Hello, Community! We’re excited to announce the release of a new OpenFn template: Sync Fridge-tag Reports to DHIS2 Tracker for Cold Chain Equipment! This ready-to-use workflow helps automate Cold Chain Equipment (“CCE”) monitoring by connecting Fridge-tag data (temperature summaries and alarm information) collected via the Varo mobile app into your DHIS2 Tracker app.
Use Case
A large percentage of CCE monitoring data is recorded by 30DTR devices, such as Berlinger Fridge-tags, which are not directly connected to the Internet. This creates technical and operational obstacles to using that data to inform decision-making related to vaccine logistics, CCE maintenance, and other critical processes.
This workflow template accelerates country efforts to connect CCE data with country decision-making systems by automating the integration of cold chain data from Berlinger Fridge-tag devices–collected via the free Varo app–with DHIS2, a health information system widely adopted by governments and sometimes used for CCE monitoring and management (see DHIS2 CCE docs).
To learn more, check out this video recording and demo from the DHIS2 2025 Annual Conference where our team unpacks how automated integration of CCE monitoring data can improve vaccine logistics and responsiveness.
Key Features
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Extraction: Fetches Fridge-tag data from Varo reports to get the latest temperature and alarm data from your cold chain equipment
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EMS Conversion: Parses Varo reports and formats data to be more consistent with the WHO EMS standard for CCE monitoring systems
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Analysis & Mapping: Summarizes detailed Fridge-tag readings into daily performance indicators (e.g., min/max temperature, heat/freeze alarm summaries) to import to DHIS2 as Tracker Events
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Synchronization to DHIS2: Automatically imports CCE as tracked entity records and temperature events in DHIS2. If no matching entity is found, one will be created."
To better understand how data flows from Fridge-tag devices to DHIS2, see the visual below.
Who Should Use It
This workflow is ideal for countries that use Berlinger Fridge-tags as a core element of CCE monitoring and have programs, such as vaccine logistics or equipment maintenance, that would benefit from better visibility into CCE status and performance.
This same workflow pattern could be adapted to integrate with some laboratory equipment and other remote monitoring devices to improve supply chain and logistics in other domains.
Under the Hood
This is an open source workflow built on the OpenFn Digital Public Good using the following OpenFn adaptors:
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@openfn**/language-gmail**: Retrieves email reports from a Gmail inbox generated by the Varo app
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@openfn**/language-varo**: Converts attachments to EMS
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@openfn**/language-common**: Handles data mapping and business logic
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@openfn**/language-dhis2**: Generates DHIS2 IDs and imports data via the Tracker API
Getting Started
You can try this template directly from the OpenFn Cloud, no code setup required. Just follow these steps:
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Go to your OpenFn Cloud account (register here for a free cloud sandbox)
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In your Project workspace, click Create Workflow.
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In the new workflow window, search for the template by name:
Sync Fridge-tag Reports to DHIS2 Tracker Or use any of these tags to find it:
dhis2, coldchain, varo, ems, fridgetag, temperature, alarm
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Once added, enter the required credentials for the Gmail and DHIS2 steps.
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That’s it, you’re ready to run the workflow and start syncing data! (Or you can export the OpenFn project to run on a local deployment.)
Note: The DHIS2 program and data element IDs used in this template are specific to the DHIS2 LMIS instance. If you’re using a different DHIS2 instance, you’ll need to update the program ID, program stage, and data element mappings accordingly.
For guidance on how to configure DHIS2 for CCE tracking, see the official DHIS2 CCE Configuration documentation.
Happy automating!
Aleksa (on behalf of the OpenFn core team)