Billions of radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips will be deployed during the next decade. Businesses may be overwhelmed with data if they do not plan how to manage it and what data is important. GM is using RFID technology in its assembly plants to track carriers, and plans to extend it to individual parts once standards are created. Although data management problems are not imminent, the systems used now will not be adequate within a few years to handle the volume of data. Proposals to add environmental data to RFID will increase the amount of data required. Drug companies are exploring using RFID to track real drug shipments, and distinguish them from counterfeits. Companies like ConnectTerra and Sun Microsystems are working on RFID standards, and SAP has released middleware to help manage RFID use. Manhattan Associates, Oracle, and Provia Software are other companies working on RFID middleware. Companies will need to establish business rules on what data to collect and keep. DHL is investigating how RFID can improve its shipping business. Scottish & Newcastle plc is saving $25 million per year using RFID to track beer kegs. A railroad uses it to track rail car utilization. One solution to data overload is to delete unneeded data regularly. One possible benefit from RFID might be identifying and relieving logistics bottlenecks. Data quality with RFID is a potential issue. Decisions will also need to be made regarding who can access the data. Companies need to start planning now for the increased data from RFID.