EPCIS 2.0 Implementation Guide

EPCIS 2.0 Implementation Guide

EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Services) 2.0 is the GS1 standard for sharing supply chain visibility events between trading partners. Version 2.0, finalized in 2022, replaces the XML/SOAP transport of v1.2 with REST/JSON-LD and adds enhanced query capabilities. This guide covers practical implementation for RFID-driven supply chains.

EPCIS 2.0 vs. 1.2: Key Differences

New implementations should target EPCIS 2.0. Legacy integrations with 1.2 partners can use the EPCIS 2.0 XML binding for backward compatibility.

Event Types

EPCIS defines four core event types, all generated naturally from RFID read data:

ObjectEvent: Describes what happened to one or more EPCs at a point in time and place.

{
  "type": "ObjectEvent",
  "eventTime": "2025-09-14T08:23:11Z",
  "action": "OBSERVE",
  "epcList": ["urn:epc:id:sgtin:0614141.107346.2017"],
  "bizStep": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:bizstep:receiving",
  "disposition": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:disp:in_progress",
  "readPoint": {"id": "urn:epc:id:sgln:0614141.00001.dock3"}
}

AggregationEvent: Records parent-child relationships (pallet contains cases, case contains items). TransactionEvent: Links EPCs to business transactions (purchase orders, shipments, invoices). TransformationEvent: Captures manufacturing inputs and outputs (e.g., raw materials becoming finished goods).

GS1 Digital Link URI Format

EPCIS 2.0 uses GS1 Digital Link URIs instead of EPC URN strings. A SGTIN expressed as Digital Link:

https://id.gs1.org/01/00614141073467/21/2017

Where 01 is the GTIN AI and 21 is the serial number AI. This format is web-resolvable — scanning the barcode or NFC tag redirects to product information.

Use the EPC Decoder to convert between EPC binary, EPC URN, and GS1 Digital Link formats.

ONS and Discovery

Object Name Service (ONS) resolves a GS1 company prefix to the EPCIS endpoint for that manufacturer. In federated supply chains, your EPCIS repository must register with the GS1 ONS hierarchy so trading partners can discover and query your event data.

For internal deployments (single enterprise), ONS lookup is replaced by a static endpoint configuration in your middleware.

Capture Interface (REST)

POST events to /epcis/v2.0/events (or /epcis/v2.0/eventsBatch for bulk):

POST /epcis/v2.0/events HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/json
GS1-EPCIS-Version: 2.0.0
GS1-CBV-Version: 2.0.0

{ "type": "ObjectEvent", ... }

Batch imports (dock-door portal reads) should use the EventList container and POST up to 1,000 events per request. Implement retry with exponential backoff for 429 and 503 responses.

Query Interface

EPCIS 2.0 supports two query types:

• SimpleEventQuery: Filter by eventType, bizStep, epcList, eventTime range, readPoint. Returns matching events.
• SimpleMasterDataQuery: Retrieve vocabulary elements (locations, business steps).

REST query example:

GET /epcis/v2.0/events?GS1-EPCIS-Version=2.0.0
    &eventType=ObjectEvent
    &GE_eventTime=2025-09-14T00:00:00Z
    &bizStep=receiving

Data Retention and Partner Sharing

Retain EPCIS events for a minimum of 24 months for FDA DSCSA compliance (pharmaceuticals) or 5 years for IATA 753 (air cargo). For EU Digital Product Passport compliance, events tied to regulated product categories must be queryable throughout the product's life.

Control partner access with OAuth 2.0 scopes at the event level. A logistics partner needs read access to TransportEvent records; a brand owner needs read access to ObjectEvents from retail EPCIS repositories.

See also: RFID to ERP Integration Patterns, Edge Computing for RFID, Understanding EPC