UNSPSC code lookup: the structure, the segments, and how to classify a real catalog.
UNSPSC is an eight-digit code in four two-digit levels. Once you can read the levels, most classification work becomes a search problem rather than a judgement call. The segment list below is where that search starts.
Four levels
Segment, Family, Class and Commodity, two digits each.
Eight digits
A complete code is eight digits, sometimes with two more.
Buyer-facing
Procurement systems classify spend with it, so accuracy matters.
Structure
Read the code from the left and the classification stops being mysterious.
The United Nations Standard Products and Services Code is a hierarchical taxonomy maintained for both goods and services. Each level narrows the one above it by two digits. A code such as 39121004 reads as segment 39, family 12, class 10 and commodity 04, and dropping the trailing pairs gives you progressively broader groupings that are still valid codes.
There is an optional fifth level, the business function, which adds two more digits to describe the role a party plays in relation to the item, such as manufacturer or wholesaler. Most catalog work uses the eight-digit form and ignores the fifth level unless a specific buyer asks for it.
| Level | Digits | What it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Positions 1 and 2 | The broadest grouping, such as tools or electrical. |
| Family | Positions 3 and 4 | A commonly recognised group inside the segment. |
| Class | Positions 5 and 6 | Items sharing a common use or function. |
| Commodity | Positions 7 and 8 | A specific substitutable product or service. |
| Business function | Positions 9 and 10, optional | The role of the party, rarely used in catalogs. |
Segment list
The goods segments a product catalog will actually use.
UNSPSC segments numbered below 70 cover materials and products, and segments from 70 upwards cover services. A physical catalog almost never needs the services segments, which removes a large part of the taxonomy from consideration immediately.
Use this list to pick the segment by hand, then search inside it rather than searching the whole codeset. Searching the full codeset for a generic word returns matches across unrelated segments and is the main reason classification work goes wrong.
| Segment | Title | Typical catalog use |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Mineral and textile and inedible plant and animal materials | Raw materials and stock |
| 12 | Chemicals including bio chemicals and gas materials | Industrial chemicals, adhesives |
| 13 | Resin and rosin and rubber and foam and film and elastomeric materials | Polymer stock |
| 14 | Paper materials and products | Packaging and paper goods |
| 15 | Fuels and fuel additives and lubricants and anti corrosive materials | Lubricants, greases |
| 23 | Industrial manufacturing and processing machinery and accessories | Production equipment |
| 24 | Material handling and conditioning and storage machinery | Racking, conveyors, containers |
| 26 | Power generation and distribution machinery and accessories | Motors, generators, drives |
| 27 | Tools and general machinery | Hand tools and power tools |
| 30 | Structures and building and construction and manufacturing components | Building components |
| 31 | Manufacturing components and supplies | Fasteners, bearings, seals |
| 32 | Electronic components and supplies | Passive and active components |
| 39 | Electrical systems and lighting and components and accessories | Lighting, cable, enclosures |
| 40 | Distribution and conditioning systems and equipment and components | HVAC, pipe, valves, fittings |
| 41 | Laboratory and measuring and observing and testing equipment | Instruments and meters |
| 42 | Medical equipment and accessories and supplies | Clinical products |
| 43 | Information technology broadcasting and telecommunications | IT hardware and networking |
| 44 | Office equipment and accessories and supplies | Office consumables |
| 46 | Defense and law enforcement and security and safety equipment | PPE and safety products |
| 47 | Cleaning equipment and supplies | Janitorial supplies |
| 50 | Food beverage and tobacco products | Grocery catalogs |
| 52 | Domestic appliances and supplies and consumer electronic products | Appliances |
| 53 | Apparel and luggage and personal care products | Workwear and apparel |
| 56 | Furniture and furnishings | Commercial furniture |
Method
Classify the class first, then let the commodity level be a lookup.
The reliable sequence is to fix the segment from the list above, then the family, then the class, and only then look for a commodity. Each step is a small decision with a handful of options, and each one removes most of the codeset. Trying to jump straight to an eight-digit code from a product description is how a catalog ends up with inconsistent classification across similar items.
Classify at the class level when no commodity fits cleanly, and record that the code is a class-level assignment rather than pretending to a precision you do not have. A consistent six-digit assignment across a product family is more useful to a buyer than a scattering of confident but inconsistent eight-digit ones.
- Fix the segment by hand before any keyword search
- Search within the segment, never across the whole codeset
- Record the codeset version you classified against
- Allow a class-level code and mark it as such rather than guessing
In a PIM
Classification is an attribute with a history, not a one-time import.
UNSPSC is released in versions, and codes are added, moved and deprecated between releases. A classification stored without the version it came from cannot be re-checked later. Store the code, the version, who assigned it, and whether it was assigned at class or commodity level.
In Nexodo, classification behaves like any other governed attribute. A supplier can supply a proposed code as a source observation, a reviewer can accept or override it, and the history shows when the assignment changed and why. That matters when a buyer questions the spend category a product was reported under.
- Store the codeset version alongside the code
- Keep the supplier proposed code separate from the approved code
- Track assignment level so partial classification is visible
- Re-review classification when a supplier changes a product family
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers before you evaluate a PIM.
How many digits is a UNSPSC code?+
Eight in normal use, made of four two-digit levels. An optional fifth level, the business function, extends it to ten digits, but most catalogs and most buyers work with the eight-digit form.
Where do I look a code up?+
The codeset is published and searchable through UNSPSC and through several procurement portals, and many public sector buyers publish their own extracts. Pick the segment first from the list above, then search within it, and confirm against the codeset version your buyer uses.
Is UNSPSC the same as a customs or HS code?+
No. UNSPSC classifies what a thing is for procurement and spend analysis. A Harmonized System code classifies goods for customs and duty. They are different taxonomies with different owners and both may be required on the same product record.
Should suppliers assign UNSPSC codes themselves?+
They can propose them, and it is worth asking for it in an onboarding template because the supplier knows the product best. Treat the proposal as evidence rather than as truth, and review it before the code is published, because a supplier optimises for its own catalog rather than your buyer's spend reporting.
Continue your product data research
ETIM classification, and how it differs from every other standard on your data request list.
Read more →Product taxonomyProduct taxonomy that makes a changing catalog easier to navigate.
Read more →Supplier product data onboardingOnboard supplier product data without surrendering control.
Read more →Product data qualityFind the catalog problems that block a confident purchase.
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