GEPIR Update:
Version 4.0 and Conformance Process
Session: Standards Development University
Time: 09:00 – 09:20
Who May Attend: MO Only
Speaker: Mark Van Eeghem

(GS1 Electronic Party Information Registry)

© 2014 GS1
• Launched in 1999 by Member Organizations as a way to eliminate the need to manually answer questions around issuance of Global Company Prefix data
• GS1 France, GS1 Sweden and GS1 Switzerland established a protocol enabling the interlinking of the different membership databases of these
MO’s
• Since its origination, 108 MO’s joined the GEPIR network
• Previous Versions 1.0 (‘99), 2.0 (‘02), 3.0 (‘04), 3.1 (’05)
• Latest Version (Version 3.2) of GEPIR (’11)
• Version 4.0 development in progress

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• GEPIR is a Federated (Distributed) Registry
• Operated by the Member Organizations (MO’s)
• Any user can request information (Read Only)
• Implemented by connecting nodes set up and maintained by each MO
• Accessed by anybody (Search functionality)
• Web interface
• Machine to Machine
• Information from data maintained by GS1 MO’s
• Information regarding subscribers of other MO’s will be served by the respective MO’s

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• Total MO’s in GEPIR 111
• There are 70 Member Organisations whose GEPIR services are hosted by the GS1 Global Office
• All updated to v3.2 August 2011
• The GS1 Global Office supports the MO’s
• Hosting service for MO’s that require or request it
• The Use of the GSMP (GS1 GEPIR TDT)
• GS1 GO provides the development and implementation support for the
GEPIR specifications
• Based upon a hybrid approach of a GO-hosted and non-GO-hosted environment

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•
•
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• 111 MO’s have data available through GEPIR
70 MO’s hosted at Global Office
+41 MO’s locally hosted
=111 Member Organizations
• 6 MO’s on Version 2.0
• 7 MO’s on Version 3.0
• 98 MO’s on Version 3.1 / 3.2 [70 hosted, 28 local)
• 11 MO’s-V3.1 July ‘09 94 MO’s - V3.1/3.2 Oct ‘11

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HTTP
/XML http/
XML
GEPIR http/
XML
HTTP
/XML
HTTP
/XML

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• Version 1 (Sunsetted July 2010) – First formal version
• Search by GTIN, GLN, SSCC, Company name
• Version 2 adds the possibility of refined company search
• Postal code and/or a city in order to receive precise results
• Also added cascading – The ability to request further info from other sources
• Backward Compatible with V1.0
• Version 3.0 / 3.1 / 3.2 - XSD Schema-Based, Web Services Approach
• Now includes the ability to communicate a very small set of Item and Party information
• Introduces the concept of “Premium Users”
–
30+ queries from one user or GLN/IP combination

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• Search for company ownership data, based on:
• GTIN
• GLN
• SSCC
• Company Name
• Responses also can contain additional information
• List of Response Codes

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• Version 4.0 is here, ready to implement!
• Update functionality
– GEPIR to handle resolution of all GS1 Keys
– Additional Methods (Get Root Directory, Get Router Detail)
– Additional Response Codes
• Resolution of GEPIR Work Requests
– GLN = Optional : GS1 Company Prefix (GCP) = Mandatory
– Additional attributes (GPS / Latitude Longitude, )
• Additional User-Defined fields to enable Value-Added Services
• Alignment with the GS1 Global Data Dictionary & GS1 Architecture
•
Solution for Alliance Numbers
• GS1 Company Prefixes from one MO managed by another MO
• Documentation Consolidation
– Current: 4 Specification documents + 4 Guideline documents
– New: 1 Specification + 1 Guideline document
• Better development tools
– Use Cases, Activity & Sequence Diagrams, UML Models

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Version
Language
GLN
Response
Return Code
Information Provider Gln
Last Change Date Time
GCP
Additional Party Identification
Party Name
Street Address
PO Box Number
Sub Division
Postal Code
City
Country ISO Code
Contact Name
Communication Channel
Communication Channel Code
Party Role
Party Child
Party Child Role
GLN

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Version
Language
GTIN
Information Provider GLN
Manufacturer GLN
Item Name
Brand Name
Trade Item Unit Descriptor
Descriptive Size
Net Content
Unit of Measure
Link URI
URI Format
Classification Code
Classification System Code
Last Change Date Time
Child Item
Child Item GTIN
Number Contained

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Value Text
0
1
2
No error
Missing or invalid parameters
No record found
Description
The request has been successfully completed and the response is in the body of the SOAP message.
One or more parameters is missing or incorrect. This might be wrong length, invalid GS1 check digit, non-numeric characters in a number, etc.
No data is returned.
No record exists in the MO database for this company prefix, this GTIN or these search parameters. No data is returned.
3 No exact match on GLN No record was found with exactly this GLN. The data held in the MO database for this company prefix is returned.
4 Too many hits Over twenty records match the search criteria. Only twenty are returned.
5 Unknown country code The GS1 country prefix (numeric keys) does not exist or the ISO country code (name search) is not for a GS1 member country. No data is returned.
6 Response may be incomplete
One or more servers failed to respond. Such data as is available is returned.
7 Request timed out There was a timeout somewhere in the server chain. No data is returned.
8 No catalogue exists A request has been made for GTIN information, but there is no server for this company. No data is returned.

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Value Text Description
9 Company information withheld
The company prefix in the request exists, but the company has not released its information for publication. The name and address of the responsible MO is returned.
10 Company not a member of The company prefix in the request exists, but the company is no longer a
GS1 member of GS1 under this prefix. The name and address of the responsible MO is returned.
11 Country not on the GEPIR There is no GEPIR MO server for this company prefix or ISO country network code. The name and address of the responsible MO is returned.
12 Item information withheld The GTIN in the request exists, but the company has not released its information for publication.
13 Illegal number
14 Daily request limit exceeded
The company prefix in the request is known to be illegal. The name and address of the responsible MO is returned.
The user has exceeded the number of ‘free’ requests permitted (30) and the request is rejected. No data is returned. The ‘responderGln’ element is set by the node refusing the request.
99 Server error An irrecoverable error occurred contacting a server. The ‘responderGln’ element is set by the node detecting the error.

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19
20
21
18
15
16
17
GCP does not exist GCP does not exist; GCP returned is a single-assigned key
GS1 Key is valid; GLN not assigned
Prefix 02 or 04 for internal use only
GS1 Key is valid; GLN not assigned
Prefix 02 or 04 are for company internal use. No information can be returned.
The name and address of the MO inquired is returned.
Prefix 20-29 for internal use only
Prefix 977 (ISSN)
Prefix 978-979 (ISBN)
Prefix 990-999
Prefix 20-29 is for company internal use. No information can be returned. The name and address of the MO inquired is returned.
Prefix 977 is used for serial publications (ISSN). No information can be returned. The name and address of the MO inquired is returned.
Prefix 978-979 is used for books. (ISBN). No information can be returned. The name and address of the MO inquired is returned.
Prefix 990-999 is used for coupons. No information can be returned. The name and address of the MO inquired is returned.

Use Case Diagrams
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Activity Diagrams Sequence Diagrams UML Models

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• A monitoring engine checks all nodes of GEPIR real-time availability of the connected routers and clients

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Objectives
• Execution of Approved GEPIR Strategy
• All MOs participating in GEPIR network as part of MO Core Services (June 2012)
Progress
• 111 MOs in GEPIR
• Deployment of V3.2 at GO Hosting Services – Complete - August 2011
• GEPIR MO Support Website and content for all things GEPIR – Complete
• GEPIR V4.0 Requirements Process / Specification Design – In Progress
• More timely updates of GEPIR data for Hosted MOs - Launched
• GEPIR TDT Work Effort on Quality of GEPIR (Service Levels / Conformance)
• Completion of technology refresh for hosting of GS1 GO GEPIR Hosting Services
Issues
• None at this time
Next Steps
• Complete GEPIR Conformance / Quality Program Definition
• Specification & Attribute Conformance and Service Levels
• GEPIR V4.0 Specification
Next Meeting / Calls

© 2014 GS1
• GS1 GEPIR Website
• http://gepir.gs1.org
• GEPIR Factsheet
• http://www.gs1.org/docs/gepir/GEPIR_Factsheet.pdf
• GEPIR Introductory Video
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC3QLKZIAA0

Mark Van Eeghem / Sean Lockhead
GS1
E: mark.vaneeghem@gs1.org
E: sean.lockhead@gs1.org
W: www.gs1.org