information at every stage of the supply chain—from production and packaging to distribution and final delivery to the consumer.
By capturing and storing structured data, companies can answer key questions such as “What, Where, When, and Why?”, providing complete visibility over each product’s journey and making relevant information accessible to all involved stakeholders.
Why Traceability Matters
In today’s interconnected and globalized markets, traceability is a fundamental component of effective supply chain management. It allows organizations to:
- Monitor each product’s movement in real time
- Verify authenticity and prevent counterfeiting
- Manage recalls with speed and precision
- Ensure compliance with industry and regulatory standards
- Build trust with suppliers, partners, and consumers
At GOLINE SA, we help companies implement traceability systems that ensure seamless data flow and visibility across all levels of the supply chain.
How Traceability Works
Traceability relies on the accurate collection and association of data to individual products. This process depends on unique product identification methods such as:
- GTIN + Serial Number, using EPC/RFID tags or barcodes (e.g., GS1-128, DataMatrix, or DataBar)
- GTIN + Lot Number, encoded in barcodes for grouped items or batch management
These identifiers allow for the logging of key events at multiple stages of the supply chain, capturing essential information such as product status, location, and processing details.
From Data Collection to Real-Time Sharing
Once collected, the data is structured and stored using standard formats. This process, known as historicization, ensures that every detail related to a product is recorded and traceable over time. It forms a permanent record that can be queried whenever necessary to reconstruct a product’s history.
The recorded information is then shared with all partners in the supply chain. This enables:
- Full visibility for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers
- Better coordination among supply chain actors
- Real-time alerts in case of irregularities
- Enhanced customer service and post-sales support
Benefits of a Structured Traceability System
A well-designed traceability solution provides measurable value for both businesses and consumers:
- 🔍 Transparency – Access to real-time data improves supply chain accountability
- 🔄 Process optimization – Enhanced data visibility leads to better planning and faster decision-making
- 🛡️ Risk reduction – Traceability helps identify issues before they escalate
- ✅ Compliance – Supports adherence to international traceability standards (e.g. GS1)
- 📦 Customer confidence – Demonstrates product authenticity and quality control
Tailored Solutions by GOLINE SA
Every business has different traceability requirements. At GOLINE, we analyze your operational context and propose tailored IT solutions to integrate traceability into your platform.
Whether you’re a manufacturer, logistics provider, or retailer, our experts guide you through:
- Identifying the right coding system
- Integrating barcodes, RFID, and scanning tools
- Setting up data capture and management workflows
- Enabling real-time data exchange with supply chain partners
- Providing support and maintenance for continuous improvement
Ensure Complete Visibility with GOLINE SA
Traceability is not just a regulatory obligation—it’s a strategic asset. With our support, you can turn it into a competitive advantage by improving efficiency, ensuring safety, and reinforcing trust across your supply chain.
👉 Contact us today to learn how we can help you implement a traceability system that works for your business.