SAP Object Event Repository

Purpose
You can use SAP object event repository (the repository) to capture, store, and query data about uniquely
identified objects centrally in a disparate system landscape. You can automatically capture information
about object-level events that occur across your supply chain, from both within your enterprise and from
your business partners. You can access the data in the repository and your business partner can use
XML messages to query it. By enabling disparate applications to exchange information about uniquely
identified objects, the repository provides visibility and traceability of the objects throughout their
respective lifecycles. Furthermore, you can use the repository to monitor business documents related to
the objects.

Implementation Considerations
You implement the repository together with multiple local instances of SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP
AII) as part of SAP Auto-ID Enterprise. The repository is a central instance in your enterprise and is the
hub for collecting enterprise-wide information, thereby enabling you to query, manage, and monitor your
processes centrally.

Integration
To be able to use the repository, you must install the components SAP Event Management and SAP
Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII).

Features
● Search user interface

You can use this configurable UI to search for and access data about uniquely identified objects.

● Common services

ID mapping and central number range administration allow you to manage your system landscape
across your enterprise.

● Data capture

Events are captured by an external system, for example a local instance of SAP AII in your
enterprise or middleware at a business partner, and are sent via extensible message interfaces in
SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure (XI) to the repository.

● Data query

You and your business partners can access the data stored in the repository.

○ Authentication

You can use this feature if you suspect an object to be counterfeit.

 ○ Query poll

You can use XML messages to query and receive information about the object that you
want to track, for example to determine the progression of a delivery or IDs associated with
a delivery.

Example
We deliver the preconfigured process product tracking and authentication (PTA). You can use PTA to
track delivery documents and EPCs and to authenticate EPCs.

Supported Processes
SAP object event repository supports the following business processes:

● Product tracking and authentication

We deliver this process as preconfigured Customizing.

● Event capture

After each step during outbound and inbound delivery processing in your supply chain, information
about each event is sent from the systems involved, both yours and your business partners’, to the
repository. These events provide visibility of the whole object lifecycle.

● Data query

You capture events after each step during outbound and inbound delivery processing. You or your
customer can query the repository via SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure (XI) or via a Web
service. The repository returns the event information.

Product Tracking and Authentication

Purpose
You can use product tracking and authentication (PTA) to ensure the safe production and secure
distribution of your product by creating visibility and traceability across your enterprise and your extended
supply chain network. The process enables the following:

● Track product flow at multiple hierarchy levels (such as at item, case, or pallet level) to detect
discrepancies between the expected and the actual product flow

● Trace all business events and transactions at unique object level

● Trace business events at related business document level

 ● Perform automated multi-layer authentication of products

● Establish a chain of custody of the product

For more information about PTA, see the documentation for the three process variants:

● Product tracking by delivery

● Product tracking by EPC

● Product authentication

Product Tracking by Delivery

Purpose
You can perform this process to track the progress of a delivery as it is processed across your supply
chain.

Process Flow

1. 1. Search for delivery

On the search screen you can enter an attribute of the delivery that you want to track. The
attributes by which you can search are configurable.

2. 2. Display delivery details

SAP object event repository returns a list of all deliveries that match your search criteria. You can
select the delivery to display further details associated with the delivery, for example events. You
can display the current ID hierarchy associated with a delivery as well as hierarchies from previous
events. In this way, you can track the progress of the delivery as well as the individual objects
belonging to the delivery.
 Product Tracking by EPC
Purpose
You can perform this process to track a product using its EPC. The process gives you visibility of the
progress of an EPC throughout delivery processing and information about its associated delivery and
EPCs.

Process Flow

3. 1. Search by EPC

On the search screen of SAP object event repository, you manually enter the EPC or a specific
status that you want to search for. The attributes by which you can search are configurable.

4. 2. Display EPC hierarchy

The system returns the EPC and its attributes. The attributes that are displayed here are
configurable. You can display the currently EPC hierarchy associated with the EPC as well as the
hierarchies of previous events. You can select the EPC to display the associated events. It is also
possibly to select and display the delivery.

Product Authentication
Purpose
If you suspect that a product is counterfeit or are unsure of its heritage, you can perform this process to
authenticate a specific EPC.

Process Flow
5. 1. Enter suspicious EPC

On the authentication screen of SAP object event repository, you enter the EPC of the object that
you suspect might be counterfeit and one or more attributes, for example the tag ID. The attributes
by which you can authenticate are configurable.

6. 2. System performs authentication check for EPC

The system searches for the EPC in the system.

7. 3. System returns authentication status

The system returns the result of the authentication check and assigns a status to the EPC. The
status can be one of the following values:

○ Known

The system has found the EPC in the system and the attribute(s) found for the EPC
matches the attribute(s) that you entered.

○ Suspicious

The system has found the EPC in the system, but the attribute(s) found differs from the
attribute(s) entered.

○ Unknown

The EPC was not found in the system.

 Event Capture
Purpose
You can use the event capture process to gather information about objects that you want to track across
your supply chain. Events take place in any system in your system landscape, such as a local instance of
SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII) or in a third-party event capturing customer system. You or your
customer send the events and related information to SAP object event repository (the repository) via
the EventCaptureNotification interface in SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure (XI).

Prerequisites
● You have one or more local instances of SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII), other third party
event capturing applications across your enterprise, or a business partner who sends event
capture notification messages.

● You have configured rules in your local SAP AIIs to send events to the repository or set up your
third party event capturing applications.

Depending on the scope of your process, further configuration in the repository might be
necessary.

Process Flow
8. 1. During delivery processing in your event capturing application, for example a local SAP AII, an
event occurs, such as tag commissioning.
9. 2. Depending on configuration, the rule that is processed during tag commissioning sends an
event capture notification to the repository via XI containing information about the event, such as
the ID commissioned, the location, and the business transaction such as the delivery document.
10. 3. The repository receives the event capture notification. If the ID or delivery document is new,
an event handler for ID or an event handler for delivery is created.
11. 4. In the local SAP AII, the commissioned tag is recorded as packed.
12. 5. The rule that is processed during packing sends an event capture notification to the repository
via XI containing the event information.
13. 6. The repository receives the event capture notification and updates the event handler for ID and
the event handler for delivery with the new event.
14. 7. Delivery processing continues and an event capture notification is sent at each step.

Result
The repository stores the information that the event capturing applications sent via the
EventCaptureNotification interface. You or your business partner can query this information, either as part
of the process product tracking and authenticationor by a query that is sent by an external system via XI
or via a Web service.

Data Query
Purpose
Your business partners can use this process to retrieve information about objects and business
documents involved in events stored in the SAP object event repository (the repository). This provides
visibility of events and processes in your enterprise at object or at business document level.

You can access data directly in the repository on the SAP Easy Access screen under Event
Management Web Interface  Search. For more information, see Product Tracking and
Authentication.

Prerequisites
You capture events that occur in your enterprise and supply chain. For more information, see Event
Capture.

Process Flow
15. 1. Your business partner send a query XML message via SAP NetWeaver Exchange
Infrastructure (XI) or via the Web service /SAPTRX/PTA_EVENT001QR to the respository
containing the parameters of the object or business document that you are querying.
16. 2. The repository returns an XML message to your business partner that contains the requested
information associated with the object and/or business document that was queried. The information
that is returned depends on the type of query that was sent.

Example

The following example requires additional configuration.

You are a supplier and perform delivery processing. You receive a purchase order for your customer and
subsequently create a delivery for processing.

At each step during outbound delivery processing, that is at tag commissioning, at packing, at loading,
and at shipping, you capture the event using an event capture notification message and store the
information in the repository.
Your customer wants to track the progress of his or her purchase order. At regular intervals, your
customer sends a queryto the repository with a reference to the purchase order. The repository returns a
list of events that have occurred with reference to the purchase order.

Integration
Integration with SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure

If you have multiple instances of SAP AII across your enterprise, you can integrate them with SAP object
event repository and manage them centrally using the common services.
Integration with External Systems

SAP object event repository uses SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure (XI) to communicate with
external systems. It receives events from an external business partner via
the EventCaptureNotification_In interface and receives and responds to queries via
the PollQueryResponse_In interface. You can also query the repository using a Web service for which
you do not need XI.

XI Content for SAP Object Event Repository

Event Capture Notification

Technical Data
Technical Name in Enterprise Services Repository EventCaptureNotification_In

Namespace in ESR http://sap.com/xi/PTA

Software Component Version in ESR SCEMSRV 5.1

Category Inbound

Mode Asynchronous

Use
This inbound message interface receives information about events that have occurred in an external
system, for example packing in a local SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII) or unloading in the external
ERP system of your business partner.
Features
This interface processes the message type EPCISDocument that consists of the following two sections.

● EPCISHeader

This optional section contains information about the sending and receiving parties as well as
general information about the business background of the event.

● EPCISBody

This contains an event list structured according to three different event types.

○ Object event

An event that relates to one or more physical objects that have unique IDs.

○ Aggregation event

An event that relates to the physical aggregation of objects, such as packing of cases onto
pallets.

○ Transaction event

An event that relates to the association or disassociation of an object with a business

transaction, for example the assignment of an object to a delivery document during packing.

Each event received contains the unique ID in urn format of the objects captured during the event
and additional information about the circumstances during which the event occurred. The event
types are also extensible to enable you to send and receive customer-specific information. For
more information, see Event Capture Notification Extensions.

You want to record all events that occur during RFID-enabled delivery processing. You have
configured your local SAP AII to send event capture notifications to the repository after each
step. For more information about configuring rules in SAP AII to send event capture
notifications, see SAP Service Marketplace at service.sap.com/rfid  Detailed
Information.

The following information is sent as standard after a tag commissioning event for a case:

 ■ EPC urn:epc:id:sgtin:0092942.062002.52
 ■ action ADD
 ■ bizStep urn:epcglobal:hls:bizstep:commission
 ■ disposition urn:epcglobal:hls:disp:active
 ■ readPoint urn:epcglobal:fmcg:loc:0000000000007.AA3-DG-PRINT
 ■ bizLocation urn:epcglobal:fmcg:loc:0000000000007.PRINT

Notes for Back-End System Administrator

Prerequisites

● You have defined vocabularies for ID mapping, that is business steps, business transaction types,
and disposition codes. For more information, see the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Auto-ID
Infrastructure under Settings for SAPObject Event Repository (SAP OER)  Master
Data  Vocabularies – ID Mapping.

● The repository can only receive IDs in URN format.

Event Capture Notification Extensions

Use
You use the following extensions per event if you want to send additional information about events,
objects, and delivery documents in event capture notification messages.

● SAPEventExtension

You can use this data type to add information at event level. There are no parameters in the
standard system.

● SAPEPCExtension

You can use this data type to add information at EPC level if you want to provide this for a specific
ID. In the standard system, this extension has the following parameters:

○ Batch ID

○ Expiration date

○ GTIN

○ Product

○ Tag ID (TID)

● SAPBizTransactionExtension

You can use this data type to add information at business document level, for example to provide
more information about the delivery. In the standard system, this extension has the following
parameters:

○ Batch ID*

○ Business system

○ Outbound delivery number

○ Product*

○ Reference purchase order*

 ○ Requested goods receipt date

○ Ship-to party

○ Sold-to party

* These parameters can have multiple values.

Poll Query Response

Technical Data
Technical Name in Enterprise Services Repository PollQueryResponse_In

Namespace in ESR http://sap.com/xi/PTA

Software Component Version in ESR SCEMSRV 5.1

Category Inbound

Mode Synchronous

Related Web Service Definition /SAPTRX/PTA_EVENT001QR

Use
This inbound message interface receives queries from external systems and returns a list of associated
events. The queries contain one or more name value pairs that define the object(s) and attribute(s) being
queried. The response contains a list of all events and related information in which the queried object was
involved.

Features
This inbound message interface processes the following message types:

● PollRequest

This interface receives an XML message from an external system. The message contains name
value pairs that query the data in the SAP object event repository (the respository) according to
EPC Information Services (EPCIS).You or your business partner can send such a message if you
want information about a specific object.

● PollResponse

This information returns an event list from the repository in response to a query. For more
information about event lists, see Event Capture Notification.
 ProductTrackingandAuthentication
Purpose
You can use this integration scenario to send information about events that occur in a local SAP Auto-ID
Infrastructure (SAP AII) to SAP object event repository (the repository).

Prerequisites
You can find the integration scenario ProductTrackingandAuthentication in the Integration Repository in
the software component SCEMSRV 5.1 in the namespace http://sap.com/xi/PTA.

Process Flow
17. 1. An event occurs in an external system, such as tag commissioning in a local SAP AII.
18. 2. The event capturing system sends information about the event, such as the tag ID and the
location at which the event took place, to the repository via XI using the message interface
EventCaptureNotification_Out.
19. 3. The repository receives the information using the message interface
EventCaptureNotification_In.

Result
The repository receives and stores information about events that occur across your enterprise and your
supply chain. You or your business partners can query this information. For more information, see Poll
Query Response.

Common Services
SAP Object Event Repository uses the following processes to manage the capture and exchange of
information about objects across your distributed systems:

● Central number range administration

● ID mapping

Central Number Range Administration

Purpose
You can use this process to control the creation and distribution of number ranges in a system landscape
with SAP object event repository (the repository) and multiple local instances of SAP Auto-ID
Infrastructure (SAP AII). This helps you to ensure the uniqueness of serial numbers across your
enterprise and makes tracking of individual IDs easier and more reliable.
Prerequisites
● You have defined the instance types of the systems in your system landscape.

○ In your local SAP AII in Customizing, you have defined SAP AII as the local instance. For
more information, see the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Auto-ID
Infrastructure under Basic Settings ® Define Client-Specific Control Parameters. You must
do this for each local SAP AII for which you want to request number ranges from the
repository.

○ In the repository in Customizing, you have defined the respository as the central instance.
For more information, see the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Auto-ID
Infrastructure under Settings for SAP Object Event Repository ® Define Client-Specific
Control Parameters.

● You have set up communication settings between the repository, SAP NetWeaver Exchange
Infrastructure (XI), and local instances of SAP AII. For more information, see SAP Service
Marketplace at service.sap.com/rfid®Detailed Information.

Process Flow
20. 1. You upload all existing number ranges from your local SAP AIIs to the repository.
21. 2. You create overall number ranges for number range objects in the repository.
22. 3. In a local SAP AII, you request initial number ranges from the repository, if number ranges
for number range objects do not already exist.
23. 4. RFID devices request and consume number ranges from local SAP AIIs.

For more information about the distribution of number ranges from SAP AII to RFID devices,
see Number Range Distribution to Devices.

24. 5. The local SAP AII sends a number range request to the repository via XI when the alert
threshold of a number range in a local SAP AII is exceeded. The number range request contains
information about the number range object and the size of interval required.
25. 6. The repository returns a new number range interval to the local SAP AII via XI if an overall
number range for the requested number range object exists in the repository.

If the repository cannot fulfill the request, for example if the overall number range is completely
consumed, the request is rejected. You can then manually correct this in the repository, for
example by increasing the Number To of the overall interval, and resend the request from the local
SAP AII.

26. 7. You can also block and allocate number ranges in the repository for external systems.
 Upload of Existing Number Ranges
Use
To ensure consistency and transparency of number ranges across your distributed system landscape,
you can use this report to upload all existing number ranges from local instances of SAP Auto-ID
Infrastructure (SAP AII) to SAP object event repository (the repository). You can also use this report to
detect, and if required correct, overlapping number ranges.

Prerequisites
● You have set up an RFC destination to the repository.

● You have defined the repository as the destination system in Customizing for Auto-ID
Infrastructure by choosing Basic Settings  Define Client-Specific Control Parameters.

Features
● Number range upload

The report uploads all number ranges with the status Not uploaded that exist for the selected
number range object types to the repository via a synchronous RFC call. The number ranges are
saved in the relevant number range object table in the repository and marked as Uploaded on the
number range administration screen in both the local SAP AII and the repository.

You can no longer delete these number ranges in the local SAP AII or create number ranges for
the same number range object type. You can only change the alert threshold or the interval of
number range values, that is the size of the number range interval that you request.

If you request number ranges for GTINs from an ERP system and want to request GTIN
number ranges from the repository, you must block GTIN number range request to ERP and
upload the existing GTIN number ranges. You do not need to upload GTIN number ranges if
you want to continue requesting them from ERP. For more information, see Number Range
Request.

● Overlap check

When you call the upload report, the report performs an overlap check to detect whether the
number ranges to be uploaded overlap with any existing number ranges in the repository. If
overlaps exist, an error message is returned and the report does not upload the number ranges
until you correct the overlap manually. You can allow the upload of overlapping number ranges by
selecting the Allow Overlap indicator. All number ranges with the status Not uploadedare then
 uploaded to the repository, irrespective of overlaps. Overlapping number ranges are marked
as Uploaded and overlap in the repository and as Uploaded in the local SAP AII.

● Upload simulation

If you select the Simulate Upload indicator, the report simulates the number range upload to
identify any potential errors, such as missing master data or overlaps with number ranges in the
repository.

Activities
You perform this upload in each local instance of SAP AII on the SAP Easy Access screen under Master
Data  Number Ranges  Number Range Upload.

After you have uploaded number ranges for a number range object type, such as for
SSCCs, you can no longer create number ranges for this object type locally. You can only
request initial number ranges or change the alert threshold and interval size of number
ranges.

Initial Number Range Request

Use
In a local instance of SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII), you can request an initial number range for a
number range object from SAP object event repository (the repository). This triggers central number
range administration.

Prerequisites
You have created an overall number range for the number range object in the repository.

Features
This function is available if a number range object, such as a specific GTIN, exists in the master data of
the local SAP AII but has no number range, and when you have uploaded existing number ranges from
the local SAP AII to the repository.

If you do not request an initial number range from the repository for a specific number range
object type but instead create a number range locally, number range administration for this
number range object type behaves as standalone. You can then create and maintain
 number ranges for this number range object type in the local SAP AII without interaction with
the repository.

Activities
When you request a number range in a local SAP AII, the system sends the request via SAP NetWeaver
Exchange Infrastructure (XI) using the interface NumberRangeRequest. The repository returns a
response via XI using the interface NumberRangeConfirmation. This response can be either an initial
number range for the number range object or a rejection if, for example, the number range for the number
range object is already consumed. In the repository, the current number of the number range is increased
by the requested interval and in the local SAP AII the number range object has the status Request Sent.
The request is also logged and you can see this by selecting the number range in the repository. In the
local SAP AII, a number range is created on the local instance with the status Request Completely
Confirmed or Request Partially Confirmed if the repository was only able to deliver part of the requested
number range.

If the repository rejects the request, the number range object has the status Request Rejected in the local
SAP AII. You can manually correct this by increasing the upper threshold of the overall number range in
the repository, that is the number in the Serial Number To column and resending the request from the
local SAP AII.

You send initial number range requests and resend rejected requests for a new number range object
together with the alert threshold and the interval in the local SAP AII on the SAP Easy Access menu
under Auto-ID Infrastructure  Master Data Number Ranges  Number Range Administration.

Example
You have introduced a new product with the GTIN 00037000442205. In the repository, you create an
overall number range for this GTIN. In the local SAP AII, you send an initial request for the GTIN
00037000442205 to the repository with an alert threshold of 80 percent and an interval of 50. The
repository returns a number range for the GTIN and increases the current number of the overall number
range in the repository by 50. You perform tag commissioning and distribute this number range to the
RFID devices. When the current number of the number range in the local SAP AII is 41, that is when the
80 percent alert threshold is exceeded, the local SAP AII automatically sends a number range request for
a new number range to the repository.

Number Range Request

Use
When a number range is consumed in the local SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII), SAP AII sends a
request to SAP object event repository (the repository) for a new number range.

Prerequisites
● You have created an overall number range interval for the number range object in the repository.

● You have successfully requested an initial number range for the number range object or uploaded
existing number ranges.

● You have defined an alert threshold and an interval size for the number range object.

Features
In a distributed system landscape, you may have multiple local instances of SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure
(SAP AII) that all distribute serialized numbers for the same number range object. In central number
range administration, an overall number range exists for each number range object in the repository and
the local SAP AII can request an initial number range. When a number range is consumed in the local
SAP AII, for example during tag commissioning, and a defined alert threshold percentage is exceeded,
SAP AII sends a request to the repository for a new number range from the overall number range. The
request can either be confirmed, partially confirmed, or rejected. For more information, see Initial Number
Range Request.

You can also send GTIN number range requests to the ERP system. If you decide to request GTIN
number ranges from the repository rather than from ERP, you must block number range request to ERP
and upload existing GTIN number ranges to the repository.

Activities
You can define the alert threshold and the interval on the number range administration user interface on
the SAP Easy Access screen under Auto-ID Infrastructure  Master Data  Number Ranges.

ID Mapping
Use
SAP object event repository (the repository) uses ID mapping to map IDs that the repository receives in
event capture notifications to internal keys and vice versa.

In general, ID mapping is required as the same object can have different IDs in different systems. Since
the repository collects data about objects from different systems, it must be able to recognize different IDs
as identifying the same object. It uses ID mapping to map any type and format of a unique ID to another
ID that has a different type and format but that identifies exactly the same object. It assigns the same
internal GUID to each ID type and format that refers to the same object and uses this internal GUID to
find corresponding IDs.

The repository can only receive IDs in URNs format, such as an EPC.

Prerequisites
The repository can receive event capture notification messages from any event capturing external system
and must recognize the vocabularies or formats of the ID received in the event capture notification. You
must therefore ensure that the vocabularies or ID formats received in event capture notification messages
have been defined in Customizing for Auto-ID Infrastructure under Vocabularies – ID Mapping and Basic
Settings  ID Settings  Maintain ID Types. For more information, see the Implementation Guide (IMG)
for Auto-ID Infrastructure under Settings for SAP Object Event Repository  Master
Data  Vocabularies ID Mapping and Basic Settings  ID Settings  Maintain ID Types.