---
title: "Vocabulary Management"
description: "Collection of standardized constants and strings for EPCIS event data."
canonical_url: "https://openepcis.io/docs/vocabulary-management"
last_updated: "2026-06-28T23:24:19.631Z"
---

## Quick links

Please find below the links to the codes referenced on this documentation page:

• EPCIS vocabulary/constants application code : [https://github.com/openepcis/openepcis-epcis-constants](https://github.com/openepcis/openepcis-epcis-constants)

## Introduction

In the development of applications compliant with the EPCIS standard, developers frequently encounter a set of recurring constants and string values. These values, representing
standard EPCIS terms, event information, GS1-related keywords, etc. are crucial for ensuring data consistency and interoperability.

Managing these constants across multiple OpenEPCIS projects has been a challenge. Duplication of definitions leads to maintenance overhead, increased risk of
inconsistencies, and hinders code readability. This project, OpenEPCIS Event Constants, addresses these issues by providing a centralized repository for these essential values.

The EPCIS standard defines a set of vocabulary. This data often includes standardized terms and identifiers, such as:

- **bizStep:** Represents a business step in the supply chain.
- **disposition:** Describes the state of a physical entity.
- **sgtin**: Describes a type of identifier in EPCIS.
- **ObjectEvent**: Describes a type of event in EPCIS.

These values are fundamental to various EPCIS based projects during the validation or processing.

## Usage

The constant information is encapsulated within the `EPCIS` class, providing direct access to standardized values.

**Example 1: Retrieving the bizStep keyword:**

```java
final String businessStep=EPCIS.BIZ_STEP;
System.out.println("Business Step: "+businessStep); // output: bizStep

final String errorDeclaration=EPCIS.ERROR_DECLARATION;
System.out.println("Error Declaration: "+errorDeclaration); // output: errorDeclaration
```

## Contribution

The OpenEPCIS project encourages community contributions to expand and improve the vocabulary repository. Developers can contribute by:

- Adding new EPCIS vocabulary or constant terms.
- Improving existing vocabulary.
- Providing feedback and suggestions.
- Adding test cases that validate the vocabulary.

By centralizing and standardizing EPCIS vocabulary, this project helps developers to develop EPCIS applications more efficiently.