Microsoft to Showcase RFID-Enabled Applications at EPC Connection 2007

Asset Management, Automated Goods Receipt: Xterprise
Xterprise is using RFID technology to enable process automation for materials handling, from supplier to manufacturer, across multiple markets. At EPC Connection, the company will demonstrate XAM, its returnable transport item (RTI) management application, and TraX-AGR, its automated goods receipt application. Using BizTalk 2006 R2 and other Microsoft products, Xterprise has enabled real-time reusables management, as well as improving process integration between manufacturers and suppliers. Working within the context of an enterprise-level SAP ERP, TraX AGR enables automated receipt and suggested put-away of goods into SAP IM. TraX AGR is designed to provide real-time availability of goods to the production line as they are received, eliminating receipt delays and reducing cycle times and required inventory levels.

Track and Trace: Cactus Commerce
The Track and Trace solution from Cactus Commerce leverages data-capturing technologies commonly available today for product identification. Enabled by Avery Dennison, Track and Trace produces smart labels by encoding RFID data and printing bar-code and human-readable labels out of the box. Organizations in such industries as government, retailing, consumer packaged goods, manufacturing and health and life science can use Track and Trace to configure both out-of-the-box and more complex custom business workflows and processes. Track and Trace is built on BizTalk Server 2006 R2, providing a hardware-agnostic layer that integrates into disparate systems.

Supply Chain Execution: 3M and HighJump Software
HighJump Software, a 3M company, is leveraging BizTalk RFID to optimize supply chain effectiveness for its customers, as well as enable RFID to be used throughout business applications to provide business process efficiencies. HighJump has partnered with Microsoft to leverage the RFID framework for RF and RFID applications, linking the capability at a platform level to allow for adoption throughout its suite of supply chain execution solutions.

RFID-Enabled Retail Store Accelerator on BizTalk RFID
Wipro's Retail Store Accelerator is envisaged to operate similarly to an accelerator/framework, providing a platform enabling various apparel store-level use cases. The extent of automation the technology provides allows store and warehouse personnel to focus on improving operations and business facilities, in addition to tracking various item movements within the store. The solution is built on BizTalk Server 2006 R2, which provides an RFID/integration infrastructure, and SQL Server 2005, providing business intelligence (BI) capabilities, and uses Intermec hardware.

Solutions for Common RFID Challenges
Victor Vega, who has educated more than 2,000 RFID professionals at the RFID Academy run by Alien Technology, will highlight numerous solutions to common RFID implementation challenges for demanding applications.

Real-World RFID Solutions for Small and Midsize Businesses
Unisys will demonstrate real-world RFID solutions for small and midsize businesses through the integration of BizTalk RFID with Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft's SMB enterprise resource-planning solution. Specifically, Unisys will showcase supply chain scenarios, such as shipping and receiving, in which RFID events are being integrated with Microsoft Dynamics through BizTalk RFID.