Turning the CSV Template into a Shipment Story in EPTTS

This file is basically required to tell the story of a shipment , from production all the way until reporting to the authority that the shipment has left the manufacture GLN..

We’ll go through each column briefly and explain how to cover the requirements:

1️⃣ seqNo

This is a serial number for each row in the file.

2️⃣ bizStep

Defines the business step that happened inside the operation or factory. Let’s tell the story simply…

This is translated into two main steps based on the authority requirements in this phase:

First:

In your system, you have a set of numbers — either serial numbers applied on pharmaceutical packs or SSCC codes applied on cartons or pallets.

This is where you add the step #Commissioning, which means:

“These serial numbers for packs and SSCCs for cartons/pallets have been produced.”

Second:

The next Business Step is #Packing, which means:

The packs with these serials are inside the SSCC with this number

→ It’s like building the family tree of the shipment

3️⃣ Event Time

As the name suggests, this is the time when the Business Step occurred.

It must follow a specific format including date and time, ending with Z, like:

2026-01-10T08:30:01.000Z

This timestamp is written in ISO 8601 format, which is the global standard in traceability systems.

Also note:

Z = Zulu Time = UTC (Universal Time)

Meaning the time is not local , it’s in global standard time.

4️⃣ Time Offset

This shows the time difference between the event time and UTC.

In Egypt:

+02:00 during winter time
+03:00 during daylight saving time

5️⃣ readPointGLN & bizLocationGLN

According to the authority, both represent the location where the event happened — in traceability language: GLN

Required format:

urn:epc:id:gln:6285555000009

This is written in EPC URI format used in standards like GS1.

Breakdown:

urn → Uniform Resource Name (global identifier)
epc → Electronic Product Code system
id → pure identity
gln → location code of the site where the shipment was produced

6️⃣ epc

This contains the data of packs and cartons inside the shipment — and it’s one of the biggest challenges for any system.

First (Packs):

You must enter product code + serial per line:

(01)06285555100010(21)00000001

Where:

GTIN = product code
Serial = unique pack identifier

Second (Cartons & Pallets):

Since we also do Commissioning for them, you enter SSCC like:

(00)062855552000000001

Third (Packing Step):

You repeat the same Commissioning inputs (packs & cartons), because in the next column you will assign the Parent SSCC for each.

This is where you build the shipment hierarchy (family tree).

7️⃣ Parent

Focus here:

In Commissioning:
Packs → write the batch number in this format:

(10)BATCH

Cartons & pallets → leave empty
In Packing:
You build the hierarchy
Assign each pack/carton to its parent SSCC

8️⃣ IMPORT

Write only “I”

Applies to packs only
Only in Commissioning step

9️⃣ Expiry Date

Entered for packs only

Only in Commissioning

Format:

2029-12-31T

🔟 Production Date

Same format, for packs only