Product Information Management
Each, inner, case, pallet. Defined once, consistent everywhere.
Packaging hierarchies remove ordering and freight ambiguity by giving every level its own quantity, weight, dimensions and identifier, all derived from one structure.
How it works
Build a packaging hierarchy for safety earplugs
Change contained quantities or the each weight and watch totals recalculate at every level. Edit a GTIN to see check-digit validation, then convert an order and test it against the sell unit.
- EachL0
- Eaches
- 1
- Gross wt
- 0.068 lb
- Dims
- 2.1 x 1.4 x 0.6 in
Check digit valid
- Inner packL1
- Eaches
- 10
- Gross wt
- 0.73 lb
- Dims
- 6.0 x 3.2 x 2.4 in
Check digit valid
- CaseL2
- Eaches
- 120
- Gross wt
- 9.66 lb
- Dims
- 16.5 x 12.8 x 10.0 in
Check digit valid
- PalletL3
- Eaches
- 4,800
- Gross wt
- 434.4 lb
- Dims
- 48 x 40 x 52 in
Check digit valid
ORDER-UNIT CONVERSION
360 eaches
3 cases x 120 eaches, 29 lb gross
Valid: a whole multiple of the inner pack (10 eaches).
The capability
The unit of measure is part of the product
An industrial item is rarely bought, stored and shipped in the same unit. A manufacturer sells cases, a distributor sells inner packs to contractors and eaches to maintenance teams, and warehouses receive full pallets. When those units are recorded inconsistently, orders arrive in the wrong quantity and freight is quoted on the wrong weight.
Autonera models packaging as a hierarchy of trade-item levels beneath the product. Each level records how many of the level below it contains, its dimensions and tare weight, and its own trade-item identifier. Totals such as eaches per pallet and gross weight per case are calculated from the hierarchy rather than typed separately, and identifier check digits are validated before data leaves the platform.
Order and pricing units are defined against the hierarchy, so conversions are consistent across ERP, ecommerce and partner catalogs. GS1 and GDSN requirements are handled as destination rules on top of the same structure, distinct from generic exports.
Problems it solves
Where this work usually breaks down
Pack quantities in description text
"10/PK, 12 PK/CS" in a title cannot be converted, validated or syndicated.
Weights that do not add up
Case weights entered by hand diverge from each weights and pack counts, and freight quotes are wrong.
Invalid or reused identifiers
Mistyped GTINs and identifiers reused across levels cause receiving and marketplace rejections.
Order multiples ignored
Customers order quantities that cannot be shipped without breaking a sealed pack.
Functional capabilities
What Packaging & Trade-Item Hierarchies includes
- Packaging levels
- Define each, inner, case, pallet and custom levels with contained quantities.
- Dimensions and weights per level
- Record net, tare and gross weights and dimensions, with gross values calculated from the hierarchy.
- Trade-item identifiers
- Store an identifier per level and validate check digits and uniqueness.
- Order and pricing units
- Define sell units, order multiples and pricing units against the hierarchy.
- Unit conversions
- Convert any order quantity to eaches and between levels consistently across systems.
- Destination packaging rules
- Apply GS1, GDSN or marketplace-specific packaging requirements as syndication rules.
Related capabilities
Works alongside
Product Families & Variants
Family templates, variant axes and inherited values with SKU-level exceptions.
Feature guideProduct Data Modeling
Configurable entities, typed attributes, groups and calculated values for technical products.
Feature guideIndustrial Classification & Standards Mapping
Crosswalk local classes and features to ETIM, ECLASS and UNSPSC.
Feature guideMulti-Catalog & Assortment Management
Brand, customer and regional catalogs built from one governed product master.
Capability areaProduct Information Management
See where Packaging & Trade-Item Hierarchies fits in the wider Product Information Management capability.
In industrial operations
A safety-products manufacturer aligns packaging data with distributors
Distributors reported receiving discrepancies and incorrect freight because pack counts and case weights differed between the manufacturer's ERP, price files and website.
- Packaging levels are modeled per product with contained quantities and tare weights.
- Gross weights and eaches per level are calculated rather than typed.
- GTINs are validated for each level before distribution.
- Distributor price files and ecommerce feeds use the same order multiples.
Result: Every partner receives consistent pack quantities, weights and identifiers from one structure.
Autonomous operations
How autonomous execution changes packaging & trade-item hierarchies
Agents extract packaging data from supplier documents and price files, build hierarchies and flag inconsistencies before they reach partners.
Agents carry out
- Parse pack quantities from titles and supplier files
- Build packaging levels and calculate totals
- Validate identifiers and detect duplicates
- Flag weights that conflict with calculated totals
People decide
- Approve packaging structures
- Resolve identifier conflicts with suppliers
- Set sell units and order multiples
Evidence recorded
- Source of every pack quantity
- Validation results per level
- Changes to packaging over time
Buyer FAQs
Questions evaluators ask
How many packaging levels can a product have?
As many as your supply chain uses. Each, inner pack, case and pallet are common, and custom levels such as display or layer can be added.
Are gross weights calculated automatically?
Yes. Gross weight per level is derived from the level below, its contained quantity and the level's tare weight.
Does this support GS1 and GDSN?
Packaging data is structured to support GS1 identifiers and destination requirements. Specific GDSN connectivity is confirmed during evaluation.
Can different channels sell different units?
Yes. Sell units and order multiples can be defined per channel or catalog against the same hierarchy.
How does this relate to bundles and kits?
Packaging levels contain multiples of the same item. Bundles and kits combine different products into one sellable item.
Your next step
See Packaging & Trade-Item Hierarchies on data like yours.
Bring a real file, catalog or record set. We will walk through how Autonera would handle it and where your team keeps the final say.
Book a Demo