What is UNSPSC?
UNSPSC (United Nations Standard Products and Services Code) is a hierarchical classification system for products and services used primarily in procurement. It has four levels: Segment > Family > Class > Commodity. Each commodity gets an 8-digit code. It's maintained by GS1 US under a UN license.
Who uses it?
UNSPSC is commonly used in e-procurement systems (SAP Ariba, Oracle, Coupa), government purchasing, and large enterprise procurement. It's less granular than ETIM or eCl@ss for technical products — it classifies broadly ("Pumps") rather than specifically ("Submersible drainage pump with float switch").
UNSPSC vs ETIM / eCl@ss
UNSPSC is a spend classification — it helps procurement teams analyze what they're buying. ETIM and eCl@ss are product classifications — they describe what the product *is* in technical detail. Many companies need both: UNSPSC for their procurement system and ETIM/eCl@ss for their technical catalog. They're complementary, not competing.
How FacetFlux helps
FacetFlux can assign UNSPSC codes alongside ETIM classification during enrichment, so your product data works for both technical catalogs and procurement systems.
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