X12 850 purchase order: format and example

850 structure

The full X12 850 layout from its OpenEDI definition, the same model ediFabric uses to parse, validate and generate it: 31 loops and 196 segment positions, in file order. Loops are shaded and their segments indented; Max use is how many times a segment or loop may repeat.

Segment / loop	Name	Usage	Max use
`ST`	Transaction Set Header	Mandatory	1
`BEG`	Beginning Segment for Purchase Order	Mandatory	1
`CUR`	Currency	Optional	1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	>1
`PER`	Administrative Communications Contact	Optional	3
`TAX`	Tax Reference	Optional	>1
`FOB`	F.O.B. Related Instructions	Optional	>1
`CTP`	Pricing Information	Optional	>1
`PAM`	Period Amount	Optional	10
`CSH`	Sales Requirements	Optional	5
`TC2`	Commodity	Optional	>1
SAC loop	Service, Promotion, Allowance, or Charge Information	Optional	25
`SAC`	Service, Promotion, Allowance, or Charge Information	Mandatory	1
`CUR`	Currency	Optional	1
`ITD`	Terms of Sale/Deferred Terms of Sale	Optional	>1
`DIS`	Discount Detail	Optional	20
`INC`	Installment Information	Optional	1
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	10
`LDT`	Lead Time	Optional	12
`LIN`	Item Identification	Optional	5
`SI`	Service Characteristic Identification	Optional	>1
`PID`	Product/Item Description	Optional	200
`MEA`	Measurements	Optional	40
`PWK`	Paperwork	Optional	25
`PKG`	Marking, Packaging, Loading	Optional	200
`TD1`	Carrier Details (Quantity and Weight)	Optional	2
`TD5`	Carrier Details (Routing Sequence/Transit Time)	Optional	12
`TD3`	Carrier Details (Equipment)	Optional	12
`TD4`	Carrier Details (Special Handling, or Hazardous Materials, or Both)	Optional	5
`MAN`	Marks and Numbers	Optional	10
`PCT`	Percent Amounts	Optional	>1
`CTB`	Restrictions/Conditions	Optional	5
`TXI`	Tax Information	Optional	>1
AMT loop	Monetary Amount	Optional	>1
`AMT`	Monetary Amount	Mandatory	1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	>1
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	1
`PCT`	Percent Amounts	Optional	>1
FA1 loop	Type of Financial Accounting Data	Optional	>1
`FA1`	Type of Financial Accounting Data	Mandatory	1
`FA2`	Accounting Data	Mandatory	>1
N9 loop	Reference Identification	Optional	1000
`N9`	Reference Identification	Mandatory	1
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	>1
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	1000
N1 loop	Name	Optional	200
`N1`	Name	Mandatory	1
`N2`	Additional Name Information	Optional	2
`N3`	Address Information	Optional	2
`N4`	Geographic Location	Optional	>1
`NX2`	Location ID Component	Optional	>1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	12
`PER`	Administrative Communications Contact	Optional	>1
`SI`	Service Characteristic Identification	Optional	>1
`FOB`	F.O.B. Related Instructions	Optional	1
`TD1`	Carrier Details (Quantity and Weight)	Optional	2
`TD5`	Carrier Details (Routing Sequence/Transit Time)	Optional	12
`TD3`	Carrier Details (Equipment)	Optional	12
`TD4`	Carrier Details (Special Handling, or Hazardous Materials, or Both)	Optional	5
`PKG`	Marking, Packaging, Loading	Optional	200
LM loop	Code Source Information	Optional	>1
`LM`	Code Source Information	Mandatory	1
`LQ`	Industry Code	Mandatory	>1
SPI loop	Specification Identifier	Optional	>1
`SPI`	Specification Identifier	Mandatory	1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	5
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	5
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	50
N1 loop	Name	Optional	20
`N1`	Name	Mandatory	1
`N2`	Additional Name Information	Optional	2
`N3`	Address Information	Optional	2
`N4`	Geographic Location	Optional	1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	20
`G61`	Contact	Optional	1
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	50
CB1 loop	Contract and Cost Accounting Standards Data	Optional	>1
`CB1`	Contract and Cost Accounting Standards Data	Mandatory	1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	20
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	5
`LDT`	Lead Time	Optional	1
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	50
ADV loop	Advertising Demographic Information	Optional	>1
`ADV`	Advertising Demographic Information	Mandatory	1
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	>1
`MTX`	Text	Optional	>1
PO1 loop	Baseline Item Data	Mandatory	100000
`PO1`	Baseline Item Data	Mandatory	1
`LIN`	Item Identification	Optional	>1
`SI`	Service Characteristic Identification	Optional	>1
`CUR`	Currency	Optional	1
`CN1`	Contract Information	Optional	1
`PO3`	Additional Item Detail	Optional	25
CTP loop	Pricing Information	Optional	>1
`CTP`	Pricing Information	Mandatory	1
`CUR`	Currency	Optional	1
`PAM`	Period Amount	Optional	10
`MEA`	Measurements	Optional	40
PID loop	Product/Item Description	Optional	1000
`PID`	Product/Item Description	Mandatory	1
`MEA`	Measurements	Optional	10
`PWK`	Paperwork	Optional	25
`PO4`	Item Physical Details	Optional	>1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	>1
`PER`	Administrative Communications Contact	Optional	3
SAC loop	Service, Promotion, Allowance, or Charge Information	Optional	25
`SAC`	Service, Promotion, Allowance, or Charge Information	Mandatory	1
`CUR`	Currency	Optional	1
`CTP`	Pricing Information	Optional	1
`IT8`	Conditions of Sale	Optional	1
`CSH`	Sales Requirements	Optional	>1
`ITD`	Terms of Sale/Deferred Terms of Sale	Optional	2
`DIS`	Discount Detail	Optional	20
`INC`	Installment Information	Optional	1
`TAX`	Tax Reference	Optional	>1
`FOB`	F.O.B. Related Instructions	Optional	>1
`SDQ`	Destination Quantity	Optional	500
`IT3`	Additional Item Data	Optional	5
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	10
`TC2`	Commodity	Optional	>1
`TD1`	Carrier Details (Quantity and Weight)	Optional	1
`TD5`	Carrier Details (Routing Sequence/Transit Time)	Optional	12
`TD3`	Carrier Details (Equipment)	Optional	12
`TD4`	Carrier Details (Special Handling, or Hazardous Materials, or Both)	Optional	5
`PCT`	Percent Amounts	Optional	>1
`MAN`	Marks and Numbers	Optional	10
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	>1
`SPI`	Specification Identifier	Optional	>1
`TXI`	Tax Information	Optional	>1
`CTB`	Restrictions/Conditions	Optional	>1
QTY loop	Quantity	Optional	>1
`QTY`	Quantity	Mandatory	1
`SI`	Service Characteristic Identification	Optional	>1
SCH loop	Line Item Schedule	Optional	200
`SCH`	Line Item Schedule	Mandatory	1
`TD1`	Carrier Details (Quantity and Weight)	Optional	2
`TD5`	Carrier Details (Routing Sequence/Transit Time)	Optional	12
`TD3`	Carrier Details (Equipment)	Optional	12
`TD4`	Carrier Details (Special Handling, or Hazardous Materials, or Both)	Optional	5
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	>1
PKG loop	Marking, Packaging, Loading	Optional	200
`PKG`	Marking, Packaging, Loading	Mandatory	1
`MEA`	Measurements	Optional	>1
LS loop	Loop Header	Optional	1
`LS`	Loop Header	Mandatory	1
LDT loop	Lead Time	Optional	>1
`LDT`	Lead Time	Mandatory	1
`QTY`	Quantity	Optional	>1
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	3
LM loop	Code Source Information	Optional	>1
`LM`	Code Source Information	Mandatory	1
`LQ`	Industry Code	Mandatory	>1
`LE`	Loop Trailer	Mandatory	1
N9 loop	Reference Identification	Optional	1000
`N9`	Reference Identification	Mandatory	1
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	>1
`MEA`	Measurements	Optional	40
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	1000
N1 loop	Name	Optional	200
`N1`	Name	Mandatory	1
`N2`	Additional Name Information	Optional	2
`N3`	Address Information	Optional	2
`N4`	Geographic Location	Optional	1
`QTY`	Quantity	Optional	>1
`NX2`	Location ID Component	Optional	>1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	12
`PER`	Administrative Communications Contact	Optional	3
`SI`	Service Characteristic Identification	Optional	>1
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	1
`FOB`	F.O.B. Related Instructions	Optional	1
`SCH`	Line Item Schedule	Optional	200
`TD1`	Carrier Details (Quantity and Weight)	Optional	2
`TD5`	Carrier Details (Routing Sequence/Transit Time)	Optional	12
`TD3`	Carrier Details (Equipment)	Optional	12
`TD4`	Carrier Details (Special Handling, or Hazardous Materials, or Both)	Optional	5
`PKG`	Marking, Packaging, Loading	Optional	200
LDT loop	Lead Time	Optional	>1
`LDT`	Lead Time	Mandatory	1
`MAN`	Marks and Numbers	Optional	10
`QTY`	Quantity	Optional	5
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	3
SLN loop	Subline Item Detail	Optional	1000
`SLN`	Subline Item Detail	Mandatory	1
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	>1
`SI`	Service Characteristic Identification	Optional	>1
`PID`	Product/Item Description	Optional	1000
`PO3`	Additional Item Detail	Optional	104
`TC2`	Commodity	Optional	>1
`ADV`	Advertising Demographic Information	Optional	>1
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	10
`CTP`	Pricing Information	Optional	25
`PAM`	Period Amount	Optional	10
`PO4`	Item Physical Details	Optional	1
`TAX`	Tax Reference	Optional	3
N9 loop	Reference Identification	Optional	>1
`N9`	Reference Identification	Mandatory	1
`DTM`	Date/Time Reference	Optional	>1
`MSG`	Message Text	Optional	>1
SAC loop	Service, Promotion, Allowance, or Charge Information	Optional	25
`SAC`	Service, Promotion, Allowance, or Charge Information	Mandatory	1
`CUR`	Currency	Optional	1
`CTP`	Pricing Information	Optional	1
QTY loop	Quantity	Optional	>1
`QTY`	Quantity	Mandatory	1
`SI`	Service Characteristic Identification	Optional	>1
N1 loop	Name	Optional	10
`N1`	Name	Mandatory	1
`N2`	Additional Name Information	Optional	2
`N3`	Address Information	Optional	2
`N4`	Geographic Location	Optional	1
`NX2`	Location ID Component	Optional	>1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	12
`PER`	Administrative Communications Contact	Optional	3
`SI`	Service Characteristic Identification	Optional	>1
AMT loop	Monetary Amount	Optional	>1
`AMT`	Monetary Amount	Mandatory	1
`REF`	Reference Identification	Optional	1
`PCT`	Percent Amounts	Optional	>1
LM loop	Code Source Information	Optional	>1
`LM`	Code Source Information	Mandatory	1
`LQ`	Industry Code	Mandatory	>1
CTT loop	Transaction Totals	Optional	1
`CTT`	Transaction Totals	Mandatory	1
`AMT`	Monetary Amount	Optional	1
`SE`	Transaction Set Trailer	Mandatory	1

Mandatory segments must be sent, Optional ones only when the data applies. Trading partners often add their own rules in companion guides - ediFabric templates can be adjusted to match. Open the element-level definition in the EdiNation spec library.

Sample 850 file

A tax-exempt purchase order for one line item, from the X12 examples. Paste it into EdiNation to see every element named and validated.

ISA*00*          *00*          *16*SENDER1        *1B*RECEIVER1      *071216*1406*U*00204*000000263*1*T*>~
GS*IN*SENDER1*RECEIVER1*20071216*1406*000000001*X*004010~
ST*850*0001~
BEG*00*SA*XX-1234**20170301**NA~
PER*BD*ED SMITH*TE*8001234567~
TAX*53247765*SP*CA*********9~
N1*BY*ABC AEROSPACE*9*1234567890101~
N2*AIRCRAFT DIVISION~
N3*2000 JET BLVD~
N4*FIGHTER TOWN*CA*98898~
PO1*1*25*EA*36*PE*MG*XYZ-1234~
MEA*WT*WT*10*OZ~
IT8*******B0~
SCH*25*EA***106*20170615~
CTT*1~
AMT*TT*900~
SE*15*0001~
GE*1*000000001~
IEA*1*000000263~

The same 850 as JSON

ediFabric turns every loop, segment and element into a named field. This is the transaction from the sample, in the JSON that ediFabric Native and Cloud return and accept.

{
  "ST": {
    "TransactionSetIdentifierCode_01": "850",
    "TransactionSetControlNumber_02": "0001"
  },
  "BEG": {
    "TransactionSetPurposeCode_01": "00",
    "PurchaseOrderTypeCode_02": "SA",
    "PurchaseOrderNumber_03": "XX-1234",
    "Date_05": "20170301",
    "AcknowledgmentType_07": "NA"
  },
  "PER": [
    {
      "ContactFunctionCode_01": "BD",
      "Name_02": "ED SMITH",
      "CommunicationNumberQualifier_03": "TE",
      "CommunicationNumber_04": "8001234567"
    }
  ],
  "TAX": [
    {
      "TaxIdentificationNumber_01": "53247765",
      "LocationQualifier_02": "SP",
      "LocationIdentifier_03": "CA",
      "TaxExemptCode_12": "9"
    }
  ],
  "N1Loop": [
    {
      "N1": {
        "EntityIdentifierCode_01": "BY",
        "Name_02": "ABC AEROSPACE",
        "IdentificationCodeQualifier_03": "9",
        "IdentificationCode_04": "1234567890101"
      },
      "N2": [
        {
          "Name_01": "AIRCRAFT DIVISION"
        }
      ],
      "N3": [
        {
          "AddressInformation_01": "2000 JET BLVD"
        }
      ],
      "N4": [
        {
          "CityName_01": "FIGHTER TOWN",
          "StateorProvinceCode_02": "CA",
          "PostalCode_03": "98898"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "PO1Loop": [
    {
      "PO1": {
        "AssignedIdentification_01": "1",
        "QuantityOrdered_02": "25",
        "UnitorBasisforMeasurementCode_03": "EA",
        "UnitPrice_04": "36",
        "BasisofUnitPriceCode_05": "PE",
        "ProductServiceIDQualifier_06": "MG",
        "ProductServiceID_07": "XYZ-1234"
      },
      "MEA": [
        {
          "MeasurementReferenceIDCode_01": "WT",
          "MeasurementQualifier_02": "WT",
          "MeasurementValue_03": "10",
          "CompositeUnitofMeasure_04": {
            "UnitorBasisforMeasurementCode_01": "OZ"
          }
        }
      ],
      "IT8": {
        "ProductServiceSubstitutionCode_07": "B0"
      },
      "SCHLoop": [
        {
          "SCH": {
            "Quantity_01": "25",
            "UnitorBasisforMeasurementCode_02": "EA",
            "DateTimeQualifier_05": "106",
            "Date_06": "20170615"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "CTTLoop": {
    "CTT": {
      "NumberofLineItems_01": "1"
    },
    "AMT": {
      "AmountQualifierCode_01": "TT",
      "MonetaryAmount_02": "900"
    }
  },
  "SE": {
    "NumberofIncludedSegments_01": "15",
    "TransactionSetControlNumber_02": "0001"
  }
}

Parse and validate an 850 file

Read the file into typed objects with ediFabric .NET, convert it to JSON in process with the ediFabric Native bindings for Python, Java and C, or post it to the ediFabric Cloud REST API from any language.

.NET
Python
Java
C
Cloud

using EdiFabric.Templates.X12004010;

License.SetSerial("YOUR_SERIAL_KEY");

using (var stream = File.OpenRead(@"C:\edi\PurchaseOrder.txt"))
using (var reader = new X12Reader(stream, "EdiFabric.Templates.X12"))
{
    var items = await reader.ReadToEndAsync();
    foreach (var transaction in items.OfType<TS850>())
    {
        if (transaction.IsValid(out MessageErrorContext errors))
            Console.WriteLine($"{transaction.ST.TransactionSetControlNumber_02} is valid");
        else
            Console.WriteLine(string.Join(Environment.NewLine, errors.Flatten()));
    }
} Install and get started 850 example project Walkthrough
import json
import edifabric_x12 as ef

serial = "YOUR_SERIAL_KEY"
ef.load_library()
ef.set_serial(serial)
ef.set_map(json.dumps({"default": serial, "maps": {}}))

edi = open("PurchaseOrder.txt", "rb").read()
output, offset = ef.parse(edi, ef.ParseMode.JSON_VALIDATE)
transactions = output[:offset]
report = json.loads(output[offset:])
print(report["errors_count"]) Python bindingsediFabric Native
import com.edifabric.nativex12.EdiFabricX12;
import com.edifabric.nativex12.ParseMode;
import com.edifabric.nativex12.ParseResult;

String serial = "YOUR_SERIAL_KEY";
EdiFabricX12.loadLibrary();
EdiFabricX12.setSerial(serial);
EdiFabricX12.setMap("{\"default\":\"" + serial + "\",\"maps\":{}}");

String edi = Files.readString(Path.of("PurchaseOrder.txt"));
ParseResult result = EdiFabricX12.parse(edi, ParseMode.JSON_VALIDATE);
System.out.println(result.getTransactions());
System.out.println(result.getReport()); Java bindingsediFabric Native
#include "edifabric_x12.h"

const char *serial = "YOUR_SERIAL_KEY";
ef_parse_result result;

if (ef_load_library(NULL) != 0)
    return 1;
ef_set_serial(serial);
ef_set_map("{\"default\":\"YOUR_SERIAL_KEY\",\"maps\":{}}");

char *edi = read_file("PurchaseOrder.txt", NULL);   /* helper in example_all_functions.c */
if (ef_parse(edi, EF_PARSE_JSON_VALIDATE, NULL, &result) == 0) {
    /* transactions = output[0 .. offset), report = output[offset .. length) */
    fwrite(result.output.data, 1, (size_t)result.output.length, stdout);
    ef_free(result.output.data);
} C bindingsediFabric Native
curl -X POST 'https://api.edination.com/v2/x12/read' \
-H 'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key: YOUR_SERIAL_KEY' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/octet-stream' \
--data-binary '@PurchaseOrder.txt' TranslateValidateediFabric Cloud

Generate an 850 file

Populate a TS850 object in .NET, or pass JSON in the shape shown above to ediFabric Native or ediFabric Cloud, and get a valid 850 file back.

.NET
Python
Java
C
Cloud

using EdiFabric.Templates.X12004010;

License.SetSerial("YOUR_SERIAL_KEY");

var transaction = new TS850();

//  Indicates the start of a purchase order transaction set and assigns a control number.
transaction.ST = new ST();
transaction.ST.TransactionSetIdentifierCode_01 = "850";
transaction.ST.TransactionSetControlNumber_02 = "0001";

//  Indicates that this is original purchase order number XX-1234, dated March 1, 2017, and that no acknowledgment is necessary.
transaction.BEG = new BEG();
transaction.BEG.TransactionSetPurposeCode_01 = "00";
transaction.BEG.PurchaseOrderTypeCode_02 = "SA";
transaction.BEG.PurchaseOrderNumber_03 = "XX-1234";
transaction.BEG.Date_05 = "20170301";
transaction.BEG.AcknowledgmentType_07 = "NA";

//  Repeating PER
transaction.PER = new List<PER>();

// ... set the remaining loops and segments the same way

// SegmentBuilders is in the Common project of the example repository
using (var stream = new MemoryStream())
{
    using (var writer = new X12Writer(stream))
    {
        writer.Write(SegmentBuilders.BuildIsa("1"));
        writer.Write(SegmentBuilders.BuildGs("1"));
        writer.Write(transaction);
    }
    Console.WriteLine(Encoding.UTF8.GetString(stream.ToArray()));
} Install and get started Full 850 build methodExample repository
import json
import edifabric_x12 as ef

serial = "YOUR_SERIAL_KEY"
ef.load_library()
ef.set_serial(serial)
ef.set_map(json.dumps({"default": serial, "maps": {}}))

# the transactions JSON returned by ef.parse, edited or produced by your application
transactions = open("PurchaseOrder.json", "rb").read()
edi = ef.build(transactions, postfix="\r\n")
print(edi) Python bindings
import com.edifabric.nativex12.EdiFabricX12;

String serial = "YOUR_SERIAL_KEY";
EdiFabricX12.loadLibrary();
EdiFabricX12.setSerial(serial);
EdiFabricX12.setMap("{\"default\":\"" + serial + "\",\"maps\":{}}");

// the transactions JSON returned by parse, edited or produced by your application
String transactions = Files.readString(Path.of("PurchaseOrder.json"));
String edi = EdiFabricX12.build(transactions, "\r\n");
System.out.println(edi); Java bindings
#include "edifabric_x12.h"

ef_buffer edi;

if (ef_load_library(NULL) != 0)
    return 1;
ef_set_serial("YOUR_SERIAL_KEY");
ef_set_map("{\"default\":\"YOUR_SERIAL_KEY\",\"maps\":{}}");

/* the transactions JSON returned by ef_parse, edited or produced by your application */
char *transactions = read_file("PurchaseOrder.json", NULL);
if (ef_build(transactions, "\r\n", &edi) == 0) {
    fwrite(edi.data, 1, (size_t)edi.length, stdout);
    ef_free(edi.data);
} C bindings
# the JSON returned by /read, edited or produced by your application
curl -X POST 'https://api.edination.com/v2/x12/write' \
-H 'Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key: YOUR_SERIAL_KEY' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-binary '@PurchaseOrder.json' \
-o 'PurchaseOrder.txt' How-tosediFabric Cloud

850 questions

What documents follow an 850?

The supplier returns a 997 functional acknowledgment, often an 855 purchase order acknowledgment, then an 856 ship notice when the goods ship and an 810 invoice.

How do I change or cancel an 850?

With an 860 purchase order change request, or by resending the 850 with BEG01 set to 01 (cancellation) or 05 (replace) when the trading partner allows it.

Why do retailers have their own 850 specifications?

The X12 standard is broad, so each trading partner publishes an implementation guide with the segments, qualifiers and codes it uses. ediFabric templates can be adjusted to match.

How do I parse and generate X12 850 files in .NET, Python, Java and C?

In .NET, install EdiFabric and EdiFabric.Templates.X12, read the file with X12Reader into TS850 objects and write them back with X12Writer. From Python, Java or C, use ediFabric Native, which converts 850 files to JSON and JSON back to X12 inside your process. From any other language, post the file to the ediFabric Cloud REST API.

Related transactions

X12 855 - Purchase Order Acknowledgment
X12 856 - Ship Notice/Manifest (ASN)
X12 810 - Invoice
EDIFACT ORDERS - Purchase Order
All EDI transactions →

X12 850 Purchase Order

At a glance