Pronunciation

A product part number built with segmented alphanumeric units that each contain information about the product.

An example of a smart part number may be “ABC-002-1469,” which could represent a push broom. The “ABC” portion may represent “cleaning tool,” the “002” portion may represent “push-broom,” and the “1469” may represent “extended handle.” An individual may identify a product from the smart part number alone. Smart part numbers offer an additional level of organization for product data and facilitate identification or classification outside of a taxonomic context. However, they have some disadvantages to non-significant numbering systems within a taxonomy in that they require ongoing maintenance and cannot always satisfy many different attributes due to limited numeric permutations.

Classification