A complete reference of UN/EDIFACT messages supported across supply chain, transportation, manufacturing, and warehouse operations—each with a dedicated guide. Primarily used in European and international trade.
UN/EDIFACT (United Nations Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport) is the international EDI standard developed under the United Nations. It is the dominant standard outside North America, used extensively in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and global trade.
EDIFACT messages are identified by six-letter codes (e.g. ORDERS for a purchase order) rather than numbers. Each message serves the same commercial purpose as its X12 counterpart, but with different segment structures, qualifiers, and syntax rules.
If you trade with European retailers, global manufacturers, or international 3PLs, you are likely exchanging EDIFACT. Better EDI supports both standards on the same platform, with translation between them where needed.
Core messages exchanged between buyers, sellers, and trading partners to manage purchasing, fulfillment, and invoicing.
The buyer's order to a supplier for goods or services. Equivalent to X12 850. Used across retail, distribution, and manufacturing supply chains globally.
The supplier's acknowledgment of a purchase order, confirming acceptance, partial acceptance, or rejection with any proposed changes. Equivalent to X12 855.
Sent by a buyer to modify a previously issued purchase order. Covers changes to quantity, pricing, delivery dates, or ship-to details. Equivalent to X12 860.
Sent by a supplier to a buyer to request payment. Supports line-item detail, tax, allowances, and charges. Equivalent to X12 810. Widely used in European retail and B2B trade.
Communicates credit adjustments from a buyer to a supplier, including deductions, chargebacks, and allowances applied against invoices. Equivalent to X12 812.
Payment notification sent by a buyer to a supplier, detailing which invoices are being settled and any deductions or adjustments applied. Equivalent to X12 820.
Transmits product catalog data including item codes, descriptions, pricing tiers, and promotional pricing from a supplier to a buyer. Equivalent to X12 832.
Shares current inventory levels, locations, and availability with trading partners. Supports vendor-managed inventory and replenishment programs. Equivalent to X12 846.
Provides point-of-sale data, sales history, and inventory movement from a retailer to a supplier. Used for demand collaboration and VMI programs. Equivalent to X12 852.
Reports errors or acceptance status at the application level for previously received messages. Equivalent to X12 824. Used to confirm whether a message was successfully processed.
Messages used to coordinate shipment execution, advance ship notices, and status updates between suppliers, carriers, and buyers.
Sent by a supplier prior to delivery to notify the buyer of shipment contents, carton configuration, carrier, and tracking. The EDIFACT equivalent of X12 856. Critical for retail receiving compliance.
Confirms receipt of goods and documents discrepancies between what was shipped and what was received. Equivalent to X12 861. Supports automated reconciliation and dispute resolution.
Sent by a shipper to a carrier or freight forwarder with instructions to pick up and transport a shipment. Equivalent in purpose to X12 204 load tender.
Provides real-time shipment status updates from a carrier including pickup, in-transit milestones, exceptions, and proof of delivery. Equivalent to X12 214.
Used by freight forwarders and consolidators to communicate consolidated shipment details including multiple consignments, routing, and carrier assignments.
The carrier's invoice for freight services including line-haul, fuel surcharges, and accessorial charges. Equivalent to X12 210. Used for freight audit and payment.
Messages that support production planning, material requirements, and supplier scheduling in manufacturing environments.
Communicates a time-phased delivery schedule to a supplier, specifying what should be delivered and when. Equivalent to X12 830 and 862. Used extensively in automotive and industrial manufacturing.
A more granular delivery instruction used in JIT environments, specifying precise delivery windows, sequences, and call-off quantities. Common in automotive supply chains.
Transmits detailed product master data including part numbers, specifications, dimensions, and technical attributes between trading partners. Used in product setup and item synchronization.
A request from a buyer to a supplier for product availability, pricing, or specification data. Used in sourcing and procurement workflows.
Sent by a buyer to a supplier requesting a price quotation for specified goods or services. Used in procurement and sourcing processes.
The supplier's response to a request for quote, providing pricing, lead times, and terms for the requested goods or services.
Messages that coordinate inventory movement, storage instructions, and order processing between trading partners and third-party logistics providers.
Sent by a 3PL to confirm receipt of goods into their facility, including quantities received and any discrepancies from the expected inbound shipment. Equivalent to X12 944.
Instructs a 3PL to pick, pack, and ship inventory from their facility on behalf of the goods owner. Equivalent to X12 940.
A detailed inbound receipt report from a 3PL covering goods received, put-away locations, and any quality or quantity exceptions.
Reports warehouse activity to the goods owner, including pick completions, adjustments, and inventory movements within the 3PL facility. Equivalent to X12 947.
System-level messages used for acknowledgment, error reporting, and interchange control.
The EDIFACT functional acknowledgment. Reports whether an interchange or message group was syntactically accepted or rejected. Equivalent to X12 997/999. Required by most EDIFACT trading partners.
Reports application-level errors in received messages, beyond syntax validation. Used to confirm whether a message was successfully processed by the receiving system. Equivalent to X12 824.
Used to formally communicate a dispute over an invoice, delivery, or commercial transaction, including the nature of the discrepancy and the amount in question.
We support a wide range of EDIFACT messages beyond this list. If you have a specific requirement, our team can map, test, and certify it with your trading partner.
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