X12 transaction code
EDI 211 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading (X12 211)
EDI 211 is the X12 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading transaction set, used when shipment details are ready for the carrier. The shipper, or another party such as a 3PL or freight forwarder that contracts with the motor carrier, sends the 211 to the carrier transporting the goods.
- Standard
- X12
- Code
- 211
- Partner references
- 2
At a glance
EDI 211 at a glance
What the 211 carries, who sends it to whom, when it goes out, and the segments trading partners list for it.
| Document | X12 211 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading |
|---|---|
| Business record | Motor-carrier bill of lading |
| Who sends it to whom | The shipper, or another party such as a 3PL or freight forwarder that contracts with the motor carrier, sends the 211 to the carrier transporting the goods. |
| When it is sent | A shipper finalizes the bill of lading for freight being handed to a motor carrier and transmits it electronically instead of issuing a paper BOL. |
| Match on | Bill of lading, shipment and handling-unit references |
| Partner references | 2 trading partners in this directory |
| Related documents | X12 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender, X12 214 Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message, X12 210 Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice |
Key segments in an EDI 211
The business segments that appear in at least half of the 2 partner document references listed below, most common first. The table leaves out envelope segments (ISA, GS, ST, SE, GE, IEA). Your partner guide sets which segments and elements your account must send.
| Segment | Name | Purpose | Partner references |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOL | Beginning Segment for the Motor Carrier Bill of Lading | To transmit identifying numbers, dates, and other basic data related to the transaction set. | 2 of 2 |
| B2A | Set Purpose | To allow for positive identification of transaction set purpose. | 2 of 2 |
| L11 | Business Instructions and Reference Number | To specify instructions in this business relationship or a reference number. | 2 of 2 |
| G62 | Date/Time | To specify pertinent dates and times. | 2 of 2 |
| K1 | Remarks | To transmit information in a free-form format for comment or special instruction. | 2 of 2 |
| N1 | Party Identification | To identify a party by type of organization, name, and code. | 2 of 2 |
| N3 | Party Location | To specify the location of the named party. | 2 of 2 |
| N4 | Geographic Location | To specify the geographic place of the named party. | 2 of 2 |
| G61 | Contact | To identify a person or office to whom communications should be directed. | 2 of 2 |
| AT1 | Bill of Lading Line Item Number | To reference a Bill of Lading line number. | 2 of 2 |
Stacksync connects EDI documents such as the X12 211 to your ERP, CRM and databases with two-way sync. Read the EDI overview, check pricing and security, or book a demo to walk through your partner guide.
Implementation guide
X12 211 mapping and validation
X12 211 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading is used when shipment details are ready for the carrier. Preserve bill of lading, shipment and handling-unit references so the motor-carrier bill of lading in your business system stays connected to the original document.
Use the version and implementation guide agreed with your trading partner to confirm required fields and responses.
| Document or decision | Record and matching IDs | What to test |
|---|---|---|
| Match the business record | motor-carrier bill of lading bill of lading, shipment and handling-unit references |
|
| Update the receiving system | Processing the motor-carrier bill of lading ID assigned by the receiving system and processing result |
|
| Check the processing result | Processing status for the motor-carrier bill of lading Original document reference and matching response |
|
How the related documents differ
Each message represents a different business event. Use shared references to connect the records while tracking each message’s outcome separately.
- X12 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender
load tender: a shipper offers a load to a carrier.
- X12 214 Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message
shipment status event: the carrier reports a transport milestone or exception.
- X12 210 Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice
freight invoice: transport charges are ready for audit.
Implementation steps
-
Choose the starting event and owner
Decide which application acts when shipment details are ready for the carrier. Name the operational owner of the motor-carrier bill of lading and the team that resolves rejected or ambiguous messages.
-
Keep record IDs connected
Map bill of lading, shipment and handling-unit references. Confirm qualifiers, code lists, units and date/time meaning against the agreed X12 version and partner guide. Preserve the source reference alongside any new destination identifier.
-
Test failures before launch
Run the failure cases in the mapping table against realistic motor-carrier bill of lading data. Check how the receiving system reports a rejection and how your team corrects it without creating a duplicate.
-
Track every document to completion
Record transport delivery and document validation separately from successful motor-carrier bill of lading processing. Give unresolved errors an owner and check the receiving system before approving retries.
Go-live checklist
- An approved 211 sample and the agreed version and partner guide are available.
- The mapping tests pass with realistic motor-carrier bill of lading data.
- Each submitted document can be traced through delivery, validation and processing in the receiving system.
- Your team knows how to investigate and recover a rejected or timed-out motor-carrier bill of lading without processing it twice.
Document structure
X12 211 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading at the element level
The X12 211 reference contains 22 segment entries and 78 data elements; 43 are marked mandatory in this reference. Use the version and partner guide agreed for your account to confirm required fields.
- Segments
- 22
- Data elements
- 78
- Mandatory elements
- 43
| Segment | Elements | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|
| BOL | 4 | 4 |
| B2A | 1 | 1 |
| K1 | 1 | 1 |
| N1 | 4 | 1 |
| N2 | 1 | 1 |
| N3 | 2 | 1 |
| G61 | 4 | 2 |
| AT1 | 1 | 1 |
| AT2 | 8 | 3 |
| MAN | 2 | 2 |
- Standard Carrier Alpha Code
- Shipment Method of Payment
- Shipment Identification Number
- Date
- Transaction Set Purpose Code
- Free-form Information
- Entity Identifier Code
- Name
Find your trading partner for X12 211
2 partners, 2 channels. Choose a channel to inspect its listed document reference and implementation context.
Catalog breakdown
Where X12 211 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading appears in this catalog
The largest groups of classified 211 catalog entries are in grocery & food and automotive.
By industry
- grocery & food 1 channel
- automotive 1 channel
FAQ
EDI 211 questions
What is an EDI 211?
EDI 211 is the X12 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading transaction set. Trading partners use it when shipment details are ready for the carrier. It carries the data for the motor-carrier bill of lading, and your system matches it on bill of lading, shipment and handling-unit references.
Who sends an EDI 211 and who receives it?
The shipper, or another party such as a 3PL or freight forwarder that contracts with the motor carrier, sends the 211 to the carrier transporting the goods. Your trading partner agreement confirms the direction and version for your account.
When is an EDI 211 sent?
A shipper finalizes the bill of lading for freight being handed to a motor carrier and transmits it electronically instead of issuing a paper BOL. Your partner guide sets any deadline or schedule for the document.
What are the key segments in an EDI 211?
Across 2 partner document references listed here, the business segments that appear most often include BOL (Beginning Segment for the Motor Carrier Bill of Lading), B2A (Set Purpose), L11 (Business Instructions and Reference Number), G62 (Date/Time), K1 (Remarks), N1 (Party Identification). Each partner guide sets which segments and elements your account must send.
What is the difference between EDI 211 and EDI 204?
The 211 carries the motor-carrier bill of lading and is used when shipment details are ready for the carrier. The 204 carries the load tender and is used when a shipper offers a load to a carrier.
What should I map for X12 211?
Start with bill of lading, shipment and handling-unit references and the target motor-carrier bill of lading. Define duplicate detection, allowed updates and response correlation before mapping individual fields. Use the partner guide to check required fields and their formats.
How should I test 211 error handling?
Reconcile package counts and weight across multiple commodity lines. Test a consignee change without silently rewriting a bill already used at pickup. Also test a lost response after destination processing so that a retry cannot create an unintended duplicate or repeated adjustment.
Which partners list X12 211?
The directory on this page links 2 partner entries that list this message. Choose your partner and channel, then confirm which messages and versions your account requires.
Connect EDI to your business systems
See how Stacksync can fit your enterprise EDI workflow. Bring one partner guide and a sample exchange to plan the system mapping, exception handling and production rollout.
