A forensically hard approach to traceability

The composition of the electronically communicated fractal units provides essential information on the nature of physical item handling events and how it links up with the order and contract hierarchy structure. The item handling events themselves are recorded by means of electronic scanning of barcodes and/or RFID tags. Manual data capturing is limited to contextual data such as grade, procedural information and other data that does not define the critical traceability logic underlying the advance/movement of items through the supply chain.

Consequently the data in a system based on the Fractal Traceability ^TM protocol is of high integrity and forensically hard. It makes it possible to instantaneously see item handling events on a timeline with reference to type of handling event, item(s) being handled, the person handling or responsible for handling, organisation and location where handling takes place, and time and date stamp.

The underlying logic enables a traceability system to sense deviant product items and product item handling events and generate appropriate alerts and messaging.

Supporting a Brand Promise

Brand owners and retailers need to make public statements with respect to products that needs to be substantiated in terms of origin, not just for the product item itself but also its precursors or intermediate product items. The Fractal Traceability ^TM protocol collects information related to product and process attributes, grade and quality, compliance to standards, ingredients and other information relevant to a specific type of product.  This rich history and attribute profile is available to support the brand promise to be made through advertising media.

Linking product items to an organisation and the process standards of the facility

Being compliant to agreed standards, regulations and best practice approaches is recommendable, but without adequate item level traceability an organisation cannot provide evidence that a specific product item has been subjected to that specific process or facility.  The Fractal Traceability ^TM protocol elegantly bridges this gap with its forensically hard body of evidence that is maintained in its traceability audit trail that stretches across the entire supply chain. It makes visible item handling events both within and between organisations.

Add a new dimension to the detection of fraudulent products and item handling events

Although it is not designed as a fraud detection solution, it provides the forensic hardness and the essential operations visibility required to manage the flow of product and the coordination of item handling events so tightly that any deviation in terms of identity, process synchronisation, location or contextual information is detected and made visible to oversight and/or managerial staff.