Editing UNSPSC

{{Short description|UN taxonomy of goods and services}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=March 2010}}

The '''United Nations Standard Products and Services Code''' ('''UNSPSC''') is a [[Taxonomy (general)|taxonomy]] of products and services for use in [[eCommerce]].  It is a four-level hierarchy coded as an eight-digit number, with an optional fifth level adding two more digits.

The latest release (August 14, 2023) of the code set is 26.0801.<ref name="HomePage">{{cite web|url=https://www.unspsc.org/|title=UNSPSC}}</ref>

The third newest UNv24.0301 release contains 740 changes to the previous UNSPSC version UNv23.0701 which are 721 new items added, 12 existing items edited, 6 existing items moved, and 1 existing item deleted. The new UNv24.0301 release contains 157,116 total items.

The changes include a new Segment 57000000 -Humanitarian Relief Items, Kits, or Accessories, requested by United Nation Global Marketplace (UNGM); additional codes were added to support the [[United States Department of Agriculture]]'s Specialty Crops Inspection at the U.S. border.

The UNSPSC competes with a number of other product and commodity coding schemes, including the European Union's [[Common Procurement Vocabulary]], ECLASS, and GS1's [[Global Product Classification]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/publicprocurement/docs/rules/cpv/121219_report-review-cpv-codes-functioning_en.pdf |title=FINAL REPORT REVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CPV CODES/SYSTEM |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910094119/http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/publicprocurement/docs/rules/cpv/121219_report-review-cpv-codes-functioning_en.pdf |archive-date=2016-09-10 |access-date=2017-03-15 }}</ref>

== History ==
The UNSPSC was organized upon the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 29, 1998, by [[John S. Svendsen]], the director of the [[Inter-agency Procurement Services Office]] (IAPSO) of the [[United Nations Development Programme]] (UNDP) and on November 1, 1998, by [[Lawrence M. Barth]], a Vice President of the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. The development of the first version was overseen by [[Peter R. Benson]], who was also responsible for the design and development of the code management procedure as a modification of the [[Delphi method|Delphi statistical forecasting]] method. The process allowed for the rapid development of consensus without dominance or influence.

The [[ECCMA]], a non-profit membership association, was formed in 1999 to manage and promote the UNSPSC until March 2003, with the release of version 6.0315. The UNDP then appointed [[GS1 US]] as code manager in May 2003 and ECCMA developed the ECCMA [[Open Technical Dictionary]] (eOTD) and the international standards [[ISO 22745]] and [[ISO 8000]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Version
!Number of Total Items
|-
|UNv26.0801
|158,448
|-
|UNv25.0901
|
|-
|UNv24.0301
|157,116
|-
|UNv23.0701
|156,936
|-
|UNv22.0601
|156,478
|-
|UNv21.0901
|
|-
|UNv20.0601
|87,477
|-
|UNv19.0501
|83,196
|-
|UNv18.0801
|
|-
|UNv17.1001
|77,350
|-
|UNv14.0801
|49,069
|-
|UNv09.0501
|21,718
|-
|UNv08.1201
|19,038
|}

==Description==
The four primary levels of the code are: Segment, Family, Class and Commodity.<ref name="FAQ">{{cite web|url=https://www.unspsc.org/faqs|title=Frequently Asked Questions|access-date=2020-02-25}}</ref>

Each level is coded in two decimal digits, with '00' treated specially to give segments, families and classes their own eight-digit codes.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Level
! Code
! Description
|-
| Segment
| '''10'''000000
| Live Plant and Animal Material and Accessories and Supplies
|-
| Family
| 10'''10'''0000
| Live animals
|-
| Class
| 1010'''15'''00
| Livestock
|-
| Commodity
| 101015'''01'''
| Cats
|}

Thus 'Cats' are coded as 10101501, 'Dogs' are coded as 10101502 and 'Cattle' as 10101516.  The class of 'Livestock' is 10101500; the family of 'Live animals' is 10100000, and all in the segment 10000000 of 'Live Plant and Animal Material and Accessories and Supplies'.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Level
! Code
! Description
|-
| Segment
| '''44'''000000
| Office Equipment, Accessories and Supplies

|-
| Family
| 44'''12'''0000
| Office supplies

|-
| Class
| 4412'''19'''00
| Ink and lead refills

|-
| Commodity
| 441219'''02'''
| Lead refills
|}

Optionally, a further two digits can be added for the business function, such as 'retail' or wholesale.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trade/agr/meetings/ge.11/2005/2005_i04_UNSPSC.pdf |title=UNSPSC Classification Guidelines |publisher=Uniform Code Council, Inc. |access-date=2017-03-15 }}</ref>

===Top levels===
The first two levels are as follows.
{{Tree list}}
* UNSPSC
** Raw Materials, Chemicals, Paper, Fuel
*** Live Plant and Animal Material and Accessories and Supplies
*** Mineral and Textile and Inedible Plant and Animal Materials
*** Chemicals including Bio Chemicals and Gas Materials
*** Resin and Rosin and Rubber and Foam and Film and Elastomeric Materials
*** Paper Materials and Products
*** Fuels and Fuel Additives and Lubricants and Anti corrosive Materials
** Industrial Equipment & Tools
*** Mining and Well Drilling Machinery and Accessories
*** Farming and Fishing and Forestry and Wildlife Machinery and Accessories
*** Industrial Manufacturing and Processing Machinery and Accessories
*** Material Handling and Conditioning and Storage Machinery and their Accessories and Supplies
*** Power Generation and Distribution Machinery and Accessories
*** Tools and General 
** Components & Supplies
*** Structures and Building and Construction and Manufacturing Components and Supplies
*** Manufacturing Components and Supplies
*** Electronic Components and Supplies
*** Electrical Systems and Lighting and Components and Accessories and Supplies
** Construction, Transportation & Facility Equipment & Supplies
*** Building and Construction Machinery and Accessories
*** Commercial and Military and Private Vehicles and their Accessories and Components
*** Distribution and Conditioning Systems and Equipment and Components
*** Land and Buildings and Structures and Thoroughfares
** Medical, Laboratory & Test Equipment & Supplies & Pharmaceuticals
*** Laboratory and Measuring and Observing and Testing Equipment
*** Medical Equipment and Accessories and Supplies
*** Drugs and Pharmaceutical Products
** Food, Cleaning & Service Industry Equipment & Supplies
*** Cleaning Equipment and Supplies
*** Service Industry Machinery and Equipment and Supplies
*** Food Beverage and Tobacco Products
** Business, Communication & Technology Equipment & Supplies
*** Information Technology Broadcasting and Telecommunications
*** Office Equipment and Accessories and Supplies
*** Printing and Photographic and Audio and Visual Equipment and Supplies
*** Published Products
** Defense, Security & Safety Equipment & Supplies
*** Defense and Law Enforcement and Security and Safety Equipment and Supplies
*** Humanitarian Relief Items, Kits, or Accessories
** Personal, Domestic & Consumer Equipment & Supplies
*** Sports and Recreational Equipment and Supplies and Accessories
*** Domestic Appliances and Supplies and Consumer Electronic Products
*** Apparel and Luggage and Personal Care Products
*** Timepieces and Jewelry and Gemstone Products
*** Furniture and Furnishings
*** Musical Instruments and Games and Toys and Arts and Crafts and Educational Equipment and Materials and Accessories and Supplies
** Services
*** Financial Instruments, Products, Contracts and Agreements
*** Bank offered products
*** Securities
*** Insurable interest contracts
*** Governmental property right conferrals
*** Farming and Fishing and Forestry and Wildlife Contracting Services
*** Mining and oil and gas services
*** Building and Facility Construction and Maintenance Services
*** Industrial Production and Manufacturing Services
*** Industrial Cleaning Services
*** Environmental Services
*** Transportation, Storage and Mail Services
*** Management and Business Professionals and Administrative Services
*** Engineering and Research and Technology Based Services
*** Editorial and Design and Graphic and Fine Art Services
*** Public Utilities and Public Sector Related Services
*** Financial and Insurance Services
*** Healthcare Services
*** Education and Training Services
*** Travel and Food, Lodging and Entertainment Services
*** Personal and Domestic Services
*** National Defense and Public Order and Security and Safety Services
*** Politics and Civic Affairs Services
*** Organizations and Clubs
{{Tree list/end}}

== Governance ==
The UNSPSC was jointly developed by the [[United Nations Development Programme]] (UNDP) and [[Dun & Bradstreet]]<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Cavinato | first1 = Joseph L. | last2 = Flynn | first2 = Anna E. | last3 = Kauffman | first3 = Ralph G. | title = The supply management handbook | publisher = McGraw-Hill Professional | year = 2006 | pages = 439 }}</ref> in 1998 and is currently managed by [[GS1 US]], which is responsible for overseeing code change requests, revising the codes and issuing regularly scheduled updates to the code, as well as managing special projects and initiatives.<ref>{{cite web|title=Frequently Asked Questions|url=http://www.unspsc.org/faqs#Who%20manages%20the%20UNSPSC|website=UNSPSC.org|publisher=UNSPSC|access-date=2016-07-13}}</ref>

== Availability and languages ==
The codeset is available in [[English language|English]], [[French language|French]], [[German language|German]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Italian language|Italian]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]], [[Korean language|Korean]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[Mandarin Chinese]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], [[Danish language|Danish]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]], [[Swedish language|Swedish]], and [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]. The latest [[PDF]] version of the codeset is available for download at no cost, though a user account is required and can be created (also at no cost). A version in [[Microsoft Excel]] format is available to members, who can also request changes and suggest additions to the code.

== See also ==
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
* [[Common Procurement Vocabulary]]
* [[Data Universal Numbering System]] (DUNS)
* [[eOTD]]
* [[ETIM (standard)|ETIM]]
* [[Global Product Classification]]
* [[GS1]]
* [[International Standard Industrial Classification]]  (ISIC)
* [[North American Industry Classification System]] (NAICS)
* [[Point code]]
* [[RosettaNet]]
* [[Standard Industrial Classification]] (SIC)
}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|www.unspsc.org}}

[[Category:Dun & Bradstreet]]
[[Category:Product classifications]]
[[Category:Identifiers]]
[[Category:United Nations Development Programme]]