Traceability is the ability to track the history, location, condition and use of materials, component and products. For finished products, the priority is the ability to recover the history, from raw material origin to current status. This information, using batch and serial numbers for identification, helps find the root cause of a problem, and recognise if other products might be affected.
In logistics, the goal of traceability is to identify the location and condition of all goods in the supply chain. In some sectors, for example pharmaceuticals, proof of a documented chain-of-custody is a vital element of traceability, because security is critical.
Track and Trace means the same as traceability but recognises two distinct applications. Tracking is knowing where products are at each stage of the supply chain, so emphasizes the flow of goods from origin to destination, including all the handling and production processes they go through. Tracing usually operates in the reverse direction, for example, tracing the source of a faulty component that ends up in a finished product.
Trade Funds are the monies set aside by CPG companies to support the activities of their retail partners very often associated with promotional activities. It can be a very significant activity, representing as much as 10-20% of CPG company revenues.
Trade funds include a very diverse set of activities undertaken by CPG companies in support of retail sales efforts e.g. discounts, signage, samples and competitions
The term Transhipment (also spelt Transshipment) can be used in a general sense to mean transportation of goods to an intermediate point and handover from one carrier to another. In global trade, transhipment is an important concept, because there may be letters of credit provided by banks related to goods in transit. In some cases, a letter of credit may ban transhipment. However, banks do not usually intend to ban normal hub-and-spoke operations.
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to switch and control electricity in a circuit. Transistors can be built both as individual components and as components in integrated circuits.
A Transport Management Systems (TMS) is a software tool which helps a shipper see what options at what cost are available to the shipper. A TMS will handle timings associated with each route; the order in which to load transport; optimisation of multi-segment deliveries; and compliance with documentation required for customs and shippers.
In general discussion, Transportation Planning relates to roads, railways, public transport and so on. For manufacturers and logistics organizations, it covers strategic and operational business processes to develop, optimize and use the transport links in their supply and distribution networks. Examples include choice of warehouse locations, decisions about logistics providers, matching transport and warehousing equipment to product and package profiles, delivery service levels such as out of hours and pallet unloading as well as operational processes such as load and route planning.