Transportation EDI, Frustrated by the Complexity of it? We Can Help.

Note: this is a technical article about transportation EDI

Without EDI, efficient communication between companies wouldn’t exist. It’s essential to keeping the engine running, allowing suppliers, carriers and retailers to communicate and trade data. Despite some of the challenges with EDI technology, it is an entrenched part of the supply chain industry. It’s easy to feel lost with the countless number of EDI transaction codes and documents transmitted. A solid transportation EDI solution can help simplify complex transactions between you and your trading partners. Why are these transactions so complicated in the first place? Let’s take a look.

Suppose a retailer sends an 850 (Purchase Order) to a supplier. The supplier then provides an 840 (Request for Quotation) to the shipping carrier. The carrier responds by sending an 843 (Response to Request for Quotation), which includes a price quote to the supplier. The supplier responds with an 855 to the retailer, to acknowledge the Purchase Order and confirm the shipping details. Next, the supplier issues a 204 (Load Tender) to the carrier providing detailed pick-up and delivery information for the load. Once received, the carrier sends a 990A (Response to a Load Tender) to the supplier. It indicates whether it will “accept” or “decline” the shipment pickup and confirm the delivery date with the supplier.

From there, the shipping carrier sends out a truck to pick up the shipment from the supplier. When the truck arrives at the supplier’s origin, the carrier transmits an X3 type 214 (Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message). This signals it has arrived at the pickup location. The carrier then picks up its shipment from the supplier. As it leaves the supplier’s dock it sends an AF type 214 (Departed Pickup Location) to the supplier. The supplier then triggers an outbound 856 (Advanced Shipping Notice) to the customer. It notifies them that the shipment is on its way and they can both start tracking its progress in their TMS systems. As the carrier continues to progress towards its destination, it sends transactions along the way via an X6 type 214 (En Route to Location).

Once the carrier arrives at the delivery location, it sends an X1 type 214 signaling it’s arrived at the destination. This is followed by a D1 type 214 (Completed Unloading at Delivery Location) when the delivery is complete. The carrier’s system then generates a 210 (Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice) and sends it to the supplier. The supplier pays the invoice and can then invoice the customer by sending them an 810 (Invoice).

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to transportation EDI transactions. Having one common Transportation EDI endpoint minimizes the number of moving parts you’ll have to deal with. Orderful is a hub that makes it easy for you to trade EDI data within your supply chain network.

Connect once to Orderful’s API platform and onboard your distributors, retailers and carriers with the click of a button. We make vendor enablement easy.

Orderful has the ability to add all your trading partners’ guideline requirements for each of their transaction types into the platform. It allows for real-time testing and ensures transaction documents meet your trading partners’ specifications.

On top of that, Orderful allows a singular way for data to be transmitted in and out of the platform. You’re able to get better data visibility into all your inbound and outbound transaction documents in a single print-friendly view.

By integrating with the Orderful platform you can get rid of having to build point-to-point integrations with all your trading partners. It also eliminates the need for expensive EDI consultants, improving operational efficiencies so you can focus on growing your business.

Orderful offers a central point of integration for your ERP and TMS platforms. It allows retailers, suppliers, shipping carriers and visibility providers to connect their EDI data in one place.

To learn more, schedule a time to connect with one of our EDI experts here.