What Modern Serialization Must Achieve

Counterfeit medicines endanger lives and cause enormous economic damage worldwide. The EU sets clear standards with the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD): each medicine pack is given a unique serial number, stored centrally, and traceable at all times. This keeps the supply chain secure and patients protected. This briefly explains serialization!

Today, these issues determine more than just efficiency - they assess trust. In a globalized supply chain where medicines, medical products, and consumer goods cross continents daily, transparency is no longer a bonus but a prerequisite. The CSDB 3.01 is positioned precisely here: as the backbone for secure, traceable, and automated serialization processes, and as a platform that goes far beyond what you would expect from a "serialization database".

The CSDB (Corporate Serialization Database) is a central platform for managing, processing, and transmitting serialized pharmaceutical data - the unique serial numbers that make every medicine pack traceable worldwide. It connects manufacturers, contract manufacturers, distributors, and authorities via a highly secure gateway and helps to ensure that every pack ends up where it belongs.

What makes CSDB 3.0 special is its ability to connect with adjacent systems, creating accurate end-to-end visibility. Track & Trace allows you to follow the path of a medicine or other product through the entire supply chain. From production to shipping to delivery, every step can be traced. This is achieved through the use of EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Services) standards, which allow you to record and exchange event data along the supply chain. This makes the physical movement of products digitally visible.

The Task Management module, on the other hand, ensures that all operational tasks along the supply chain can be digitally controlled and documented. Tasks can be planned, assigned, and monitored from the production line to quality assurance. This creates transparency in the production of medicines and ensures that all processes run efficiently and error-free. The result is an ecosystem that not only manages data but also makes responsibility visible.

In addition to Track & Trace and Task Management, CSDB 3.01 integrates with Toolmanager and PRECTAVI®. The tool manager enables efficient management and monitoring of tools and parts in production, while PRECTAVI® offers an intelligent solution that supports quality control and assurance through predictive maintenance.
 

With the release of the new CSDB version 3.01, Arvato Systems is setting new standards in the serialization landscape. Based on the previous version's established foundation, CSDB 3.01 brings many practical improvements. Many of these are based directly on feedback from customers who use the system daily.

One of the most noticeable changes is the completely revised validation logic. Instead of aborting at the first error, the system now checks all relevant points in a single run. The results are displayed clearly, which makes troubleshooting much easier. In addition, messages sent to lines, partners, or national verification systems are now directly visible in the interface. This increases traceability and saves time during analysis.

CSDB 3.01 also offers more scope for process design. Users can specifically deviate from standard processes, provided they have the appropriate rights. Specific validation errors can be accepted without blocking the entire process. Faulty processes can be restarted with adapted data or exactly as they were created. This flexibility is particularly valuable in dynamic production environments.
 

The reporting module has also been significantly enhanced. The new subscriptions function allows almost all reports to be created and sent automatically, based on EPCIS events. New functions such as an improved selection of articles and reports, and the ability to clone existing subscriptions, make work much more efficient. The effort required for manual tasks is significantly reduced.

Another highlight is the new "Receiving" use case. It increases transparency along the supply chain and enables seamless documentation of incoming goods. This information can also be automatically transmitted to partners. It is now also possible to record the location of an EPCIS event - an essential addition for reports to authorities such as the EU hub.

Data management has also been modernized. A new mass change template can adjust article master data in large quantities. This saves time, reduces the error rate, and is particularly useful for extensive article portfolios.

With CSDB 3.01, Arvato Systems is not only taking a step towards greater usability and flexibility, but the new version also unfolds its full potential with the platform's other solutions. Only in combination with Task Management, Tool Management, and PRECTAVI® can a consistent, scalable environment for modern production and quality processes be created.

CSDB 3.01 not only introduces new functions but also changes the way you work with the system. Instead of fixed workflows, users are given more responsibility and freedom to control their processes themselves. They are supported by clear feedback, traceable checking mechanisms, and automated data flows. The new version is not just an update - it is a step towards greater autonomy, efficiency, and transparency in serialization. Initial feedback from the field shows that this development is paying off.