Retail integration

Target EDI integration and automation

A guide for vendors connecting with Target, covering the documents involved, ship notice and labeling accuracy, connectivity and ERP integration.

Request Target integration help See common documents

Overview

Understanding Target integration

Who this is for: Vendors and brands supplying Target stores and distribution centers, and the EDI and logistics teams that support them.

Target exchanges orders, shipping information and invoices with its vendors electronically, and it publishes vendor requirements through its partner portal. For a typical vendor, the core flow starts with a purchase order from Target, continues with an order acknowledgment and an advance ship notice that describes each shipment, and finishes with an invoice. Functional acknowledgments confirm receipt of every document.

Target places particular emphasis on shipment data quality. Third-party guides consistently highlight that the ship notice must match the purchase order at the item level and the physical shipment at the carton level, and that bill of lading information must be formatted correctly. Carton labels need to carry the same identifiers as the ship notice so that distribution centers can receive goods efficiently.

Because Target's detailed specifications sit behind its partner portal, vendors should always work from the current versions published there. A well-designed integration keeps Target-specific rules in maps and validation steps that can be updated quickly when Target revises its requirements.

Workflows

Typical Target business workflows

Order-to-cash with Target

1Receive 850 purchase order
2Send 855 acknowledgment
3Pick and label cartons
4Send 856 ship notice
5Send 810 invoice

Documents and APIs

Common Target transactions

Documents commonly exchanged with Target, based on the public sources listed below. Exact requirements depend on your program, so always confirm against Target's current implementation guide.

Document	Name	Direction	Purpose
850	Purchase Order	From Target	Target orders merchandise.
855	Purchase Order Acknowledgment	To Target	The vendor confirms the order.
856	Advance Ship Notice	To Target	Describes shipment, carton and item details before delivery.
810	Invoice	To Target	Requests payment for shipped goods.
846	Inventory Inquiry/Advice	To Target	Shares inventory availability where the program requires it.
852	Product Activity Data	From Target	Shares sales and inventory data where provided.
997	Functional Acknowledgment	Both directions	Confirms documents were received.

Connectivity

How companies connect

AS2
Direct, encrypted exchange between your EDI platform and Target is common for established vendors.
Value-added network
Vendors can connect through a VAN or EDI provider that manages the Target connection.
Partner portal
Target's vendor portal complements EDI for requirements, scorecards and program information.

Challenges

Common integration challenges

Item-level ship notice accuracy
Items and quantities in the 856 need to match the purchase order and the physical shipment.
Bill of lading formatting
Shipment-level references such as the bill of lading must follow Target's formatting rules.
Label alignment
Carton labels must carry identifiers that match the ship notice's packaging structure.
Certification testing
Each document type is tested before production, which takes coordination between your team and Target.

How ECOM helps

How ECOM can support your Target integration

Solution

EDI Integration

Integrate Target documents with your ERP and warehouse so ship notices are built from real shipment data.

Product

PRISM-SCV

Track acknowledgments and ship-notice accuracy for every Target order.

Solution

Trading Partner Onboarding

Let ECOM handle requirements review, mapping and certification testing with Target.

ERP integration options

ECOM integrates Target documents with ERP and warehouse systems, so purchase orders create sales orders and ship notices are generated from actual pick, pack and label data.

Visibility and exception management

PRISM-SCV, ECOM's supply chain visibility product, is designed to follow each Target document from receipt to response and flag late or missing documents and mismatches, so your team can resolve exceptions before they affect the relationship.

Explore PRISM-SCV

Target integration FAQs

Which EDI documents does Target typically use with vendors?

Third-party guides commonly list the 850 purchase order, 855 acknowledgment, 856 ship notice, 810 invoice and 997 functional acknowledgment, with documents such as the 846 or 852 depending on the program. Confirm the list in Target's partner portal.

Why is the ship notice so important for Target?

Target uses the ship notice to plan receiving at its distribution centers. When it does not match the order or the physical shipment, receiving is slowed and the vendor may face compliance consequences.

Can ECOM generate Target-compliant carton labels?

ECOM can produce GS1-128 carton label data from your warehouse information so labels and ship notices stay aligned. Label format details should be confirmed against Target's current requirements.

Is ECOM certified by Target?

This page is an integration guide and does not indicate a certification or partnership with Target. ECOM builds integrations to Target's published requirements.

Sources and accuracy

This guide summarizes publicly available information as of October 2026. Target sets its own requirements and can change them at any time; your Target implementation guide, supplier portal or account contact is the authoritative source for your program.