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X12 transaction guide · Transportation

EDI 326 Consignment Summary List

The X12 document an ocean carrier or consolidator sends to list all consignments it has accepted, or expects to accept, for transport.

Sent by
Ocean carrier or consolidator
Received by
Shipper, forwarder, consignee, customs broker or other party
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 326?

The EDI 326 Consignment Summary List is the ANSI X12 transaction set that gives a customer a list of all consignments for which an ocean carrier has accepted, or expects to accept, responsibility for transport. An ocean carrier or consolidator sends it to a shipper, freight forwarder, consignee, customs broker or other interested party.

Instead of tracking each bill of lading separately, the recipient sees all its consignments on a vessel or voyage at once. That helps importers and brokers plan clearance and delivery for everything arriving together.

How the EDI 326 worksDiagram of the EDI 326 Consignment Summary List. Ocean carrier or consolidator sends it to shipper, forwarder, consignee, customs broker or other party. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: the required V1 loop with V1 (Vessel Identification) and the required R4 loop with R4 (Port or Terminal). 1 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 326 worksConsignment Summary List: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 326SENDEROcean carrier orconsolidatorRECEIVERShipper, forwarder,consignee, customsbroker or other party997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code SOGS … GETransaction set 326ST … SEHEADINGRequired loop V1 · repeats up to 999V1Vessel IdentificationRequired loop R4 · repeats up to 4R4Port or Terminal+ 1 optional loop, starting with:N7Blue 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 326. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 326 worksDiagram of the EDI 326 Consignment Summary List. Ocean carrier or consolidator sends it to shipper, forwarder, consignee, customs broker or other party. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: the required V1 loop with V1 (Vessel Identification) and the required R4 loop with R4 (Port or Terminal). 1 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 326 worksConsignment Summary List: who sends it,where it fits and what the standard marksrequired1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 326SENDEROcean carrier orconsolidatorRECEIVERShipper,forwarder,consignee,customs brokeror other party997 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 SO (GS … GE)Transaction set 326 (ST … SE)HEADINGRequired loop V1 · repeats up to999V1Vessel IdentificationRequired loop R4 · repeats upto 4R4Port or Terminal+ 1 optional loop, starting with:N7Blue 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 326. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 326, 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 326 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

  • Summarizing a customer's consignments on a voyage
  • Helping brokers plan clearance for arriving cargo
  • Reconciling bookings against what the carrier accepted

Where it fits in the document flow

This document 326 Consignment Summary List
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 326 (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
  • V1
  • N7
  • R4
  • SE

Practical example

The 326 in practice

A retailer imports dozens of containers each week through one carrier. For each voyage the carrier sends the retailer and its broker a 326 listing every consignment on board for the retailer, with the bills of lading, containers and ports. The broker uses the list to prepare entries in one batch, and the retailer checks it against its expected purchase orders.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 326

  • Reconcile the list with bookings and purchase orders to find missing cargo early.
  • Share it with customs brokers as well as the consignee.
  • Track updates, since consignments can roll to a later vessel.
  • Use vessel and voyage identifiers consistent with schedules and status messages.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 326 with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

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

Industry

Retail

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

Solution

Supply Chain Visibility

Track orders, shipments and invoices across partners and catch exceptions early.

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

Related transactions

Related transportation documents

All 80 transportation documents

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