EPCIS master data

EPCIS master data defines the reference objects (products, locations, and trading partners) that EPCIS events reference by ID. It is transmitted in an epcisHeader.epcisMasterData.vocabularyList, either in a standalone document or prepended to an event payload. All declared master data identifiers must be used verbatim in EPCIS events. If an identifier in an EPCIS event does not exist in the EPCIS master data, validators will reject the document.

Vocabulary types

Type	Description
epcclass	Product and item class definitions. Contains the product or item name, GTIN, trade condition, and description. Referenced as `epcClass` in event `quantityLists`.
location	Physical or logical locations. Contains the name, address, GPS coordinates, and `partyRoleCode`. Referenced in event `bizLocation` and `readPoint` elements.
party	Trading partners and organizations. Contains the part name. Referenced in event `sourceList`, `destinationList`, `gdst:productOwner`, and `cbvmda:informationProvider` elements.

JSON payload examples

The following sections provide two EPCIS 2.0 master data JSON documents.

Annotated payload

This example provides an annotated JSON master data payload. It demonstrates how the three vocabulary types nest and how their identifiers appear in events.

{ "@context": [ // Required: JSON-LD context array "https://ref.gs1.org/standards/epcis/epcis-context.jsonld", { "gdst": "https://traceability-dialogue.org/epcis" }, // GDST extension namespace { "cbvmda": "http://www.unece.org/cefact/..." } // CBV master data namespace ], "type": "EPCISDocument", "epcisHeader": { "epcisMasterData": { "vocabularyList": [ // --- VOCABULARY TYPE 1: Products (epcclass) --- { "type": "urn:epcglobal:epcis:vtype:epcclass", // Identifies product class data "vocabularyElementList": [ { "id": "urn:gdst:...:product:class:...", // Unique product class ID (used in events as epcClass) "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "..." }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#gtin", "attribute": "..." }, // GS1 GTIN { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#speciesForFisheryStatisticsPurposesName", "attribute": "..." } ] } ] }, // --- VOCABULARY TYPE 2: Locations --- { "type": "urn:epcglobal:epcis:vtype:location", // Identifies location data "vocabularyElementList": [ { "id": "9999999000014", // GLN (GS1 Global Location Number) "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Facility Name" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#countryCode", "attribute": "US" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#latitude", "attribute": "45.51" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#longitude", "attribute": "-122.68" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#partyRoleCode", "attribute": "Customer Warehouse" } ] } ] }, // --- VOCABULARY TYPE 3: Trading Partners (party) --- { "type": "urn:epcglobal:epcis:vtype:party", // Identifies party/org data "vocabularyElementList": [ { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:party:acmeseafood.0", // Party ID (used in events) "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Acme Seafood Co." } ] } ] } ] } }
}

Ready to use

The following JSON file includes a complete master data payload covering all products, locations, and parties used in the seafood traceability examples on the Extensions page.

{ "@context": [ "https://ref.gs1.org/standards/epcis/epcis-context.jsonld", { "gdst": "https://traceability-dialogue.org/epcis" }, { "cbvmda": "http://www.unece.org/cefact/namespaces/StandardBusinessDocumentHeader" } ], "type": "EPCISDocument", "creationDate": "2026-01-21T15:16:44.000Z", "schemaVersion": "2.0", "epcisHeader": { "epcisMasterData": { "vocabularyList": [ { "type": "urn:epcglobal:epcis:vtype:epcclass", "vocabularyElementList": [ { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:product:class:acmeseafood.exshrimp532ozvb31-40rawpndtloffstpp", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "EX Shrimp 5/32oz VB 31-40 RAW PND TLOFF STPP" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#tradeItemConditionCode", "attribute": "CUT_FOR_SALE" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#speciesForFisheryStatisticsPurposesName", "attribute": "Penaeus vannamei / Penaeus monodon" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#speciesForFisheryStatisticsPurposesCode", "attribute": "PNV / GIT" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#gtin", "attribute": "09999999000017" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:product:class:blueoceanprocessors.vannameishrimprawmaterial", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "Vannamei Shrimp Raw Material" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:product:class:blueoceanprocessors.vannameihatchlings", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "Vannamei Hatchlings" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:product:class:blueoceanprocessors.r1vannameifeed", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "R1 Vannamei Feed" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:product:class:blueoceanprocessors.r2vannameifeed", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "R2 Vannamei Feed" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:product:class:blueoceanprocessors.r3vannameifeed", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "R3 Vannamei Feed" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:product:class:blueoceanprocessors.r3svannameifeed", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "R3s Vannamei Feed" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:product:class:blueoceanprocessors.r3mvannameifeed", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#descriptionShort", "attribute": "R3m Vannamei Feed" } ] } ] }, { "type": "urn:epcglobal:epcis:vtype:location", "vocabularyElementList": [ { "id": "9999999000014", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Example Cold Storage (Portland)" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#email", "attribute": "[email protected]" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#city", "attribute": "Portland" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#state", "attribute": "Oregon" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#countryCode", "attribute": "US" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#latitude", "attribute": "45.5051" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#longitude", "attribute": "-122.6750" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#partyRoleCode", "attribute": "Customer Warehouse" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:location:loc:blueoceanprocessors.blueoceanprocessors", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Blue Ocean Processors Pvt. Ltd." }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#email", "attribute": "[email protected]" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#state", "attribute": "Example State" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#countryCode", "attribute": "IN" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#latitude", "attribute": "12.9716" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#longitude", "attribute": "77.5946" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#partyRoleCode", "attribute": "Supplier Warehouse" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:location:loc:blueoceanprocessors.greendeltaaquafarm", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Green Delta Aqua Farm (Farm)" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#latitude", "attribute": "13.0827" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#longitude", "attribute": "79.1317" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#partyRoleCode", "attribute": "Farm" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:location:loc:blueoceanprocessors.sunrisehatcheries", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Sunrise Hatcheries" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#city", "attribute": "Example City" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#state", "attribute": "Example State" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#countryCode", "attribute": "IN" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#latitude", "attribute": "12.8406" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#longitude", "attribute": "79.7034" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#partyRoleCode", "attribute": "Hatchery" } ] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:location:loc:blueoceanprocessors.greendeltafarm-2", "attributes": [ { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Green Delta Farm-2" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#latitude", "attribute": "13.0550" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#longitude", "attribute": "79.9500" }, { "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#partyRoleCode", "attribute": "Farm" } ] } ] }, { "type": "urn:epcglobal:epcis:vtype:party", "vocabularyElementList": [ { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:party:acmeseafood.0", "attributes": [{ "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Acme Seafood Co." }] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:party:bigboxretail.0", "attributes": [{ "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "BigBox Retail, Inc." }] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:party:blueoceanprocessors.0", "attributes": [{ "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Blue Ocean Processors Pvt. Ltd." }] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:party:greendeltaaquafarm-1.0", "attributes": [{ "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Green Delta Aqua Farm-1" }] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:party:sunrisehatcheries.0", "attributes": [{ "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Sunrise Hatcheries" }] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:party:aquanutritionsupply.0", "attributes": [{ "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "AquaNutrition Supply Co." }] }, { "id": "urn:gdst:example.com:party:greendeltafarm-2.0", "attributes": [{ "id": "urn:epcglobal:cbv:mda#name", "attribute": "Green Delta Aqua Farm-2" }] } ] } ] } }, "epcisBody": { "eventList": [] }
}