Restaurants and foodservice
Restaurant and Foodservice EDI and API Integration
Foodservice orders, deliveries and pricing agreements kept in step from manufacturer to restaurant
Restaurants rarely buy directly from manufacturers. Broadline and specialty distributors buy, store and deliver, while manufacturers and chains agree prices that the distributor must apply and then claim back. ECOM connects catalogs, orders, ship notices, invoices, sales data and pricing claims between manufacturers, distributors and operators and their systems.
At a glance
Key documents
- 832 Price and Sales Catalogs
- 850 Purchase Orders
- 856 Ship Notices (ASN)
- 810 Invoices
- 852 Sales and Stock Reports
- 867 Usage and Resale Reports
- 844 Chargeback and Claim Requests
- 849 Claim Responses
Systems we integrate
- ERP
- Pricing and agreements
- Warehouse and routing
- Product information
PRISM products
- PRISM-EDI
- PRISM-SmartConvert
- PRISM Reconcile360
- PRISM-SCV
- Who we help
- Foodservice manufacturers, broadline and specialty distributors, multi-location restaurant operators, and contract and institutional foodservice companies.
- What we connect
- Catalogs, orders, ship notices, invoices, sales data and price-agreement claims between your ERP and each distributor, operator or manufacturer.
- Problems we solve
- Prices agreed between manufacturer and chain that the distributor must apply and claim back, many delivery locations, and invoices that do not reconcile.
- Even without EDI
- Many operators order through distributor portals, punch-out catalogs, spreadsheets, PDFs and APIs. ECOM works with those routes as well as EDI.
What is foodservice EDI?
Foodservice EDI is the exchange of item, order, shipment, invoice and sales data between food and supply manufacturers, broadline and specialty distributors and restaurant and institutional operators. It uses ANSI X12 documents such as the 832 catalog, 850 order, 856 ship notice and 810 invoice, along with 852 and 867 sales data and 844 and 849 claims for agreed pricing. GS1 identifiers on cases, and product data shared through GDSN, support the same exchange.
Who you connect with
Who a foodservice business exchanges data with
Restaurants rarely buy from manufacturers. Distributors buy, store and deliver, and prices agreed upstream are applied downstream.
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Manufacturers
Catalogs, price agreements, claims
EDI and files -
Broadline and specialty distributors
Orders, invoices, sales data
EDI, portals, APIs -
Restaurant chains and operators
Orders by location, invoices
Ordering portals, EDI, punch-out -
Contract and institutional operators
Menus, orders, contract pricing
Procurement systems and EDI -
Carriers and delivery partners
Delivery status
EDI and APIs
Workflows
Distributors, multi-location operators and institutional buyers need different things
Foodservice differs from grocery and food and beverage manufacturing: it centers on distributors, delivery locations and agreed pricing. See Food and Beverage for grocery and retail supply.
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Manufacturer to distributor
Manufacturers selling through broadline and specialty distributors.
- How it runs
- Catalogs and price updates go to the distributor, which orders and receives. Resale and claim reports flow back for price adjustments.
- Documents
- Systems
- ERP, distributor systems.
- Typical problem
- Deviated pricing claims depend on matching sales to agreements and are settled slowly.
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Multi-location restaurant operators
Chains ordering for many restaurants from approved distributors.
- How it runs
- Locations order from an approved list through the distributor's channel. Invoices are reconciled to each location's receipts before payment.
- Documents
- Systems
- Restaurant purchasing and accounting, distributor ordering.
- Typical problem
- Location identifiers differ between the chain and the distributor, so invoices cannot be matched by location.
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Invoice reconciliation
Operators and finance teams matching invoices to orders and deliveries.
- How it runs
- Distributor invoices arrive as EDI, files or PDFs and are matched to orders and receipts, with differences routed for review.
- Documents
- Systems
- Accounts payable, purchasing.
- Typical problem
- Price, quantity and substitution differences are found only at payment time.
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Institutional and contract foodservice
Contract caterers, schools, healthcare and corporate dining programs.
- How it runs
- Menus and product specifications drive orders to distributors. Contract pricing, rebates and delivery windows are tracked per site.
- Systems
- Menu and procurement systems, distributor portals.
- Typical problem
- Contract and rebate terms differ by site and must be reconciled.
How to read this page: a standard or system named here shows where a requirement is published or what ECOM can connect. It does not mean ECOM has a verified partnership with any named company, and your own contracts and partners define the final requirements.
Who it's for
Different roles, different workflows
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Foodservice manufacturers
You sell to distributors, report and settle pricing agreed with operators, and need distributor sales data to see where your products end up.
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Broadline and specialty distributors
You buy from hundreds of manufacturers, deliver to operators on fixed routes, and claim the difference on products sold at prices agreed between manufacturers and operators.
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Restaurant chains and operators
You order from distributors for each location, receive deliveries against invoices and track purchases against the programs you agreed with manufacturers.
How the workflow runs
From pricing agreement to restaurant delivery and settled claim
The price a restaurant pays is often agreed with the manufacturer, while the product flows through a distributor. Documents connect the three.
- Manufacturer→Distributor 832 Item catalog Items, packs and list prices.
- Distributor→Manufacturer 850 Stock purchase order Replenishing the distributor's warehouse.
- Manufacturer→Distributor 856 Ship notice Cases, lots and dates.
- Restaurant operator→Distributor 850 Restaurant order Per location, for the next route delivery.
- Distributor→Restaurant operator 810 Delivery invoice At the agreed price.
- Distributor→Manufacturer 844 Pricing claim For sales at the manufacturer-agreed price.
- Manufacturer→Distributor 849 Claim response Approved or adjusted lines.
- 01
Share item data
Manufacturers publish items, packs and prices, and distributors set them up before ordering.
- 02
Replenish the distributor
Distributors order stock and receive ship notices with case-level lot and date data.
- 03
Deliver to operators
Operators order per location for route deliveries and receive invoices with the delivery.
- 04
Settle agreed pricing
Distributors claim the difference on sales at prices agreed between manufacturers and operators, and manufacturers validate the claims.
- 05
Report sales
Sales and tracing data show manufacturers and operators which products went to which locations.
Beyond EDI
Every way foodservice orders and invoices arrive, matched by location
Operators order through portals and apps while distributors and manufacturers exchange EDI. ECOM maps each to the same location, item and price record.
How it arrives
- EDI850 orders, 810 invoices, 844 and 849 claims
- PortalDistributor ordering portals
- APIOrdering and catalog APIs
- SpreadsheetOrder guides and price lists
- Flat fileSales and usage files
- PDF or emailInvoices and order confirmations
ECOM
- Validate every file or message
- Map to each partner's rules
- Deliver, acknowledge and monitor
Where it goes
- ERP order to cash
- Distributor ERP
- Program reporting
- Claims ledger
Challenges
Integration challenges in restaurants and foodservice
Prices agreed by someone else
Distributors apply prices agreed between manufacturers and operators, and every mismatch becomes a claim dispute.
Catch weights and case data
Meat, seafood and produce are invoiced by actual weight, and cases carry lot and date data.
Many locations
Chains order for hundreds of locations, each with its own delivery days and ship-to identifiers.
Sales data in many formats
Manufacturers receive sales reports from many distributors, each with its own layout and timing.
How we help
How ECOM supports restaurants and foodservice companies
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Catalog and item data
832 catalogs and item data, aligned with GS1 identifiers, loaded into distributor and operator systems.
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Orders and invoices
Orders, acknowledgments, ship notices and invoices with distributors and operators, connected to your ERP.
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Pricing claims
844 claims and 849 responses validated against agreements and connected to finance.
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Sales reporting
852 and 867 sales data loaded for program tracking and planning.
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Document conversion
Invoices, sales reports and orders that arrive as PDFs or spreadsheets converted into structured data.
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Monitoring
Missing orders, unmatched claims and failed documents visible as exceptions.
PRISM products
Which PRISM products apply
Each partner connects in the way it can support. These products cover the connections and visibility this industry needs most.
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PRISM-EDI
Exchange of catalogs, orders, ship notices, invoices, sales data and claims with distributors and operators.
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PRISM-SmartConvert
Invoices, sales reports and orders that arrive as PDFs, emails or spreadsheets converted into structured data.
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PRISM Reconcile360
Automated cash application and reconciliation of payments and deductions against open invoices.
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PRISM-SCV
Monitoring of transactions and exceptions across distributors and operators.
Systems integration
What foodservice EDI connects to
Foodservice exchanges touch pricing and sales systems as much as order processing.
From
- Item catalogs
- Distributor orders
- Operator orders
- Sales data
ECOM · Foodservice exchange
- Check items and packs
- Apply agreed pricing
- Match claims
To
- ERP order to cash
- Distributor ERP
- Program reporting
- Claims ledger
| System | What flows | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| ERP | Orders, invoices, credits and payments. | Catch-weight items need actual weights on invoices. |
| Pricing and agreements | Agreed prices, eligibility and claims. | Agreement start and end dates decide claim validity. |
| Warehouse and routing | Picked cases, lots, dates and delivery routes. | Location identifiers must match each operator's ship-to list. |
| Product information | Item, pack, nutrition and allergen data. | Product data sharing through GDSN is agreed with each partner. |
Trading partners
Guides for foodservice distributors and operators
Integration guides for broadline and specialty distributors and foodservice operators.
All distributor guides-
Sysco
Broadline foodservice distributor; the guide covers the documents commonly exchanged and what to plan for.
Sysco in detail -
US Foods
Broadline foodservice distributor; the guide covers documents and connection options.
US Foods in detail -
Performance Foodservice
Foodservice distributor; the guide covers its supplier EDI documents.
Performance Foodservice in detail -
Gordon Food Service
Foodservice distributor; the guide covers its supplier invoicing rules.
Gordon Food Service in detail -
Martin Brower
Restaurant supply chain distributor; the guide covers documents and planning points.
Martin Brower in detail -
Starbucks
Restaurant operator; the guide covers the documents its suppliers exchange.
Starbucks in detail
Implementation
What to plan for in a foodservice EDI project
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Align item and pack data
Agree item numbers, pack sizes and units with each distributor before the first order.
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Document agreement rules
Agree how claims are validated against prices, eligible operators and dates before automating.
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Plan catch-weight invoicing
Make sure actual weights flow from the warehouse to the invoice.
Documents and standards
Common transactions
Common X12 documents in foodservice. Each distributor and operator publishes its own guide and program rules.
| Code | Document | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 832 | Price and Sales CatalogsX12 name: Price/Sales Catalog | Shares items and prices. |
| 850 | Purchase Orders | Orders product. |
| 856 | Ship Notices (ASN)X12 name: Ship Notice/Manifest | Describes the shipment. |
| 810 | Invoices | Bills delivered product. |
| 852 | Sales and Stock ReportsX12 name: Product Activity Data | Reports sales and inventory. |
| 867 | Usage and Resale ReportsX12 name: Product Transfer and Resale Report | Reports distributor sales. |
| 844 | Chargeback and Claim RequestsX12 name: Product Transfer Account Adjustment | Claims an agreed-price adjustment. |
| 849 | Claim ResponsesX12 name: Response to Product Transfer Account Adjustment | Answers the claim. |
Scenarios
Typical integration scenarios
Manufacturer settling distributor claims
Validate claims against agreements and sales data, and answer them electronically.
Distributor onboarding a chain
Receive location orders and send invoices in the chain's format.
Manufacturer tracking programs
Load distributor sales data to see program volume by operator.
Frequently asked questions
Which EDI documents are used in foodservice?
Common documents are the 832 catalog, 850 order, 856 ship notice and 810 invoice, plus 852 and 867 sales data and 844 and 849 claims for agreed pricing.
How do distributors claim agreed pricing from manufacturers?
Typically with an 844 claim listing sales made at the agreed price, which the manufacturer answers with an 849. The rules come from each agreement.
Does ECOM provide restaurant or distribution software?
No. ECOM integrates documents and data with the ERP, distribution and pricing systems you already run.
How is foodservice different from retail grocery EDI?
Foodservice usually runs through distributors to operators, with agreed pricing and claims, while grocery suppliers often ship to retailer warehouses under retail compliance rules.
How to get started
Tell us who you trade with and what you run
- Send the basics. Your trading partners, the documents they require, your ERP or other systems, and any deadline.
- We review the requirements. An ECOM specialist looks at the partner programs, document formats and connections involved.
- You decide how to proceed. We outline the options, including managed services or software, for you to compare.
Helpful to share, but not required
You do not need an implementation guide or a finished requirements list to contact us. If you have these, they speed things up:
- Whether you are a manufacturer, distributor, restaurant chain or institutional operator.
- The distributors or operators you connect, and any requirements you have; if not, we can help identify them.
- How locations are identified (store numbers, ship-to codes) and how orders are placed today.
- Your invoice reconciliation or claims problem and your go-live date.
See how ECOM works with customers: case studies ERP integrations compare delivery options (software, managed or team-based)
Settle claims and orders without re-keying
Share a distributor's or operator's EDI guide and the systems you run. An ECOM specialist will outline the documents and testing.