Standard
UNSPSC
Global codes for products and services
Level
Invoice line
Every line, not only the supplier
Delivery
Platform or API
Web app or Enrichment API
Use
Spend analytics
Category analysis on line-item data
Five levels from segment to commodity
UNSPSC groups products and services in a hierarchy where each level adds two digits. One eight-digit code tells you the segment, family, class and commodity, and an optional fifth level describes the business function.
- Segment 43: IT, broadcasting and telecommunications
- Family 4321: computer equipment and accessories
- Class 432115: computers
- Commodity 43211503: notebook computers
How Qvalia classifies invoice lines
Classification runs on the invoices you receive, whatever format they arrived in.
- Receive. The invoice arrives as a Peppol e-invoice, an EDI message or a captured PDF.
- Classify. Qvalia assigns a UNSPSC code to each invoice line based on the line description and the other invoice data.
- Use. The code is stored on the line and used in spend analytics and posting suggestions.
Where the classification is used
Line-level categories make the same data useful for finance, procurement and developers.
Finance
Spend analytics
Analyze spend by category, supplier, country and currency across all invoice lines.
Procurement
Procurement analytics
See category spend and price differences per supplier for sourcing decisions.
Developers
Enrichment API
Send invoices from your own system and get UNSPSC codes back per line.
UNSPSC in Peppol documents
Peppol BIS documents can carry an item classification code on each line. UNSPSC is identified with the scheme code TST from the UNCL7143 code list.
- Invoices and credit notes
Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 has an item classification field on every line. - Orders and catalogues
The Peppol ordering and catalogue documents use the same field. - Line-level data
A code on each line lets buyers analyze spend without manual categorization.
Find a UNSPSC code
Describe a product or service in the free UNSPSC search and get matching codes with their place in the hierarchy.
Frequently asked questions
What is UNSPSC?
UNSPSC, the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code, is a global classification of products and services. It is organized in segments, families, classes and commodities, and is published at unspsc.org.
Why classify each invoice line rather than the supplier?
One supplier often sells products in several categories. Classifying each line puts every amount in the right category, which supplier-level categories cannot do.
Can we get UNSPSC codes through an API?
Yes. The Enrichment API classifies the lines of the invoices you send and returns a UNSPSC code per line.
Can I look up a UNSPSC code myself?
Yes. The free UNSPSC search finds codes from a description of a product or service.
Does Peppol support UNSPSC?
Yes. Peppol BIS documents carry item classification on each line, and UNSPSC is identified with the scheme code TST from the UNCL7143 code list.
