A method for providing, retrieving and using a data element in a value creation chain of a sheet material made of plastic for producing a final product, by means of a communication protocol and a data carrier for exchanging a plurality of different data elements across stages for producing the final product within the value creation chain, wherein the data element is used across stages in the value creation chain, namely provided from a first stage by means of the communication protocol to the data carrier and retrieved by a second stage by means of the communication protocol from the data carrier and used on a machine of the second stage, wherein the sheet material made of plastic is a spun-bonded non-woven fabric or a melt-blown non-woven fabric or a composite non-woven fabric or a blown film or a flat film or a plastic board or a plastic panel, and wherein at least the first stage for exchanging data elements with an electronic data detection device is linked by means of a data transmission connection to a data carrier, preferably a location-independent memory for storing the data, wherein the data element is forwarded from at least the first stage of the value creation chain by means of the electronic data detection device to the data carrier, and wherein the use of the data element is carried out on the part of the second stage for further processing that product, on the basis of the production or manufacture of which, at the first stage, the data element was generated and provided to the data memory, wherein the data element is linked and provided via the data detection device to the product and at least one production machine and/or further processing machine and/or transport vehicle and/or used as at least a second stage, characterised in that a digital roll protocol is used, which has the one or more data elements and is clearly linked to a roll which is adapted for transporting the sheet material as well as rolling up and unrolling sheet material, and wherein the digital roll protocol contains all the relevant information from the value creation chain of the sheet material, which is linked to the sheet material associated with the roll. wherein the data element is used across stages in the value creation chain, namely provided from a first stage by means of the communication protocol to the data carrier and retrieved by a second stage by means of the communication protocol from the data carrier and used on a machine of the second stage, wherein the sheet material made of plastic is a spun-bonded non-woven fabric or a melt-blown non-woven fabric or a composite non-woven fabric or a blown film or a flat film or a plastic board or a plastic panel, and wherein at least the first stage for exchanging data elements with an electronic data detection device is linked by means of a data transmission connection to a data carrier, preferably a location-independent memory for storing the data, wherein the data element is forwarded from at least the first stage of the value creation chain by means of the electronic data detection device to the data carrier, and wherein the use of the data element is carried out on the part of the second stage for further processing that product, on the basis of the production or manufacture of which, at the first stage, the data element was generated and provided to the data memory, wherein the data element is linked and provided via the data detection device to the product and at least one production machine and/or further processing machine and/or transport vehicle and/or used as at least a second stage, characterised in that a digital roll protocol is used, which has the one or more data elements and is clearly linked to a roll which is adapted for transporting the sheet material as well as rolling up and unrolling sheet material, and wherein the digital roll protocol contains all the relevant information from the value creation chain of the sheet material, which is linked to the sheet material associated with the roll.