UNSPSC for Procurement: Classifying Products and Services

Welcome to the world of procurement, where products and services are at the heart of every transaction. But how do you effectively classify these items? Enter UNSPSC – a powerful tool that allows organizations to organize and categorize their procurement needs efficiently. In this blog post, we will explore what UNSPSC is all about, how it can benefit your procurement process, and provide examples of products and services classified using this system. So grab your pen and paper (or keyboard), because we’re about to dive into the exciting world of UNSPSC classification!

What is UNSPSC?

UNSPSC, or the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code, is a classification system that was developed to bring order and structure to the procurement process. It provides a standardized way of categorizing products and services across industries and countries.

Unlike traditional classification systems that may vary from organization to organization, UNSPSC offers a universal language for classifying items. This global standard allows for seamless communication between buyers and suppliers, streamlining the procurement processstreamlining the procurement processsists of hierarchical codes that are organized into different levels. The first two digits represent the highest level category, such as “01” for Electrical Systems & Lighting or “02” for Building & Construction Machinery & Accessories. As you move down the hierarchy, more specific categories emerge.

This classification system covers an extensive range of products and services spanning various sectors – from technology to healthcare to manufacturing. Whether you’re procuring office supplies or specialized equipment, UNSPSC can help accurately classify your needs.

By utilizing UNSPSC in your procurement strategy, you can unlock several benefits. It enables effective spend analysis by providing valuable insights into spending patterns across different categories. Additionally, it enhances supplier management by ensuring clear specifications for requested goods or services.

UNPSG is like a universal language that simplifies the complex world of procurement. Its standardized coding system brings clarity and efficiency to categorizing products and services – ultimately making life easier for both buyers and suppliers alike!

What is the difference between products and services?

When it comes to procurement, understanding the difference between products and services is crucial. While both play a vital role in meeting organizational needs, they are inherently different in nature.

Products refer to tangible items that can be physically held or consumed. They are typically manufactured or produced and can be bought, sold, and owned. Examples of products include office supplies, machinery, furniture, and raw materials.

On the other hand, services are intangible actions or tasks performed by individuals or organizations to fulfill specific requirements. Unlike products, services cannot be touched or stored but are experienced through interaction with service providers. Examples of services include consulting, maintenance and repair work, transportation logistics, and professional training.

Understanding this distinction is essential for effective procurement classification using the UNSPSC coding system. By correctly identifying whether you are dealing with a product or service category within your procurement process will ensure accurate sourcing strategies can be implemented.

With this knowledge in mind let’s take a look at how UNSPSC helps classify these different categories efficiently.

How to classify products and services using UNSPSC

Classifying products and services using UNSPSC can be a straightforward process once you understand the steps involved. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the structure of the UNSPSC hierarchy, which consists of four levels: segment, family, class, and commodity. Each level provides more specific classification details.

To classify a product or service, start at the highest level of the hierarchy – segment. Determine which segment best represents your item based on its broad category. For example, if your item falls under “Office Equipment and Accessories,” that would be your chosen segment.

Once you have identified the appropriate segment, move down to the next level – family. Within each segment are multiple families that further narrow down classification options. Choose the family that closely aligns with your product or service attributes. For instance, if you are classifying a printer cartridge within “Office Equipment and Accessories,” select “Printer Consumables” as your family.

After selecting a family, proceed to choose an appropriate class within that family. Classes provide even more specific details about products or services. Continuing with our printer cartridge example in “Printer Consumables,” you might select “Inkjet Cartridges” as your class.

At the lowest level of classification is commodity. Commodity codes offer precise descriptions for items within each class category. Carefully review available commodities under your chosen class until you find one that accurately describes your product or service’s characteristics.

By following this systematic approach and utilizing UNSPSC’s hierarchical structure effectively, you can successfully classify various products and services according to their unique attributes!

Examples of products and services classified using UNSPSC

Examples of products and services classified using UNSPSC

1. Electrical Equipment and Components: Within the UNSPSC framework, electrical equipment and components are classified under code 32000000. This category includes items such as circuit breakers, transformers, wires, cables, switches, and connectors. By using this classification system, procurement professionals can easily identify and source the specific electrical components they need for their projects.

2. IT Hardware: The UNSPSC code 43000000 is used to classify IT hardware products such as computers, laptops, servers, printers, scanners, routers, and other networking devices. With this classification in place, organizations can streamline their procurement process by accurately categorizing technology-related purchases.

3. Professional Services: Under the UNSPSC classification system’s code 80000000 – Professional Services category encompasses a wide range of specialized services including legal services (81110000), consulting services (80100000), marketing services (8212000), training services (8600000), among others. These classifications help businesses find the right service providers while ensuring transparency in the procurement process.

4. Construction Materials: Code 3000000 within UNSPSC covers various construction materials like bricks , cement , metal doors , windows , roofing materials etc . Properly classifying these items enables construction companies to efficiently procure materials needed for their projects while keeping track of costs .

5.

Transportation Services : Whether it’s air freight transportation(78170000) or ground transportation(7800000 ),the use of appropriate codes within the Transportation Services category ensures that businesses can find reliable service providers for shipping goods from one location to another .

By utilizing the detailed classifications provided by the UNSPSC system ,procurement professionals have a powerful tool at their disposal to effectively categorize products and services across various industries .

This enables them to streamline purchasing processes,lend clarity,and ensure consistency throughout all aspects of procurement activities

Conclusion

The UNSPSC classification system is a valuable tool for procurement professionals to effectively categorize and organize products and services. By utilizing this standardized coding system, businesses can streamline their purchasing processes, improve data accuracy, enhance supplier management, and drive cost savings.

From office supplies to IT equipment, construction materials to healthcare services, the UNSPSC codes provide a comprehensive framework that enables organizations to easily identify and classify various items. This allows for better visibility across the supply chain and facilitates more informed decision-making when it comes to sourcing suppliers or negotiating contracts.

By understanding how products and services are classified using UNSPSC codes, procurement teams can gain greater efficiency in their operations while ensuring compliance with industry standards. Whether you’re working in an organization big or small, implementing UNSPSC can help optimize your procurement practices and ultimately contribute to your company’s success.

So why wait? Start leveraging the power of UNSPSC today and experience firsthand the benefits it can bring to your procurement function. Stay ahead of the competition by efficiently classifying your products and services – with each purchase you make taking you one step closer towards achieving your business objectives!