EDI

EDI, or Electronic Data Interchange, is a blanket term used to describe the action of businesses sending information to one another in a standardized format. The origin of EDIs can be traced back to the 60s when businesses needed a secure, standardized, and electronic way to communicate with each other. Since then, EDIs have been followed up by Application Programming Interfaces (or APIs), which are usually the only option available in modern systems. That being said, for legacy businesses, EDIs are still the most important way to perform communications with trading partners due to their market share, reliability, and versatility. More often than not, EDIs are sometimes the only way for businesses to securely and reliably communicate with other businesses without relying on pen and paper. 

Advantages of EDI Communication

• Digitizes business-to-business transactions
• Standardizes business communications without relying on file format differences or system incompatibilities
• Reduces errors in recordkeeping, since the information is exchanged from system to system, without human intervention
• Use legacy data to begin data-driven operations in a warehouse without needing specialized tools

Hopstack has added support for EDI transaction management from within the platform itself. Our EDI integration engine enables customers to onboard trading partners rapidly as well as start using new transaction sets with minimal onboarding time.

Hopstack supports all major EDI standards such as

• ANSI ASC X12
• EANCOM
• UN/EDIFACT
• ODETTE

The following is a list of all the different EDI transactions that are supported by the Hopstack platform (as of August 2022). The platform supports both sending and receiving capabilities for each of the transactions mentioned here and can be configured as per the user’s needs:

830 - Planning Schedule with Release Capability

• EDI 830 is used by suppliers to anticipate the needs of their customers by using an inventory forecast supplied by the customer through the EDI transaction. This information is collated by the customer and sent to the supplier along with approximate dates for receiving a restocking shipment.
• The Hopstack platform can use the data received from EDI 830 transactions to anticipate future sales with a higher level of granularity.
• It can also be used for the same purpose to send out projected inventory needs through an EDI 830 to the suppliers of the platform user. 

832 - Price/Sales Catalog

• EDI 832 is used to send and receive product and pricing information. It is typically sent out at specific time intervals to ensure that all trading partners have the same information at the same time. 
• The Hopstack platform can use EDI 832 transaction sets to send and receive pricing information on products on a periodic basis. This data is automatically updated in the relevant inventory information fields within the platform. 

846 - Inventory Inquiry/Advice

• EDI 846 carries inventory data to and from the retailers and their trading partners. This is often used in a trade environment where the trading portal is controlled by one entity with multiple merchandise suppliers. 
• Data from this EDI can be used to automatically update inventory information within the Hopstack platform.
• It can also be used to send out inventory information to trading partners from within the platform.

852 - Product Activity Data

• EDI 852 carries inventory data relating to product activity and movements (such as changes in the chain of custody, restocking, sales, etc.)
• EDI 852 can be optionally created by the Hopstack platform to inform trading partners of any major product activities. 
• The Hopstack platform can also accept EDI 852 transactions to make changes to inventory data based on the transactions’ instructions.

879 - Price Information

• EDI 879 carries pricing information about products. It is often used to inform trading partners about the pricing of new products as well as any revisions to the pricing of existing products. 
• The Hopstack platform can create and update pricing information for products in the warehouse’s inventory based on incoming EDI 879 transactions and also create outgoing transactions to inform other trading partners. 

888 - Item Maintenance Document

• EDI 888 carries details about specific product(s). 
• This could be considered the EDI version of a product information management tool, but for trading partners instead of sales channels.
• EDI 888 alerts trading partners about changes to product details and the addition of new products.
• The Hopstack platform can update product information for specific SKUs using information from EDI 888 received from trading partners. 
• It can also create EDI 888 transactions to send product information to trading partners, working in conjunction with our PIM capabilities.

889 - Promotion Announcement

• EDI 889 carries information about product promotions and other relevant information such as temporary pricing, end dates, bundle information, etc.
• The Hopstack platform automatically creates and updates promotions based on the EDI transaction data
• It is also capable of relaying information to other trading partners and sales channels by creating fresh EDI 889 transactions as needed.

204 - Motor Carrier Load Tender

• EDI 204 is used to offer or tender a truckload or less-than-truckload (LTL) shipment to a shipment carrier, such as UPS, Fedex, etc.
• The Hopstack platform can create EDI 204 transactions for generating large-scale shipping tenders from within the platform itself. 

211 - Motor Carrier Bill of Lading

• EDI 211 is the electronic equivalent of a motor carrier bill of lading and is a legally binding document supplied to the carrier from the shipper to signify delivery of goods.
• The Hopstack platform can generate EDI 211 transactions to share details with shipping carriers regarding details of a consignment.

214 - Transportation Carrier Shipment Status

• EDI 214 is used to convey the status of a shipment from the 3PL carrier to the shipper. 
• The Hopstack platform can request and parse EDI 214 transactions to show the status of a shipment within the platform.

315 - Status Details (Ocean)

• EDI 315 is the same as EDI 214 in terms of content, but differs in origin. It is used to convey the status of a shipment but originates from ocean carriers.
• It can be used for a single shipment or even an entire container.
• The Hopstack platform can request and parse EDI 315 transactions to show the status of an ocean freight shipment within the platform.

753 - Request for Routing Instructions

• EDI 753 is used by a buyer to request routing information for shipments from the supplier. It is typically used in cases where the buyer is controlling the shipment process as opposed to the supplier. 
• The Hopstack platform can generate requests for EDI 753 from suppliers to receive and process inbound shipments’ routing information. 

754 - Routing Instructions

• EDI 754 is generated as a result of EDI 753 transactions.
• It consists of routing instructions, sent from the supplier to the buyer, that outlines the details of an incoming shipment. 
• The Hopstack platform can use the information received from EDI 754 transactions and create consignments, update status and also update other relevant information from the data received through the transaction, as is configured by the user.

990 - Response to a Load Tender

• EDI 990 is used to respond to a load tender i.e. to accept or reject a shipment and notify the status to the shipper.
• It is generally used as a response to an EDI 204 transaction.
• The Hopstack platform can generate and transmit EDI 990 transactions to shippers and carriers.   

856 - Advance Shipping Notice

• EDI 856 is used to outline and deliver detailed information about upcoming shipments to the shipment’s recipients.
• Depending on the standard used, EDI 856 is referred to as the Advance Shipping Notice (ANSI X12 standard) or Dispatch Advice Message (EDIFACT standard)
• The Hopstack platform can use incoming EDI 856s to plan and create inbound consignments without human intervention.

861 - Receiving Advice/Acceptance Certificate

• EDI 861 is used to notify the acceptance of a shipment and report any issues with the shipment or delivery process.
• The Hopstack platform can send and receive EDI 861 transactions to notify sellers of the acceptance of a shipment, as well as get notified by buyers.

940 - Warehouse Shipping Order

• EDI 940 is a document that warehouses use to formally request a shipment of goods from a remote location. 
• It is usually used as a follow-up to a purchase order sent to a supplier.
• The Hopstack platform can generate EDI 940s and send them to suppliers as an inventory management action. It can also create inbound consignments based on the response received to an EDI 940 transaction. 
• The platform can also receive EDI 940 transactions and create outbound shipments based on responses received. 

943 - Warehouse Stock Transfer Shipment Advice

• EDI 943 is used by shippers to transmit information about when a shipment will be shipped to a warehouse. 
• The Hopstack platform can create and receive EDI 943 transactions to notify buyers (as well as receive notification from sellers) about the details of when a shipment will be shipped from/to a location. 

944 - Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice

• EDI 944 is used by warehouses to accept and confirm receipt of goods.
• It is frequently used as a follow-up to the activities initiated by EDI 856.
• The Hopstack platform can create EDI 944 transactions to notify the shipper of the acceptance of a shipment as well as receive transactions to receive acceptance notifications from buyers. 

945 - Warehouse Shipping Advice

• EDI 945 is used to signify the completion of a shipment. It is usually sent by a warehouse to a 3PL provider and/or the clients informing them that a shipment has been completed.
• It may be used as an acknowledgment of the steps initiated by EDI 940. 
• The Hopstack platform can create EDI 945 transactions to signify the completion of a shipment to the shipper as well as accept completion notifications from their buyers. This data is then used to signify the completion of a shipment within the platform. 

947 - Warehouse Inventory Adjustment Advice

• EDI 947 is used to notify trading partners about changes in inventory levels for one or more SKUs.
• The Hopstack platform can receive EDI 947 transactions and make changes to the inventory. It can also create EDI 947 to notify trading partners of changes in the inventory levels on a per-SKU basis. 

The above EDI list is not an exhaustive representation of our capabilities. If you would like to learn more about how Hopstack can help you with EDI integrations in your warehousing and fulfillment operations, contact us by filling out this form.