For many people, "Digital Product Passport" conjures up the image of a months-long IT project. Yet most manufacturers already hold the data — just scattered across spreadsheets, PLM systems and supplier tables. The good news: a DPP can also be produced through an Excel-based import, with no software development.
The four steps
1. Structure the data in a validated Excel template
A good DPP platform provides a pre-validated Excel template in which every field comes with a description (meaning, unit, format, example, standard reference). One row = one product; several products can be uploaded at once (a batch). The compliance engineer works in familiar Excel — there is no new interface to learn.
2. Upload and automatic validation
The system checks the uploaded spreadsheet row by row against the relevant schema (e.g. DIN DKE SPEC 99100):
- GTIN check-digit validation,
- ISO country code and unit (kgCO₂e/kWh, V, Ah) validation,
- mandatory fields and enumerations (e.g. cell chemistry: NMC, LFP).
Errors are surfaced at field and row level with clear messages, and faulty products are separated from clean ones. The clean rows can be issued straight away, while the faulty ones are corrected in the wizard, without re-uploading.
3. Issuance and eIDAS-compliant signing
With the "Issue DPP" action, the system canonicalises the data and signs it digitally. In the EU, authenticity is ensured with an eIDAS-compliant electronic signature or seal; the technical implementation is often W3C Verifiable Credentials with an embedded signature. The result: a machine-trustworthy, verifiable product passport.
4. QR code and publishing
The platform generates a GS1 Digital Link URI and a QR code (in the form /01/{GTIN}/21/{serial}), together with a printable label. Anyone scanning the QR reaches the public DPP — at a depth tailored to their persona.
What to watch out for
- Unique identifier: if you edit from Excel and back, keep a stable identifier (so reimporting does not create duplicates).
- Documents: the declaration of conformity, data sheet and certificate can be attached by URL, uploaded file or held locally.
- Multiple languages: consumer-facing content in the language of the market too.
- Version control: on remanufacturing, re-issue with a reference to the previous passport.
Who is this approach ideal for?
- SMEs without a large IT team.
- Importers who receive supplier spreadsheets.
- Pilots, before committing to ERP integration (see below).
At higher volumes it is, of course, worth building an ERP/PLM integration — but to get started, the Excel import is the fastest route to a working DPP.
Frequently asked questions
Does it really work without an IT project?
Yes — Excel import + validation + signing + QR can all be done within the platform, with no coding.
How long does the first DPP take?
With a prepared template, the first trustworthy product passport can be issued in under 30 minutes.
How do I update it later?
Excel export → edit → reimport (an upsert based on the stable identifier), or directly in the web interface.
Start where your data already lives: in Excel. ReadyPass turns your spreadsheet into a trustworthy DPP with validated templates, row-by-row validation and eIDAS-compliant signing.
Sources: DIN DKE SPEC 99100; GS1 Digital Link 1.6.0; ISO/IEC 18004 (QR); W3C VC 2.0.
