Commodity codes (also known as Harmonised System or HS codes) are standardised numerical codes used to classify traded goods internationally. Every product that crosses an international border is assigned a code — typically 6 to 10 digits long — that identifies exactly what it is. The system is maintained by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and used by over 200 countries, which is why it's called "harmonised" — everyone agrees on the same classification system.

The code is built up in sections. Here is an example for a casual men's shirt:

Full commodity code = 61 05 20 10

• The first 2 digits = the broad classification (61 = knitted clothing articles)
• The next 2 digits = a more specific item category (05 = Men's or boys' shirts, knitted or crocheted)
• The next 2 digits = a further classification, often referencing the material/composition (20 = of man-made fibres e.g. polyester, nylon)
• Additional digits may be added by individual countries for even more precise local classification (e.g. 10 = the UK/EU refinement, specifying T-shirts and similar garments). Not all items will require these additional digits.

If you regularly ship orders internationally, it is a good idea to preset the commodity codes on your items. This will speed up your despatching process in the Point of Sale. Alternatively, if you do not regularly ship your items abroad, you may find it easier to just enter the commodity codes in the Point of Sale as and when you need them.

How can I preset the commodity codes in the Cloud POS Back Office?

There are three ways to preset commodity codes for items in the Cloud POS Back Office.

Firstly, commodity codes can be added in bulk to new items when using the Item Import Tool to create them. 

Secondly, commodity codes can be added in bulk to existing items using the Modify Item Detail Wizard.

Thirdly, you can add a commodity code to an individual item from the item record. This also provides the option to use AI to generate/fetch the commodity code. To add the commodity code to an individual item:

1) Open the item record and select the Advanced tab:

2) In the Shipping section, you will see a field for the Commodity Code:

3) If you already know the commodity code for the item, you can type (or copy/paste) it into this field. For example, UK retailers can use the government's Trade Tariff tool to find commodity codes.

If you would like to find the commodity code using AI, click the AI icon to the right of the field: 

4) This will open the Commodity Code Generator window. The item's Extended Description (from the ‘Advanced’ tab) or Description will have been pre-populated for you, but you can modify this if you prefer. (In the example below, we have added that the sweatshirt is a fleece material.) Click Generate, and the AI tool will use the descriptive information to find the commodity code for you:

5) Once the commodity code has been fetched, it will be displayed at the bottom of the window, along with an explanation of the code sections:

6) Click to close the window, and you will see the generated code has been added into the Commodity Code field on the item record.

7) Remember to save your changes:

How can I add a commodity code in the Point of Sale?

1) First, you will need to recall the order and scan or select the item(s) for pick-up.

2) In the Courier Integration window, either choose Buy Preselected Service (to create a shipping label for the service the customer pre-selected online) or choose Upload to select an alternative service and then Buy Label.

3) If one or more of the items you have selected for Pickup do not have commodity codes entered in the Back Office, you will be automatically taken to the Customs Information tab:

4) To enter the required commodity codes, click Edit Data:

5) A field will then appear so that you can enter the commodity code for each item:

6) To save, click Finish Editing.

7) Click Continue and Book Service to generate the label:

You will then be taken to the Summary tab. Here you can see a preview of the label that has been created. This label should automatically print from the courier label printer provided to you by Citrus-Lime. If this does not happen, please refer to this article.

7) Click Open Customs Form to open the paperwork that has been generated, so that you can print this and attach it to the parcel. (Please note that not all international services will require a customs form, so this button may be inactive.)

On the Summary tab, you can also click ‘Open Tracking Website’ to view the tracking link for your shipment on the relevant courier's website. You can also click ‘Open Label’ if you need to view the label full-size in a new tab of your browser. 

Here is an example customs form. The layout and contents will vary depending on the courier. For example, on this Royal Mail form, the commodity code is referred to as the ‘HS Tariff No’.

Frequently Asked Questions