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X12 transaction guide · Shipping and logistics

EDI 210 Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice

The X12 document a carrier sends to bill a shipper or broker for transportation services, with charges and shipment details.

Sent by
Motor carrier
Received by
Shipper, broker or 3PL (bill-to party)
Standard
ANSI ASC X12
EDIFACT equivalent
INVOIC

What is an EDI 210?

The EDI 210 Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice is the ANSI X12 transaction set a carrier uses to bill for transportation services. It identifies the shipment and invoice, the payer, origin and destination, weights and quantities, and the line charges, including base freight and accessorial charges such as fuel surcharges or liftgate fees.

Shippers and brokers usually audit each 210 against the original tender, the agreed rates and the shipment's status history before paying. Electronic invoices make that audit automatic, which matters for companies paying thousands of freight bills.

How the EDI 210 worksDiagram of the EDI 210 Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice. Motor carrier sends it to shipper, broker or 3PL (bill-to party). It usually follows 204 and 214. It is usually followed by 997 and 820. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 004010 requires, in the heading: B3 (Beginning Segment for Carrier's Invoice). 5 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 210 worksMotor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWS204Motor Carrier Load Tender214Transportation CarrierShipment Status MessageEDI 210SENDERMotor carrierRECEIVERShipper, broker or 3PL(bill-to party)997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment820PaymentOrder/Remittance Advice2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 004010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code IMGS … GETransaction set 210ST … SEHEADINGB3Beginning Segment for Carrier's Invoice+ 3 optional loops, starting with:N1N7SPODETAIL+ 2 optional loops, starting with:S5LXBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them; when a loop is used, that first segment is required. Optional segmentsoutside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12 004010 listing for the 210. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 210 worksDiagram of the EDI 210 Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice. Motor carrier sends it to shipper, broker or 3PL (bill-to party). It usually follows 204 and 214. It is usually followed by 997 and 820. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 004010 requires, in the heading: B3 (Beginning Segment for Carrier's Invoice). 5 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 210 worksMotor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice: whosends it, where it fits and what the standardmarks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWS204Motor Carrier Load Tender214Transportation Carrier Shipment StatusMessageEDI 210SENDERMotor carrierRECEIVERShipper, brokeror 3PL (bill-toparty)997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partnersagreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997Functional Acknowledgment820Payment Order/Remittance Advice2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 004010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDs (ISA… IEA)Functional group, ID code IM (GS … GE)Transaction set 210 (ST … SE)HEADINGB3Beginning Segment forCarrier's Invoice+ 3 optional loops, starting with:N1N7SPODETAIL+ 2 optional loops, starting with:S5LXBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listedby the segment that starts them; when a loop isused, that first segment is required. Optionalsegments outside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12004010 listing for the 210. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 210, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 004010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 210 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Billing shippers or brokers for completed truckload, LTL or parcel shipments
  • Supporting automated freight audit and payment
  • Reporting accessorial and adjusted charges

Where it fits in the document flow

Usually follows 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender214 Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message
This document 210 Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment820 Payment Order/Remittance Advice

Structure

Key segments in the 210

The segments most implementations use, described in plain language. The last column shows what X12 release 004010 itself requires: "Required" marks a segment the standard requires in every 210; "Optional, common" marks a segment the standard leaves optional, or that sits in an optional loop, but that implementations often use. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, makes some optional segments mandatory and restricts the values, and requirements can differ between releases. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.

SegmentNameWhat it carriesIn X12 004010
B3Beginning Segment for Carrier's InvoiceInvoice number, shipment identification, payment method, billing date, net amount due, delivery date and carrier SCAC.Required
C3CurrencyCurrency of the charges.Optional, common
N1 loopParty IdentificationShipper, consignee and bill-to parties with addresses.Optional, common
LX loopAssigned NumberGroups line items for each charge.Optional, common
L0 / L1Line Item Quantity and ChargesWeights and quantities, and the rate and amount for each charge.Optional, common
L3Total Weight and ChargesTotal weight and total charges for the invoice.Optional, common

Example

Sample EDI 210

Carrier ABCD bills 450.00 (45000 with two implied decimals) for prepaid shipment LOAD123. The invoice is dated 26 October, the day after delivery on 25 October (B3 delivery date with qualifier 035, delivered). L1 shows the freight charge and L3 the totals.

Illustrative data only, not tied to one X12 release or trading partner. The interchange (ISA/IEA) and functional group (GS/GE) envelopes are omitted for readability.

ST*210*0001~
B3**INV2001*LOAD123*PP**20261026*45000**20261025*035*ABCD~
C3*USD~
N1*SH*Example Shipper~
LX*1~
L0*1***20000*G~
L1*1*450*FR*45000~
L3*20000*G***45000~
SE*9*0001~
Reading a sample EDI 210, line by lineAnnotated sample EDI 210 with 9 lines. Notes explain the ST, B3, C3, N1, LX, L0, L3 and SE segments.Reading a sample EDI 210, line by lineEach numbered note explains the segment on that line. The data is illustrative.ST*210*0001~11Transaction Set Header. Opens the 210 and gives it a controlnumber, which SE repeats.B3**INV2001*LOAD123*PP**20261026*45000**20261025*035*ABCD~22Beginning Segment for Carrier's Invoice. Invoice number,shipment identification, payment method, billing date, netamount due, delivery date and carrier SCAC.C3*USD~33Currency. Currency of the charges.N1*SH*Example Shipper~44Party Identification. Shipper, consignee and bill-to parties withaddresses.LX*1~55Assigned Number. Groups line items for each charge.L0*1***20000*G~66Line Item Quantity and Charges. Weights and quantities, and therate and amount for each charge.L1*1*450*FR*45000~L3*20000*G***45000~77Total Weight and Charges. Total weight and total charges for theinvoice.SE*9*0001~88Transaction Set Trailer. Closes the set with the number ofsegments, including ST and SE, and the same control number.Illustrative data only, not tied to one trading partner. Envelopes (ISA/GS) are omitted for readability.
Reading a sample EDI 210, line by lineAnnotated sample EDI 210 with 9 lines. Notes explain the ST, B3, C3, N1, LX, L0, L3 and SE segments.Reading a sample EDI 210, lineby lineEach numbered note explains the segment onthat line. The data is illustrative.ST*210*0001~Transaction Set Header. Opens the 210 andgives it a control number, which SE repeats.B3**INV2001*LOAD123*PP**20261026*45000**20261025*035*ABCD~Beginning Segment for Carrier's Invoice.Invoice number, shipment identification,payment method, billing date, net amount due,delivery date and carrier SCAC.C3*USD~Currency. Currency of the charges.N1*SH*Example Shipper~Party Identification. Shipper, consignee andbill-to parties with addresses.LX*1~Assigned Number. Groups line items for eachcharge.L0*1***20000*G~Line Item Quantity and Charges. Weights andquantities, and the rate and amount for eachcharge.L1*1*450*FR*45000~L3*20000*G***45000~Total Weight and Charges. Total weight andtotal charges for the invoice.SE*9*0001~Transaction Set Trailer. Closes the set withthe number of segments, including ST and SE,and the same control number.Illustrative data only, not tied to one trading partner.Envelopes (ISA/GS) are omitted for readability.

The sample is the same one shown above, with a note beside each segment the first time it appears. Segment IDs are highlighted at the start of each line; the fields after them are separated by asterisks, and each segment ends with a tilde.

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Avoid problems

Common 210 errors and how to prevent them

Invoice cannot be matched to a load

The shipment identification must match the tender so the payer can audit the invoice automatically.

Unapproved accessorials

Charges not agreed in advance trigger disputes. Rate agreements should define approved accessorial codes.

Duplicate invoices

Resent invoices without correction indicators can be paid twice. Audit for duplicates before payment.

Trading partners

Integration guides that include the 210

  • C.H. Robinson EDI integration
  • Caterpillar EDI integration
  • FedEx EDI integration
  • Hub Group EDI integration
  • J.B. Hunt EDI integration
  • Old Dominion Freight Line EDI integration
  • Ryder EDI integration
  • Schneider EDI integration
  • XPO EDI integration

How ECOM helps

Automate the 210 with ECOM

Solution

Logistics Automation

Automate tenders, status updates, freight invoices and warehouse orders with logistics partners.

Solution

Financial Document Automation

Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

EDI 210 FAQs

What is an EDI 210 used for?

A carrier uses the 210 to bill a shipper or broker for transportation services, including freight and accessorial charges.

How are 210 invoices audited?

They are compared against the tender, contracted rates and shipment status before payment is approved.

How does the payer respond?

Typically with a 997 acknowledgment and, after payment, an 820 remittance advice in some relationships.

More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.

Related transactions

Related shipping and logistics documents

All 15 shipping and logistics documents

Need help with the EDI 210?

ECOM maps, tests and monitors X12 documents for your trading partners and integrates them with your ERP.

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