đźš› Mastering EDI in Transportation: Key Transaction Sets That Drive Logistics
In the fast-paced world of logistics and freight management, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) serves as the digital backbone that keeps operations running smoothly. Whether you’re a logistics analyst, EDI specialist, or IT consultant working with transportation systems, understanding these core EDI transaction sets can elevate your career and streamline your supply chain integrations.
Here’s a breakdown of the most essential EDI codes used in transportation and what they mean for modern supply chains:
📦 Core Transportation EDI Codes
| EDI Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 204 | Motor Carrier Load Tender—This document is sent by a shipper to a carrier to offer a shipment. It’s essentially the electronic version of a freight request or booking. |
| 210 | Motor Carrier Freight Invoice—Carriers send this invoice to shippers or brokers as a bill for freight charges. |
| 211 | Motor Carrier Bill of Lading—Used to provide detailed information about a shipment, including contents, origin, and destination. |
| 214 | Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message—A real-time update used to provide tracking information and shipment milestones. |
| 990 | Response to a Load Tender—Carriers use this to accept or decline a shipment offer (EDI 204). |
| 997 | Functional Acknowledgment—A standard response to confirm receipt of EDI documents. While it doesn’t validate data content, it ensures the file was successfully received. |
| 824 | Application Advice—Used to notify a trading partner about the acceptance, rejection, or errors in received documents. |
| 219 | Logistics Service Request—This document initiates a request for third-party logistics services. |
| 220 | Logistics Service Response—The response document confirming whether the logistics service request (219) can be fulfilled. |
🔍 Why These Codes Matter
These EDI codes enable real-time data sharing, automation, and integration between shippers, carriers, brokers, and 3PLs. By automating routine transactions like load tenders, shipment tracking, and invoicing, companies reduce errors, speed up billing cycles, and improve customer satisfaction.