The Essential Guide to EDI Transaction Codes in Logistics - Bitfreighter
Get to know the EDI Transaction Codes in Logistics: What They Are & Why They Matter
In logistics, data moves freight just as much as trucks do. Every quote, tender, update, and invoice relies on clean, structured information flowing between shippers, brokers, carriers, and TMS platforms.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) remains the backbone of that communication.
But if you’ve ever Googled “EDI transaction codes,” you’ve likely found scattered PDFs, outdated lists, or overly technical definitions. So let’s simplify it.
Below is a practical breakdown of the most important EDI transaction sets used across transportation and logistics, what they do, and where they fit in the lifecycle of a load.
And if you're building a more automated, scalable workflow—this list is your starting point.
What Are EDI Transaction Codes?
Every EDI message is assigned a three-digit code (like 204, 214, 210) that identifies the purpose of the document. Think of them as standardized communication shortcuts—your TMS sends a 204 and the shipper knows it’s a load tender, without needing custom formats or manual emails.
The benefit?
Consistency
Automation
Fewer errors
Faster processing
These codes have powered logistics for decades and continue to coexist with APIs in modern hybrid systems.
Core EDI Codes in Transportation
Below is the list of the most commonly used EDI transactions in trucking & freight brokerage—explained in plain English.
❇️ EDI for Quotes & Rates
📘 204 – Load Tender / Load Offer
Sent by shippers to carriers or brokers with load details: origin, destination, equipment type, dates, and reference numbers.
📘 210 – Freight Invoice (sometimes used early for rate sharing)
Although its primary purpose is invoicing, some trading partners use 210 variations to share pricing or rate components pre-shipment.
❇️ EDI for Order Management
📘 850 – Purchase Order
The customer’s formal request for goods. Often triggers downstream shipping activity.
📘 855 – Purchase Order Acknowledgment
Sent back to confirm acceptance or modifications to the PO.
📘 860 – PO Change Request
Updates to the original order—quantities, dates, or line-item corrections.
📘 940 – Warehouse Shipping Order
Instructions to a 3PL or warehouse to ship goods.
📘 945 – Warehouse Shipping Advice
Confirmation that the warehouse shipped the goods.
❇️ EDI for Tendering & Accepting Loads
📘 204 – Load Tender
The most widely used logistics EDI file. It includes shipment details and is the shipper’s request for a carrier to haul a load.
📘 990 – Load Tender Response
The carrier’s acceptance or rejection of the 204.
No more: “Did we accept this?” emails.
❇️ EDI for Tracking & Visibility
📘 214 – Shipment Status Message
The heartbeat of transportation. Sent throughout the load to provide real-time updates such as:
Pickup scheduled
In-transit
Delay
Delivered
📘 997 – Functional Acknowledgment
A simple confirmation that the EDI file was received and syntactically valid.
Not a business acceptance—just “we got it.”
📘 824 – Application Advice
Used to flag issues with the content of an EDI file. Common for correcting invalid reference numbers or business logic errors.
❇️ EDI for Delivery & Documentation
📘 211 – Bill of Lading
Electronic representation of the traditional BOL.
📘 212 – Delivery Trailer Manifest
Shipment details grouped by trailer/container.
📘 861 – Receiving Advice
Used to acknowledge receipt of goods—common in retail/CPG.
❇️ EDI for Billing & Financials
📘 210 – Freight Invoice
The industry standard for billing in transportation. Includes charges, accessorials, and reference numbers.
📘 820 – Payment Order / Remittance Advice
Confirms payment details—what was paid, when, and for which invoices.
📘 864 – Text Message
A catch-all for free-form messages where structured fields fall short.
How These Codes Work Together Across a Load
Here’s a simplified flow of EDI transactions in the life of a freight load:
Shipper sends 204 (load tender)
Carrier replies with 990 (accept/decline)
Carrier sends 214 updates (pickup, in-transit, delay, delivery)
Carrier sends 210 (freight invoice)
Shipper sends 820 (payment)
997s exchange between nearly every transaction as acknowledgments
This standardized exchange keeps freight moving—automatically.
Why These Codes Still Matter (Even in the API Era)
There’s a myth floating around that EDI is going away. It isn’t.
Here’s why:
Every Fortune 500 shipper still requires EDI
Retailers rely on decades-old ASN/PO workflows
Standardization makes enterprises slow to change
APIs fill gaps—but do not replace tenders, invoices, or POs
The future is hybrid connectivity, where EDI manages structured transactions and APIs drive real-time data, event triggers, and faster quoting.
Where Bitfreighter Fits In
Legacy EDI providers still charge per character, gatekeep connections behind year-long queues, and force companies to maintain separate processes for each trading partner.
Bitfreighter changed that.
With ShipperConnect, logistics companies get:
Unlimited EDI messaging
Unlimited trading partners
A single point of contact
Zero queues
Go-lives in ~17 business days
Automated visibility + tendering + invoicing
Optional API and RPA connectors
Whether you're managing 50 EDI partners or 500, we ensure your transactions—204s, 214s, 990s, 210s—flow cleanly, quickly, and predictably.
Final Thoughts
EDI transaction codes might look like a wall of numbers at first, but once you understand how they map to the life of a load, everything clicks.
They are the silent engines moving freight behind the scenes.
And with the right partner, they become an advantage—not a bottleneck.
If you want help mapping out your current EDI flow or building a hybrid EDI + API strategy, I’m always happy to take a look.
