Infor Nexus, the single-instance supply chain network platform providing visibility and collaboration, recently announced NexTrace. This solution is designed to improve customer transparency and provide a competitive advantage. With the EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) set to take effect in 2027, some companies are preparing now by implementing traceability solutions. NexTrace aims to give customers a head start to meet regulatory requirements like the EU DPP and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
NexTrace provides end-to-end transparency by seamlessly tracking raw material through to finished products and beyond, ensuring full traceability throughout the entire supply chain journey. It integrates supplier ESG data and certificates for a holistic view of sustainability and compliance information. Leveraging AI technology and a supplier-centric philosophy, NexTrace simplifies the data collection process, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
“Last June, we launched Map and Trace, which empowers our customers to map their supply chains and collect documentation from multiple supplier tiers. Map and Trace provides evidence of chain of custody compliance with regulations such as the US UFLPA and the French AGEC law. With NexTrace, we’re taking this to the next level by proactively gathering full-scale item-level traceability from each tier of the supply chain. This will help our customers to not only meet upcoming regulations like the EU Digital Product Passport but also gain a competitive edge by providing comprehensive data on their products’ journey, composition, and sustainability,” said Brian Carelli, Infor VP, Sustainability and Partnerships.
Meeting regulatory and consumer demands for product traceability requires collaboration across supply chain tiers. By connecting to Infor Nexus, companies gain a head start, leveraging an established ecosystem of over 94,000 brands, retailers, and suppliers already on the platform. Managing traceability and chain-of-custody data alongside existing supply chain processes on a unified platform can accelerate progress, boost efficiency, and reduce reliance on multiple systems.
NexTrace capability highlights:
- Enables seamless lot and item-level tracing by tracking the movement of raw material lots and batches through their conversion into finished products
- Leverages AI to collect data from the multiple tiers of suppliers, while automatically associating transactions from one tier to the next, helping to reduce the burden on suppliers and increase data accuracy and tracing efficiency
- Allows suppliers to upload data from existing reports in one step, rather than necessitating manual data entry
- RFID scanning of serialized barcodes at source automatically links the multi-tier chain of custody data
- Integrates supplier ESG data and certificates with traceability information, providing a comprehensive view of sustainability and compliance throughout the supply chain
- Creates a digital link and visualization to share traceability and product information with consumers, enhancing transparency and trust throughout the supply chain
- Tracing data automatically updates the network graph creating linkages between products and materials providing a higher fidelity map of your supply chain network
“Vendors will be eager to tout their Digital Product Passport solutions at NRF, but their focus is often on flashy features, rather than the minutiae of how to feed such data-hungry systems. At NRF, we look forward to demonstrating how trace data is built and how to scale a system of this magnitude,” said Carelli.
What this means for ERP Insiders
Traceability is a well-timed capability amidst increasingly regulated supply chains. Supply chain traceability solutions play a crucial role in helping companies meet existing and upcoming regulatory requirements by providing end-to-end visibility, data accuracy, and compliance assurance. Regulations such as the EU Digital Product Passport (DPP), the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) require businesses to track the origin, movement, and handling of goods across global supply chains. Traceability solutions, powered by blockchain, IoT, and AI-driven analytics, enable companies to document product journeys, verify ethical sourcing, and ensure regulatory compliance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. For example, pharmaceutical firms must comply with the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), requiring digital serialization and tracking of prescription drugs. Similarly, food and beverage companies must meet FSMA traceability mandates by 2026 to prevent contamination and enhance food safety. As governments worldwide tighten regulations on sustainability, labor rights, and product safety, businesses investing in robust traceability systems can avoid fines, reduce supply chain risks, and build consumer trust. By 2026, supply chain software solutions that do not offer built-in traceability will struggle to comply with regulatory requirements. And by 2027, traceability will be a standard expectation for enterprise procurement and supply chain solutions. And by 2028, AI- and IoT-based traceability solutions will be a base feature in all major SCM platforms.
NexTrace adoption will be accelerated by the existing Infor Nexus platform. Infor Nexus already connects over 94,000 brands, suppliers, manufacturers, and logistics providers, making it easier for businesses to onboard NexTrace without having to build new integrations from scratch. So companies already using Infor Nexus for supply chain execution can seamlessly activate NexTrace without major reconfiguration. Also NexTrace leverages real-time data flows from Infor Nexus, ensuring traceability is embedded within existing logistics, procurement, and compliance processes. So, a retailer tracking sustainability compliance for its suppliers can extend traceability within the same Nexus Control Center dashboard. NexTrace benefits from Infor’s cloud-first architecture, meaning companies using Infor CloudSuite ERP can integrate traceability directly into their finance, procurement, and logistics modules. For instance, fashion and apparel brands can track organic certifications and ESG compliance through an automated traceability workflow. Unlike siloed ERP solutions, Infor Nexus operates as a multi-enterprise business network (MEBN), enabling real-time data exchange across partners. As such, automotive companies can track material sourcing and carbon emissions through collaborative tracking on Nexus.
Traceability will transform supply chain professionals from reactive managers to strategic decision-makers. Roles like supply chain, logistics, and procurement managers will evolve significantly as traceability enters the mainstream. Instead of waiting for supplier updates, a supply chain manager will be able to instantly verify if raw materials meet ESG compliance. Similarly, if a key supplier is flagged for non-compliance, the traceability system will suggest alternative sources in real time. Digital records of product movement will ensure adherence to regulations, and the system will automatically generate compliance reports instead of requiring manual audits. IoT integration with traceability systems will provide logistics managers with a live digital twin of shipments, ensuring immediate updates. So, if a temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipment deviates from the required temperature range, an alert will be triggered. Also, AI-driven root cause analysis will identify logistics disruptions before they escalate. If a port delay occurs, the system will automatically suggest rerouting options. And a logistics manager will be able to compare CO₂ emissions for different shipping routes to meet sustainability goals. On the procurement side, managers will be able to instantly see whether a supplier complies with Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) before signing a contract. And AI-powered risk scoring will help select low-risk, high-reliability suppliers. Traceability systems will be able to rank suppliers based on sustainability, on-time delivery, and compliance records.
