PTI Case Pallet Linking

This topic is part of the SG Systems Global fresh produce traceability, PTI labelling & warehouse genealogy glossary.

Updated December 2025 • Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI), GS1 GTIN, GS1-128 Case Label, Pallet Building & Unit Load Creation, WMS, Lot Traceability & Genealogy, ASN, End-to-End Traceability • Field Harvest, Packhouses, Coolers, DCs, Retailers

PTI case pallet linking is the disciplined process of connecting every PTI-labeled case of fresh produce to the pallet, shipment and customer it ultimately travels with. Instead of treating cases and pallets as loosely related objects in the warehouse, PTI case pallet linking builds a digital chain: field lot → PTI case label → pallet ID → trailer → customer and order. Done well, it turns each pallet into a clean, scannable snapshot of what was harvested, when it was packed, where it was cooled and who it shipped to. Done badly, it’s a blur of mixed lots, scribbled pallet tags and “best guess” recalls when something goes wrong.

“If you can’t say exactly which PTI cases ended up on a pallet, in a trailer and at a specific customer, you don’t have traceability — you have hope with paperwork.”

1) What Is PTI Case Pallet Linking?

PTI case pallet linking connects individual PTI-labeled cases to higher-level logistics units and commercial events, typically including:

• PTI case labels: GS1-128 barcodes carrying GTIN, lot, harvest date and other PTI key data elements.
• Pallet IDs: Unique pallet or unit load IDs, often encoded as SSCC barcodes, associated with a specific build event.
• Warehouse locations: Where pallets sit in coolers, cross-docks or DC storage as they move through the network.
• Shipments and trailers: Which pallets (and therefore which PTI cases) loaded onto which trailer, for which order.
• Customers and orders: Which retailers, wholesalers or foodservice customers received which PTI-identified product.

In a modern packhouse, PTI case pallet linking is not “extra” work; it is how WMS, MES and shipping processes are designed. Labels, scanners, pallet tickets and load lists all feed a single traceability model so that every case, pallet and truck is logically consistent with what actually happened on the floor and at the dock.

2) Why PTI Case Pallet Linking Matters

PTI case labels alone do not guarantee traceability. Without clean case-to-pallet links, you quickly run into problems:

• Mixed pallets with partial or unknown lot composition, making recalls broad and expensive.
• Warehouse moves that break the chain — pallets are split, rebuilt or consolidated without updating data.
• ASNs and customer manifests that list product but not specific PTI case ranges or pallet IDs.
• Inability to prove cold chain and handling history for the exact cases under investigation.
• Retailer scorecard hits when PTI requirements are nominally “met” but practically unusable in their systems.

Regulators, buyers and brand owners increasingly assume that PTI identifiers are not just printed, but usable. PTI case pallet linking is what turns label ink into a trustworthy genealogy. When a complaint or outbreak surfaces, the difference between “we think it was these 30 loads” and “it was these 3 pallets of these 2 PTI lots” is entirely down to whether your case-to-pallet links are digital, complete and enforced.

3) PTI Basics – Cases, GTINs, Lots and SSCCs

PTI case pallet linking builds on GS1 standards and PTI guidance:

• GTIN: The GS1 GTIN identifies the product (commodity, pack style, size, brand).
• Lot/batch: PTI lot numbers tie back to fields, harvest dates and pack runs.
• GS1-128 case labels: PTI uses GS1-128 case labels with Application Identifiers for GTIN, lot, pack date, etc.
• SSCC pallet IDs: Pallets and unit loads often use serial shipping container codes (SSCC) as globally unique IDs.
• ASNs and shipping docs: PTI expects these IDs and quantities to appear in electronic and physical shipping records.

PTI case pallet linking is the logic that says: “these 56 PTI-labeled cases, each with GTIN X and lot Y, are physically on pallet SSCC Z, which is assigned to order 12345 for Customer ABC.” Without that association, PTI data lives only at the case level; with it, traceability scales to pallets, trailers and customer networks.

4) Where PTI Case Pallet Linking Starts – Harvest and Pack

Good case pallet linking starts long before the pallet label is printed:

• Field identification: Harvest crews record field, block, grower and date so lots have meaningful provenance.
• Harvest containers: Bins and totes are identified and scanned into packhouse receiving.
• Pack line control: Each line is configured for specific GTINs, grades and customer programs.
• PTI case label application: Labels are printed and applied under control of the pack run definition, not ad hoc.
• Case scanning: Cases can be scanned as they transfer to palletizing, confirming label readability and content.

When MES and WMS know exactly which PTI case labels belong to which pack run and lot, pallet building is not guesswork; it is an allocation and grouping problem with known inputs. If field, harvest and pack data are loose, case pallet linking will simply mirror that looseness further downstream.

5) Pallet Building and Unit Load Creation

At palletizing, PTI case pallet linking is implemented through controlled unit load creation:

• Operators or automated systems select the target product, lot and customer or order.
• Each PTI case placed on the pallet is scanned (or counted against line output with verification scans).
• A unique pallet ID or SSCC is generated and printed as a pallet tag.
• The system validates that cases on a pallet meet rules for lot purity, grade, customer specs and temperature status.
• Pallet build events are written to genealogy: which PTI case IDs, quantities and lots are grouped together.

In digital terms, a pallet build is a transaction. It consumes cases from available inventory and creates a new tracked object: the pallet. The pallet building & unit load creation logic is where PTI case pallet linking becomes explicit. If pallets can be built, rebuilt and “topped off” without scans, it becomes very difficult to know what actually sits on any given unit load.

6) WMS, Locations and Inventory Accuracy

Once built, PTI-linked pallets live in the warehouse or cooler. Here, WMS discipline matters:

• Pallet IDs are scanned into specific locations on put-away and moves.
• System-driven rules (FEFO, customer allocation, temperature zones) are enforced for picks and transfers.
• Inventory queries show not just “how many cartons” but “which PTI lots on which pallets in which bays.”
• Cycle counts and reconciliations work at the pallet ID level, not only at loose case counts.

Because PTI case pallet linking is embedded in WMS processes, stock rotation, partial pallet picks, cross-docking and consolidation remain traceable operations. When pallets are split or merged, the system records which PTI cases moved where, instead of letting decisions disappear into handwritten notes on a clip-board.

7) Shipping, ASNs and Customer Requirements

At shipping, PTI case pallet linking pays off in clean documentation and electronic messages:

• Load planners allocate specific pallets (and therefore PTI cases) to orders and routes.
• Loading teams scan pallets onto trailers, confirming ID, customer, route and temperature program.
• ASNs include pallet IDs, GTINs, quantities and PTI lot details for each line item.
• Paper manifests and BOLs align with what was scanned, not what was “intended” to ship.

Retailers and DCs increasingly expect to scan pallet and case labels into their own systems to maintain traceability. PTI case pallet linking makes those inbound scans meaningful: the SSCC and PTI case data captured at receiving are exactly the same IDs and lots you have in your genealogy and QMS, not approximations re-keyed from a spreadsheet.

8) Cold Chain, Quality and PTI Genealogy

Because pallet IDs and PTI cases are linked, you can layer cold chain and quality data on top:

• Pre-cooler load logs and core temperature checks associate with specific lots and pallets.
• Cooler temperature mapping and excursions can be traced to affected pallets and cases.
• QA inspections (defects, damage, foreign material) at receiving, packing and shipping are recorded against lots and pallets.
• Customer complaints and returns can be traced back to the exact pallet and PTI case ranges involved.

PTI case pallet linking turns static labels into living genealogy. When something goes wrong — cold chain breaks, packaging damage, micro results, foreign material — you can see which PTI cases are really exposed and respond with surgical holds and withdrawals instead of blunt, brand-damaging recalls.

9) Common Failure Modes and Red Flags

Signs that PTI case pallet linking is weak or missing include:

• Pallet tags handwritten or generated outside of the main system.
• Pallet build sheets filled manually and keyed into ERP after the fact.
• Mixed pallets where lots and grades are blended to “finish up” lines without digital tracking.
• Partial pallets repeatedly rebuilt in coolers with no scans or system events.
• ASNs that list quantities by product but not by PTI lot or pallet ID.
• Traceback investigations that depend on interviewing supervisors rather than querying genealogy.

In these environments, PTI labels exist on the cases, but the real chain of custody lives in people’s heads and local paperwork. The longer product moves through the system, the more that chain decays. At audit or crisis time, that decay shows up as gaps, contradictions and an uncomfortable reliance on “reasonable assumptions”.

10) Designing PTI Case Pallet Linking in MES/WMS

From a systems perspective, PTI case pallet linking is about designing transactional events:

• Case creation events: When PTI labels are printed and applied, the system creates or confirms case-level records.
• Pallet build events: Scans or controlled counts link case records to a pallet ID.
• Move and split events: Pallets are moved, split or merged with full visibility of which cases go where.
• Ship events: Pallets (and therefore cases) are assigned to loads, orders and customers.
• Quality and hold events: Holds, releases and destructions work at case/lot/pallet resolution, not only by “SKU and quantity.”

Good designs minimise unnecessary scanning while still creating reliable links. For example, you might scan every case on high-risk products, but use smart counts with verification scans on low-risk commodities, as long as pallet purity and PTI content are still enforced by the system rather than assumed by habit.

11) PTI Case Pallet Linking and QMS

PTI case pallet linking does not live only in WMS; it also feeds the QMS:

• Risk assessments for fresh produce hazards assume you can isolate affected lots and pallets.
• Recall and withdrawal procedures depend on genealogy to define scope and effectiveness checks.
• Supplier and grower performance reviews may reference traceback speed and lot granularity.
• Customer complaints and NCs require evidence of where else the same PTI lots went.

When QMS and PTI case pallet linking are integrated, NC/CAPA workflows can pull real data: which grower, which field, which pallets, which customers. When they are disconnected, investigations stall on basic questions because the underlying genealogy is fuzzy or absent, no matter how many manuals describe the “intended” process.

12) What This Means for V5

For organisations running the V5 platform, PTI case pallet linking moves from a theoretical requirement to concrete screens, scanners and reports:

• V5 Solution Overview – Treats cases, pallets, fields and customers as first-class objects in a shared data model, so PTI genealogy and warehouse inventory draw from the same truth.
• V5 MES – Manufacturing Execution System – Controls pack runs, PTI label content and case creation events on the line, linking GTIN, lot and harvest data to each labeled case.
• V5 WMS – Warehouse Management System – Manages pallet building, location control, unit load creation and shipping scans so case-to-pallet links are created and maintained as work happens.
• V5 QMS – Quality Management System – Uses PTI genealogy as evidence in recalls, complaints, NCs and risk reviews, and documents how PTI practices are validated and audited.
• V5 Connect API – Exposes PTI case and pallet data to ERPs, retailer portals and regulatory reporting, and ingests orders, customer specs and external master data that drive PTI label content.

In practice, this means a V5 user can click from a PTI lot or customer complaint to see the fields, harvest dates, pack runs, pallets, trailers and other customers involved — and take action from there. PTI case pallet linking stops being a conceptual bullet in a quality manual and becomes a live, enforceable part of everyday V5 workflows.

13) Implementation Roadmap & Practice Tips

A pragmatic roadmap for implementing PTI case pallet linking looks like this:

• Baseline the current state: Map how PTI labels, pallet tags, load lists and ASNs are actually created today, and where the links break.
• Standardise IDs: Agree how case, pallet, lot and trailer IDs will be structured and encoded (GTIN, lot, SSCC, internal codes).
• Digitise pallet building: Move pallet building into V5 MES/WMS with scanners and clear rules for mixed vs pure pallets.
• Integrate shipping: Ensure load building and ASNs consume the same pallet and PTI case data that operations use.
• Connect to QMS: Hook genealogy into recall, NC and CAPA workflows so PTI data is used, not ignored.
• Train for exceptions: Define how to handle damaged labels, partial pallets, cross-docks and re-work without losing traceability.
• Measure and refine: Track recall drill performance, traceback times and data quality issues; use them to tighten scanning and process rules.

The goal is not to scan every object twice just to feel “digital”. The goal is to capture enough clean events that, at any point, you can say with confidence which PTI cases are on which pallets, where they have been and who they went to — and prove it to customers, retailers and inspectors without scrambling.

FAQ

Q1. Isn’t PTI case pallet linking just printing pallet tags?
No. Printing a pallet tag is the visible output; PTI case pallet linking is the logic that ties specific PTI case labels and lots to that pallet ID, and then to shipments and customers. Without those links in MES/WMS, pallet tags are just stickers that may or may not describe what is actually on the pallet.

Q2. Do we have to scan every single case to link them to pallets?
Not always. High-risk products or complex operations may justify full case scanning. In other scenarios you can combine smart counts, controlled line flows and verification scans, as long as the system still enforces lot purity, PTI content and pallet rules. The key is that whatever approach you choose reliably reflects reality and stands up under audit or recall drills.

Q3. How does PTI case pallet linking interact with existing ERP and shipping systems?
ERP typically manages orders, customers and financials. PTI case pallet linking in V5 MES/WMS manages physical reality: which PTI cases and pallets fulfill those orders. Integration via APIs and ASNs ensures that ERP and retailer systems see the same GTINs, lots, pallet IDs and quantities that the floor actually shipped.

Q4. What metrics show that PTI case pallet linking is working?
Useful indicators include recall drill duration, the number of pallets and cases in scope during simulated incidents, PTI data completeness on ASNs, retailer non-conformance rates for labelling and traceability, and the proportion of pallets built and shipped using fully digital workflows. Over time, you should see faster tracebacks, narrower recall scopes and fewer data gaps in investigations.

Q5. What is a practical starting point if our current pallet records are mostly on paper?
A realistic first step is to digitise pallet ID creation and basic pallet building in V5, even if some case-level detail remains on paper initially. Assign unique pallet IDs, scan them into locations and onto loads, and progressively add PTI case links and quality data. The critical move is to stop relying solely on handwritten pallet sheets and build a single, queryable source of truth for pallets and their contents.

Related Reading
• PTI & GS1 Standards: Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) | GS1 GTIN | GS1-128 Case Label | EPCIS Traceability Standard
• Traceability & Warehouse Flow: Lot Traceability & Genealogy | Warehouse Management System (WMS) | Pallet Building & Unit Load Creation | Advance Shipping Notice (ASN)
• Systems & V5 Platform: V5 Solution Overview | V5 MES – Manufacturing Execution System | V5 WMS – Warehouse Management System | V5 QMS – Quality Management System | V5 Connect API