972-836-7750 Request a demo Talk to an expert
Talk to an expert Request a demo Call sales 972-836-7750

X12 transaction guide · Shipping and logistics

EDI 853 Routing and Carrier Instruction

The X12 document used to send detailed routing and carrier information for a route, without authorizing any particular shipment.

Sent by
Buyer, consignee or logistics provider
Received by
Supplier or shipper
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 853?

The EDI 853 Routing and Carrier Instruction is the ANSI X12 transaction set for transmitting detailed routing and carrier information for a route. It tells the shipper which carrier, mode and service to use for shipments between given origins and destinations, and can carry related instructions such as consolidation points.

Unlike the 754 routing instructions, which answer a specific request about a shipment, the 853 only provides standing routing information. It does not describe a shipping event or authorize a shipment, so shippers keep it as reference data and apply it when they plan loads.

How the EDI 853 worksDiagram of the EDI 853 Routing and Carrier Instruction. Buyer, consignee or logistics provider sends it to supplier or shipper. 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: BGN (Beginning Segment) and the required N1 loop with N1 (Party Identification), detail: the required TD5 loop with TD5 (Carrier Details (Routing Sequence/Transit Time)) and summary: CTT (Transaction Totals). 1 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 853 worksRouting and Carrier Instruction: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 853SENDERBuyer, consignee orlogistics providerRECEIVERSupplier or shipper997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code RIGS … GETransaction set 853ST … SEHEADINGBGNBeginning SegmentRequired loop N1 · repeats up to200N1Party IdentificationDETAILRequired loop TD5 · repeats up to200,000TD5Carrier Details (RoutingSequence/Transit Time)+ 1 optional loop, starting with:N1SUMMARYCTTTransaction TotalsBlue 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 853. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 853 worksDiagram of the EDI 853 Routing and Carrier Instruction. Buyer, consignee or logistics provider sends it to supplier or shipper. 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: BGN (Beginning Segment) and the required N1 loop with N1 (Party Identification), detail: the required TD5 loop with TD5 (Carrier Details (Routing Sequence/Transit Time)) and summary: CTT (Transaction Totals). 1 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 853 worksRouting and Carrier Instruction: who sends it,where it fits and what the standard marksrequired1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 853SENDERBuyer,consignee orlogisticsproviderRECEIVERSupplier orshipper997 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 RI (GS … GE)Transaction set 853 (ST … SE)HEADINGBGNBeginning SegmentRequired loop N1 · repeats up to200N1Party IdentificationDETAILRequired loop TD5 · repeats up to200,000TD5Carrier Details (RoutingSequence/Transit Time)+ 1 optional loop, starting with:N1SUMMARYCTTTransaction TotalsBlue 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 853. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 853, 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 853 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

  • Publishing a customer's routing guide to suppliers
  • Assigning carriers and service levels by origin and destination
  • Updating routing after a carrier contract changes

Where it fits in the document flow

This document 853 Routing and Carrier Instruction
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 853 (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
  • N1
  • TD5
  • CTT
  • SE

Practical example

The 853 in practice

A home improvement retailer renegotiates its inbound freight contracts. It sends each supplier an 853 listing, for the supplier's ship-from points, the carrier and service to use for each distribution center, with the effective date. Suppliers update their shipping systems so that loads tendered after that date go to the right carriers.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 853

  • Treat the 853 as reference data with effective dates rather than as a shipment instruction.
  • Map carrier identifiers (SCACs) and locations to the shipper's own master data.
  • Know when to use the 853 versus a shipment-specific 753/754 exchange with each partner.
  • Watch for routing guide violations, which retailers often charge back to suppliers.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 853 with ECOM

Industry

Retail

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

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

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

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.

Related transactions

Related shipping and logistics documents

All 15 shipping and logistics documents

Need help with the EDI 853?

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

Request a Demo Contact us