receiving status information at a handheld computing device, said status information includes Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) data and status data about one or more objects;

synchronizing said handheld computing device with a controller, including synchronizing said status information;

removing redundant data from said RFID data and said status data at said controller;

sending said RFID data and said status data from said controller to a separate data processing system;

receiving status information at said separate data processing center;

storing said status information in a first format in a temporary data store, said storing is performed by said separate data processing system;

adding attribute information for said one or more objects to said status information in said temporary data store, said adding attribute information comprises:

accessing said RFID data in said temporary data store,

using said accessed RFID data to determine if said attribute information is in a cache,

acquiring said attribute information from said cache if said attribute information is in said cache,

acquiring said attribute information from an external look-up service if said attribute information is not in said cache, and

storing said attribute information in said first format in said temporary data store in association with said status information;

transforming said status data and attribute information to a second format based on metadata; and

publishing said transformed status data and attribute information.