As an ever-growing number of stakeholders adopt RAIN RFID infrastructure, pressure is increasing to ensure each of these applications can coexist and interoperate seamlessly and securely.
In part one of our three-part blog series on tag encoding, Jonathan Gregory, Senior Director – Global Standards at GS1 explains why standards-based encoding that enshrines item level traceability is vital to enable interoperable global supply chains.
What is tag encoding, and how does it support day-to-day RAIN RFID operations?
Tag encoding refers to the process of writing structured data to a RAIN RFID tag. This provides stakeholders throughout the supply chain with machine-readable operational information on a product, as well as a unique identifier for each item.
But encoded data can do more than just identify a serialized item. It can also provide useful data leveraged at the “edge” to allow users to make data-led operational decisions. Information such as a batch number, a production date, a net weight, or even the web domain of the logistic unit sender can all be encoded on a single tag, connecting shippers to stakeholders from across the entire supply chain by providing them with easy access to the same data.
By following standards-based encoding such as that of GS1 in concert with RAIN RFID, organizations from countless different industries can benefit from organized and logical data that enhance both internal efficiencies and external interoperability.
How do encoding standards function across global supply chains where different regulatory environments and requirements are in play?
The GS1 Tag Data Standard (TDS) provides a means for consistent, globally unique encoding. This means that a t-shirt, for example, encoded in one country would carry an Electronic Product Code (EPC) structure that can be read and properly decoded across different industries and around the globe. However, to achieve this, it is imperative that these standards are properly adhered to. Therefore, GS1 has over 115 country-specific Member Organizations that provide local support to those looking to implement global standards.
These country-specific organizations help adopters harmonize global standards with local regulations to ensure compliance with both domestic and international market requirements. When necessary, these regional offices can raise standard development requests to the GS1 Global Office via the Global Standards Management Process (GSMP). This gives local players a voice in international standards development, ensuring that standardized RAIN tag encoding remains accessible to all.
What are the most common mistakes made when encoding RAIN RFID tags, and what impact can they have?
Perhaps the most common mistakes that we see when encoding RAIN RFID tags are simple formatting errors. A valid Global Trade Item number (GTIN) is 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits long depending on the use case, and any variation on that would result in an invalid result. Similarly, encoding an incorrect Company Prefix – the number assigned to each licensed business – would cause a breakdown in supply chain transparency, as your product may be attributed to the wrong company, or even rejected by inventory readers as invalid.
Providing the formatting of the encoding is correct, the most impactful mistake that can be made is failing to ensure that each identifier is unique. Without this serialization, duplicated GTINs could enter the supply chain, resulting in system wide data mismatches. This could lead to inventory miscounts, transport and logistics mistakes, or even rejected transactions at the point of sale should the RAIN reader recognize a GTIN as already sold.
Furthermore, with incoming sustainability regulations such as the European Commission’s Digital Product Passport (DPP) requiring item level traceability, RAIN tags with duplicated GTINs could result in a compliance failure with financial penalties.
Major global retailers and logistics providers are investing billions in RAIN infrastructure – what does this mean for the future of RAIN encoding?
RAIN technology uses the ISO/IEC 18000-63 protocol, also known as GS1 UHF Gen2, which gives it the ability to track individual items at scale and with precision. This provides transformative levels of insight into global supply chains, unlocking unparallelled operational efficiencies that help adopters save both time and money.
As more businesses adopt and expand their use of RAIN infrastructure, verified and reliable unique serial values will become even more important. More products using encoded RAIN tags will increase the risk of duplicated EPCs, and so it is vital that care and attention is paid to follow robust encoding standards.
With RAIN technology now recognized as an accepted DPP data carrier, what are the implications for encoding?
The DPP will soon require manufacturers throughout Europe to provide readily accessible, item-level insight into the source and composition of their products. With the risk of penalties if companies fail to comply, it is understandable why the industry is seeking trusted data carriers such as RAIN to enable the sharing of DPP information.
The data carrier each manufacturer uses will of course depend on use case, with each identified carrier bringing its own unique strengths, but with RAIN already well established in sectors such as retail, healthcare and logistics, it will be an attractive option.
For those who choose RAIN as their DPP data carrier of choice, there are two key considerations when encoding their tags. Firstly, the item identifier and any additional data to achieve compliance encoded on a RAIN tag must be easily leveraged to access product information that is accessible on demand. And secondly, encoded data must be protected against any alteration (whether intentional or not) for the entire lifetime of the product.
For more on this topic, read our RAIN Alliance Tag Encoding Guide and Specifications here.