Distribution integration
US Foods EDI for suppliers
A guide for suppliers to US Foods: verified company facts, what US Foods publishes about EDI, the documents foodservice and grocery distributors typically exchange, and what is still to confirm.
Overview
Understanding US Foods integration
Who this is for: Food and beverage manufacturers, brokers and suppliers that sell through US Foods, and their EDI, order management and finance teams.
US Foods, Inc., a subsidiary of US Foods Holding Corp., is a foodservice distributor supplying restaurants and other foodservice operators. Its website is usfoods.com.
US Foods does not publish supplier EDI requirements on its public website: we found no supplier EDI specification, implementation guide or onboarding page when we checked on 7 November 2026. Suppliers usually receive a distributor's requirements during setup, from its purchasing or EDI team, and they can differ by program, division and region.
Food and grocery distributors commonly send purchase orders by EDI and expect an order acknowledgment, an advance ship notice and an invoice in return. Item data matters as much as the documents: GS1 GTINs on each item and case, SSCC labels on pallets, and lot and date information where food traceability rules apply. Many distributors also share price and item information with suppliers, and some send product movement data. The documents, flow and connection options on this page describe that general practice. They are not US Foods' published requirements; confirm each one with US Foods before you build maps or test.
Workflows
Typical US Foods business workflows
General guidance: typical flows in this industry, not US Foods' published process.
Typical order to invoice
- 1Receive 850 purchase order
- 2Send 855 acknowledgment
- 3Label pallets and cases
- 4Send 856 ship notice
- 5Send 810 invoice
Documents and APIs
US Foods documents by program
General guidance. We could not verify US Foods' EDI requirements from a published source, so these are documents commonly exchanged in this industry, not US Foods' confirmed requirements. Confirm the list, versions and programs with US Foods.
Scroll sideways to see every column. With a keyboard, select the table and use the left and right arrow keys.
| Document | Name | Direction | Program | Status | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 850 | Purchase Order | From US Foods | Not stated | General guidance | Typically how the distributor orders product for its warehouses. |
| 855 | Purchase Order Acknowledgment | To US Foods | Not stated | General guidance | Typically confirms quantities, prices and dates, or reports changes. |
| 856 | Ship Notice/Manifest | To US Foods | Not stated | General guidance | Typically lists what is on each shipment, often with pallet SSCC labels and lot details. |
| 810 | Invoice | To US Foods | Not stated | General guidance | Typically bills for what shipped, against the purchase order. |
| 832 | Price/Sales Catalog | To US Foods | Not stated | General guidance | Often used to share item and price information. |
| 997 | Functional Acknowledgment | Both directions | Not stated | General guidance | Typically confirms that each file was received and readable. |
Connectivity
How companies connect
AS2 or SFTP
Many distributors exchange EDI files directly over AS2 or SFTP. Confirm which methods US Foods accepts.
General guidance
EDI network (VAN)
Many suppliers connect through a value-added network that delivers files to and from the distributor.
General guidance
Supplier web portal
Some distributors offer a supplier portal for orders, invoices or onboarding; a login is usually required.
General guidance
Challenges
Common integration challenges
Item and case data
GTINs, case packs and catch weights must match what the distributor has on file, or receiving and invoices fail to match.
Lot and date tracking
Products covered by food traceability rules often need lot and date details on labels and in ship notices.
Invoice matching
Invoices that do not match the purchase order or the receipt are a common cause of payment delays and deductions.
Requirements not public
US Foods does not publish its supplier EDI requirements, so the document set and rules must be confirmed with US Foods before work starts.
Automation options for US Foods suppliers
Four ways to automate. One foundation.
ECOM helps you automate them, meet US Foods' labeling and ship notice requirements, and see what needs action. US Foods sets its program's rules; ECOM confirms which options fit yours.
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Fully Automated EDI/API
Automate trading partner transactions and ERP integration through our iPaaS, SaaS, and EDI Team as a Service offerings.
Learn more about Fully Automated EDI/API -
WebEDI
Receive orders and manage trading partner transactions through a browser-based portal, without requiring direct ERP integration.
Learn more about WebEDI -
SmartConvert
Convert documents received through email or in PDF, Excel, Word, JPG, PNG, and other supported formats into structured data for automated processing, reducing manual data entry.
Learn more about SmartConvert -
WebConnect
Automate repetitive order processing and transaction tasks in third-party portals such as SAP Ariba, Coupa, and other customer or supplier portals, reducing the work customer service representatives must log in and complete manually.
PRISM Supply Chain Automation Foundation
One platform beneath every option. Use one, or combine them for different partners and documents.
Compliance and actionable visibility
Connect order processing, shipping documentation, trading partner requirements, and performance monitoring through one coordinated workflow. These capabilities help teams improve shipment accuracy, reduce manual work, address compliance risks, and respond to exceptions before they affect customers.
Connect US Foods documents to your ERP
ECOM connects the documents US Foods asks for with your ERP and warehouse systems, so orders post without re-keying and ship notices and invoices come from the data you already hold.
Food and Beverage
See how ECOM supports EDI for food and beverage suppliers.
ServiceFully Managed EDI
Have ECOM run your EDI connections, monitoring and partner changes.
General EDI flow
How EDI with US Foods typically works
This page does not include US Foods' EDI specification, so here is the general flow most buyers and suppliers follow. It describes common industry practice, not US Foods' requirements: the documents, their order and the timing vary by partner and program.
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850 Purchase order
From US Foods
The buyer sends the order: items, quantities, prices, ship-to and requested dates.
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855 Order acknowledgment
From you to US Foods
You confirm, change or reject the order, where the partner asks for it.
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856 Advance ship notice
From you to US Foods
You tell the buyer what is on the shipment, with the carton and label details the buyer needs to receive it.
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810 Invoice
From you to US Foods
You bill for what shipped, in the format the buyer's payables system expects.
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997 Functional acknowledgment
Both directions
Each side confirms that every file it received was readable. A rejected file is corrected and resent.
From first contact to live orders
- Get the specification
Ask US Foods for its EDI or API specification, usually through its supplier portal or onboarding contact.
- Choose the connection
Agree how files move: AS2, SFTP, a VAN or an API, and how each side identifies itself.
- Map to your systems
Map each document between the partner's format and your ERP, warehouse or order system.
- Test and certify
Exchange test documents until the partner accepts them. Many partners require this before the first live order.
- Go live and monitor
Start with live orders and watch every document, so a rejection is fixed before it becomes a late shipment or a deduction.
Need the specification?
Some trading partners keep their EDI and API specifications private and share them only with authorized suppliers, for security reasons. You are welcome to contact ECOM. We will see whether we can share the specification with you; each request is reviewed case by case, and sharing depends on the partner's rules. Do not send passwords or EDI identifiers with your request.
Next step
Get help with your US Foods program
Each request goes to an ECOM EDI specialist with US Foods' name attached, so the reply starts from your program.
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Review US Foods' requirements
Send us US Foods' guide or your program details; we explain the documents, rules and options for meeting them.
Request a requirements review -
Connect US Foods to your ERP
Orders in, ship notices and invoices out, from the ERP and warehouse systems you already run.
Discuss ERP integration -
Testing and certification
Build, test and certify each US Foods document, then go live with monitoring from the first file.
Plan testing and certification -
Shipping labels and ASNs
Labels and ship notices that match US Foods' rules, to help avoid receiving problems and compliance deductions.
Review shipping compliance
US Foods integration FAQs
Does US Foods publish supplier EDI requirements?
We found no supplier EDI specification or onboarding page on US Foods' public website when we checked on 7 November 2026. Suppliers usually receive the requirements from US Foods during setup.
Which EDI documents do suppliers to US Foods usually exchange?
Suppliers to foodservice and grocery distributors typically exchange the 850, 855, 856, 810, 832, 997 documents listed on this page. That is general practice, not US Foods' published list; confirm the set with US Foods.
What is not yet known about EDI with US Foods?
Which EDI documents US Foods requires, the X12 version, the connection method, the testing steps and any labeling or compliance rules were not found in public sources.
Can ECOM help suppliers set up EDI with US Foods?
Yes. Once US Foods provides its requirements, ECOM can map, test and run the documents with your ERP. This page is an integration guide and does not indicate a partnership with US Foods.
Sources and accuracy
This guide summarizes publicly available information as of November 2026. US Foods sets its own requirements and can change them at any time; your US Foods implementation guide, supplier portal or account contact is the authoritative source for your program.
- US Foods, company website Official US Foods source
US Foods is a trademark of its owner. Its mention does not imply endorsement of, or a partnership with, ECOM Specialist.
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Request US Foods integration assistance
Tell us about your US Foods program, documents and ERP. We will outline the connection, mapping and testing plan.