How to Train Your Team on EPCIS and CBV

If you are in the supply chain management field, you might have heard of Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) and Core Business Vocabulary (CBV). These two standards are essential in automating data exchange across the supply chain. In this article, we will take a deep dive into EPCIS and CBV: what they are, why they are important, and how to train your team on them.

What is EPCIS?

EPCIS is a standard developed by GS1, a non-profit organization that provides global standards for identifying, capturing, and sharing information about products, services, and locations. EPCIS is a data exchange format that enables businesses to track products as they move through the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer to the consumer.

EPCIS uses a standardized language to describe events that occur within the supply chain, such as the shipment of products, their receipt, and their sale to the end customer. This language is based on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transactions, which are a standardized way of exchanging business documents between trading partners.

What is CBV?

CBV is a set of standardized business terms and definitions created by GS1. It provides a common language for describing products, locations, and other entities within the supply chain. CBV is designed to work alongside EPCIS, providing a standardized vocabulary for the events and entities that EPCIS describes.

CBV includes terms for describing products, such as their SKU, batch number, and expiration date, as well as terms for describing locations, such as the address, latitude and longitude, and facility type. CBV also includes terms for describing partners in the supply chain, such as the manufacturer, distributor, and retailer.

Why are EPCIS and CBV important?

EPCIS and CBV are essential elements in the automation of data exchange across the supply chain. Without these standards, businesses would need to manually exchange data, leading to errors, delays, and inefficiencies.

With EPCIS and CBV, businesses can automate the collection and exchange of data, allowing for real-time tracking of products as they move through the supply chain. This has numerous benefits, including:

• Improved inventory management: Knowing the exact location of products in real-time allows businesses to optimize their inventory levels, reducing waste and ensuring that products are always available when needed.
• Increased supply chain visibility: By tracking products as they move through the supply chain, businesses can identify potential bottlenecks and issues, allowing them to proactively address these challenges.
• Enhanced customer experience: Real-time tracking of products allows businesses to provide their customers with accurate information about when they can expect to receive their products.

How to train your team on EPCIS and CBV

Training your team on EPCIS and CBV is essential to ensure that everyone in your organization understands these standards and can effectively use them to automate data exchange across the supply chain. Here are some tips for training your team on EPCIS and CBV:

1. Start with the basics

Begin by providing your team with an overview of EPCIS and CBV, including how they work, why they are important, and the benefits they provide. This will help your team understand the context for the standards and why they are such a valuable tool.

2. Walk through real-world examples

Using real-world examples can help your team understand how EPCIS and CBV work in practice. Consider using case studies or simulations that allow your team to see how the standards are applied in different scenarios. This can help them understand how to use the standards in their own work.

3. Provide hands-on training

Provide your team with hands-on training that allows them to use EPCIS and CBV in a simulated environment. This allows them to practice using the standards and gain a better understanding of how they work in practice. This can include exercises that allow your team to create EPCIS events or use CBV entities.

4. Provide ongoing support

Training is just the beginning of ensuring that your team understands and is comfortable using EPCIS and CBV. Provide ongoing support and resources, such as user manuals, training videos, and access to online communities, to help your team continue to learn and grow in their use of these standards.

Conclusion

EPCIS and CBV are essential elements in the automation of data exchange across the supply chain. By using these standardized formats, businesses can improve their inventory management, increase supply chain visibility, and enhance customer experiences. Training your team on EPCIS and CBV is essential to ensuring that your organization can effectively use these standards to streamline supply chain operations. By providing your team with a solid understanding of EPCIS and CBV and ongoing support, you can ensure that they have the skills and knowledge needed to use these standards to their fullest potential.