EDI 855 - Purchase Order Acknowledgment

The EDI 855 allows sellers to communicate the status of an order to a buyer. The seller can confirm, reject, or report any changes or issues with the order to the buyer.

The EDI 855 has several functions, including:
– Acknowledges receipt of a purchase order from a buyer
– Communicates seller’s intent to fulfill the order
– Reports any errors on the order, such as inaccurate pricing or part numbers
– Communicates issues with fulfilling the order, such as insufficient quantities
– For drop-ship orders, provides retailers with delivery status information to share with consumers

EDI Documents

Benefits of using the EDI 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment

Both buyers (retailers) and sellers (suppliers) benefit from implementing the EDI 855. Benefits include:

For sellers:

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Improve efficiency by eliminating the need to call, email or fax confirmation of order receipt

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Reduce errors and discrepancies from manual data entry

For buyers:

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Reduce post-invoice reconciliation issues

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Confirm eCommerce order details for end consumers

The key data elements included in an EDI Purchase Order Acknowledgment

The EDI 855 contains all the information normally associated with a Purchase Order, as well as optional, additional information.
The EDI 855 includes:

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Purchase order number

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Purchase order date

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Requested ship and/or delivery date

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Location(s) where the product or services should be supplied to 

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Product item identifiers/services such as UPC/EAN/GTIN needed with their respective quantities 

Additional data that may also be included in the Purchase Order Acknowledgment:

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Carrier and service levels

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Vendor number

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Item price

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item description

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Expected charges and/or allowances

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Additional dates (such as cancel by dates)

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Additional item identifiers such as buyer item number and vendor part number

Common issues regarding EDI 855

Document creation:

The PO Acknowledgment is often a new requirement for companies that are just starting with EDI. Like other EDI documents, issues can arise from incomplete data, incorrect data or dat that does not align with retailer’s expectations.

Timeliness:

Retailers have different requirements for suppliers sending the EDI 855 document. It’s important to respond quickly. Often the EDI 855 must be sent within 24 to 48 hours after receiving the original purchase order.

Automate 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment with Full-Service EDI from SPS Commerce

Managing ongoing EDI tasks can be complex and time-consuming. Full-service EDI providers like SPS Commerce deliver EDI technology and associated staffing resources responsible for customizing, optimizing and operating your EDI solution.

SPS communicates directly with your trading partners to manage connectivity, setup, requirements, updates and support efforts. SPS also takes ownership of understanding your trading partner requirements and making map changes.

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