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X12 transaction guide · Shipping and logistics

EDI 250 Purchase Order Shipment Management Document

The X12 document a retailer or manufacturer uses to give a transportation provider purchase order data to manage orders from pickup request to delivery.

Sent by
Retailer or manufacturer
Received by
Transportation or logistics provider
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 250?

The EDI 250 Purchase Order Shipment Management Document is the ANSI X12 transaction set that lets a retailer or manufacturer communicate purchase order data to a transportation provider, to manage the purchase order cycle from the pickup request through delivery.

Logistics providers that manage inbound freight for retailers need to know which orders are expected from which suppliers, in what quantities and by when. With purchase order data, they can consolidate shipments, book capacity and report progress at order level rather than only by shipment.

How the EDI 250 worksDiagram of the EDI 250 Purchase Order Shipment Management Document. Retailer or manufacturer sends it to transportation or logistics provider. It usually follows 850. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: BGN (Beginning Segment) and detail: the required 0100 loop with PRF (Purchase Order Reference). 1 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 250 worksPurchase Order Shipment Management Document: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marksrequired1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWS850Purchase OrderEDI 250SENDERRetailer ormanufacturerRECEIVERTransportation orlogistics provider997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code PVGS … GETransaction set 250ST … SEHEADINGBGNBeginning SegmentDETAILRequired loop 0100 · repeats many timesPRFPurchase Order Reference+ 1 optional loop, starting with:N1Blue 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 008010 listing for the 250. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 250 worksDiagram of the EDI 250 Purchase Order Shipment Management Document. Retailer or manufacturer sends it to transportation or logistics provider. It usually follows 850. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: BGN (Beginning Segment) and detail: the required 0100 loop with PRF (Purchase Order Reference). 1 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 250 worksPurchase Order Shipment ManagementDocument: who sends it, where it fits and whatthe standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWS850Purchase OrderEDI 250SENDERRetailer ormanufacturerRECEIVERTransportationor logisticsprovider997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partnersagreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997Functional Acknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDs (ISA… IEA)Functional group, ID code PV (GS … GE)Transaction set 250 (ST … SE)HEADINGBGNBeginning SegmentDETAILRequired loop 0100 · repeatsmany timesPRFPurchase Order Reference+ 1 optional loop, starting with:N1Blue 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 X12008010 listing for the 250. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 250, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 008010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 250 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

  • Giving a logistics provider open purchase orders to manage
  • Supporting order-level inbound freight management
  • Updating order quantities and dates

Where it fits in the document flow

Usually follows 850 Purchase Order
This document 250 Purchase Order Shipment Management Document
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 250 (X12 release 008010)

The segments X12 release 008010 marks as mandatory at their level, in order. Segments inside optional loops are needed only when the loop is used. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, adds the optional segments it requires and restricts the values. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.

  • ST
  • BGN
  • PRF
  • N1
  • SE

Practical example

The 250 in practice

A retailer outsources inbound transportation to a logistics provider. When it places orders with suppliers, it sends the provider a 250 with each order's supplier, ship-from point, quantities and delivery window. The provider plans pickups and consolidations around the orders and reports status by order.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 250

  • Send order updates and cancellations as well as new orders.
  • Use order references consistent with suppliers' ship notices.
  • Agree the level of detail the provider needs.
  • Protect commercially sensitive order data.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 250 with ECOM

Industry

Retail

Retail and eCommerce EDI for suppliers and retailers, from purchase order to payment, with compliance built in.

Industry

3PL and Warehousing

Warehouse orders, shipping advice, receipts and inventory reporting between brands, 3PLs, carriers and retailers.

Solution

Logistics Automation

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

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

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