Web Services v5 Interface
With NMVS Core 1.10, deployed on 02-Jun-2022, a new web services interface was delivered, web services v5.
The existing v4 interface will be deactivated on 31-Jul-2023 and so all users will need to migrate to the v5 interface by that date. Software suppliers have already been made aware of the specification of the new interface.
Please refer to the following related article: Web Services v4 Interface Deactivation.
The v5 interface upgrade supports the following new functionality.
Unique Alert Return Codes
Currently there are a small number of cases where an Alert ID is not created for an exception that would normally be associated with an Alert. It is correct that there is no Alert ID for these cases and so with this release new exception codes have been implemented for the exceptions where no Alert ID is generated. The following table details the existing Alert codes with the related (new) exception codes for the case where there is no Alert ID.
Return Code
Return Code Description
Return Code (no alert)
Return Code Description
NMVS_FE_LOT_03
Failed to find Batch Number
Unknown Batch Number
Failed to find Batch Number (no alert).
NMVS_FE_LOT_12
Expiry Date does not match Batch Number
Expiry Date mismatch
Expiry Date does not match Batch Number (no alert).
NMVS_FE_LOT_13
The Batch Number does not match Pack Serial Number
Batch Number mismatch
The Batch Number does not match Pack Serial Number(no alert).
NMVS_NC_PC_02
Pack Serial Number not recognised
Unknown Pack Serial Number
Pack Serial Number not recognised (no alert).
NMVS_NC_PCK_06
Undo attempt doesn’t match the Pack status
Undo Status mismatch
Undo attempt doesn’t match the Pack status (no alert).
NMVS_NC_PCK_19
Status is already set on pack
Invalid Status change
Status is already set on pack (no alert).
NMVS_NC_PCK_22
Pack is already inactive
Invalid Status change
Pack is already inactive (no alert).
NMVS_NC_PCK_27
Status change could not be performed
Status change could not be performed.
Status change could not be performed (no alert).
The new exception codes above will only be returned if the user is connected to the new v5 interface.
Product Name to be Returned for Local Verification Transactions
When a UKNI user performs a verification transaction using the new v5 interface, against a pack that has been uploaded to the UKNI NMVS, there will be an additional field returned to the user containing the Product Name. The purpose of this change is to enable the pharmacist dispensing the pack to be able to confirm that the pack in hand is the same as the product that is recorded in the NMVS.
In a future release this functionality will be enhanced to provide the product name when the pack is not uploaded to the UKNI NMVS and the request it fulfilled by the NMVS of another country.
The availability of this additional Product information to the end user will depend on the implementation that has occurred in their NMVS software by their software supplier for the v5 interface.
Additional User Response Fields in the Verification
When a user performs a verification transaction against a pack that has already been dispensed (or decommissioned to another status) using the new v5 interface, the NMVS will return an additional field in the response to report whether the original dispense (or decommission) transaction was performed by the same user. If the previous dispense (or decommission) transaction was performed by the same user, then another field with be returned to identify whether the transaction is within 240 hours (10 days) and therefore an undo transaction can be successfully executed.
The purpose of this change is to inform the user whether they are able to successfully perform an undo transaction on the pack they have in their hand and thus prevent an unnecessary Alert.
The availability of this additional User information to the end user will depend on the implementation in their NMVS software by their software supplier for the v5 interface.