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Vendor Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Shipping Instructions

Vendor Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Shipping Instructions

Section
Managing My GSA Contract
Topic
Contract Compliance
Subtopic
Strategic Partner Delivery (SPD)

GSA is transitioning to Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) as the preferred method of sending orders to vendors as part of the vendor direct delivery program, which supports the Federal Acquisition Service’s performance goals of operating efficiently and effectively. EDI is the electronic interchange of business information using a standardized format. EDI transaction sets are utilized by GSA Global Supply to identify, process, and track all vendor direct orders. Vendor direct orders are orders that customers place through GSA and are processed and shipped directly by the vendor. The types of vendor direct orders that can be processed via EDI are:

  • Call center orders
  • Internet (GSA Global Supply online store or GSA Advantage!)
  • Fax
  • E-Mail
  • FEDSTRIP (as part number requisition)

Types of EDI Transactions
The most common types of EDI transactions are:

  • The 850 Purchase Order Transaction Set - Created for each order transmitted to the vendor. 850 transaction sets are transmitted every hour, seven days a week, providing the data for the vendor to properly identify and ship the product(s) to the customer.
  • The 856 Ship Notice/ Manifest Transaction Set – Used to list the contents of a shipment of goods as well as additional information relating to the shipment. This information includes: order information, product description, physical characteristics, type of packaging, marking, carrier information, and configuration of goods within the transportation equipment. The vendor is required to send this transaction within 24 hours after an order has been shipped to a customer.
  • The 997 Functional Acknowledgement Transaction Set - The vendor’s acknowledgement of the receipt of an 850 transaction set. It needs to be sent within 24 hours of receiving the 850 transaction set.

Learn more about EDI, electronic communications through GSA’s EDI gateway, vendor on-boarding to EDI, government to business transactions using EDI, Business to government transactions via EDI, and EDI testing.