X12 transaction code
EDI 846 Inventory Inquiry/Advice (X12 846)
EDI 846 is the X12 Inventory Inquiry/Advice transaction set, used when stock availability is reported or requested. A supplier, warehouse, or 3PL usually sends the 846 to a retailer, marketplace, or distributor. A buyer can also send it as an inventory inquiry.
- Standard
- X12
- Code
- 846
- Partner references
- 117
At a glance
EDI 846 at a glance
What the 846 carries, who sends it to whom, when it goes out, and the segments trading partners list for it.
| Document | X12 846 Inventory Inquiry/Advice |
|---|---|
| Business record | Inventory availability record |
| Who sends it to whom | A supplier, warehouse, or 3PL usually sends the 846 to a retailer, marketplace, or distributor. A buyer can also send it as an inventory inquiry. |
| When it is sent | The sender publishes a scheduled inventory snapshot, often daily or intraday per retailer requirements, or pushes a stock-status change to its selling channels. |
| Match on | Item, location, quantity type and snapshot time |
| Partner references | 117 trading partners in this directory |
| Related documents | X12 832 Price/Sales Catalog, X12 850 Purchase Order, X12 852 Product Activity Data |
Key segments in an EDI 846
The business segments that appear in at least half of the 135 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIA | Beginning Segment for Inventory Inquiry/Advice | To indicate the beginning of an Inventory Inquiry/Advice Transaction Set. | 135 of 135 |
| LIN | Item Identification | To specify basic item identification data. | 135 of 135 |
| QTY | Quantity | To specify quantity information. | 132 of 135 |
| REF | Reference Identification | To specify identifying information. | 110 of 135 |
| DTM | Date/Time Reference | To specify pertinent dates and times. | 98 of 135 |
| CTT | Transaction Totals | To transmit a hash total for a specific element in the transaction set. | 96 of 135 |
| PID | Product/Item Description | To describe a product or process in coded or free-form format. | 89 of 135 |
Stacksync connects EDI documents such as the X12 846 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 846 mapping and validation
X12 846 Inventory Inquiry/Advice is used when stock availability is reported or requested. Preserve item, location, quantity type and snapshot time so the inventory availability record 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 | inventory availability record item, location, quantity type and snapshot time |
|
| Update the receiving system | Processing the inventory availability record ID assigned by the receiving system and processing result |
|
| Check the processing result | Processing status for the inventory availability record 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 832 Price/Sales Catalog
product and price catalog: catalog entries or commercial details are published.
- X12 850 Purchase Order
purchase order or sales order: a buyer places an order.
- X12 852 Product Activity Data
product activity report: product sales or inventory activity is reported.
Implementation steps
-
Choose the starting event and owner
Decide which application acts when stock availability is reported or requested. Name the operational owner of the inventory availability record and the team that resolves rejected or ambiguous messages.
-
Keep record IDs connected
Map item, location, quantity type and snapshot time. 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 inventory availability record 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 inventory availability record processing. Give unresolved errors an owner and check the receiving system before approving retries.
Go-live checklist
- An approved 846 sample and the agreed version and partner guide are available.
- The mapping tests pass with realistic inventory availability record 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 inventory availability record without processing it twice.
Document structure
X12 846 Inventory Inquiry/Advice at the element level
The X12 846 reference contains 26 segment entries and 77 data elements; 48 are marked mandatory in this reference. Use the version and partner guide agreed for your account to confirm required fields.
- Segments
- 26
- Data elements
- 77
- Mandatory elements
- 48
| Segment | Elements | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|
| BIA | 5 | 4 |
| N1 | 4 | 1 |
| LIN | 7 | 2 |
| REF | 2 | 1 |
| QTY | 2 | 1 |
| DTM | 4 | 1 |
| SCH | 7 | 4 |
| LS | 1 | 1 |
| LE | 1 | 1 |
| N2 | 2 | 1 |
- Transaction Set Purpose Code
- Report Type Code
- Reference Identification
- Date
- Entity Identifier Code
- Product/Service ID Qualifier
- Product/Service ID
- Reference Identification Qualifier
Find your trading partner for X12 846
117 partners, 137 channels. Choose a channel to inspect its listed document reference and implementation context.
- AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service)
- Al's Sporting Goods
- Altair Eyewear
- Amazon
- American Signature, Inc.
- Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC
- AutoZone
- BabyList
- Backcountry.com
- BASS PRO DSCO
- Bass Pro Outdoor World LLC
- Bealls Inc.
- Belk
- Best Buy
- Beyond, Inc. (fka Overstock.com)
- Bison Office
- BJ's Wholesale Club
- Bloomingdale's
- Bluestem Dropship
- Boscov's Department Stores
- BrandX
- Browns Shoe Fit Company
- Camping World
- Canadian Tire Corporation
- Cavender's
- Chewy
- Cole Haan
- Costco
- Crate & Barrel
- Dick's Sporting Goods
- Dillard's Department Stores, Inc.
- DSW (formerly Shoes.com)
- DSW Inc.
- Evereve.com
- ExpertVoice
- Family Farm & Home, Inc.
- Fanatics
- Fastenal
- Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
- Food52
- Glen's Army Navy (Glen's Outdoors)
- Global Industrial Company
- GovX Inc.
- Harlem Furniture (formerly known as The RoomPlace)
- HD Supply (via Logicbroker)
- HD Supply Holdings, Inc.
- Houzz
- Indigo Books & Music Inc.
- Ingram Micro
- JCPenney
- Jerome's Furniture
- JOANN
- Jordan's Furniture
- Joy
- Kirkland's, Inc.
- Leslies Poolmart Inc.
- Living Spaces
- Lowe's
- Lumens, Inc.
- Macy's
- Marchon Eyewear
- MARQUEE
- Master Electronics
- Mathis Home
- Mattress Firm (via SPS Commerce)
- McGee & Co.
- Men's Wearhouse via DSCO
- Michaels Stores
- MidwayUSA
- Mountain High Outfitters
- MSC Industrial Supply Co.
- Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM)
- Neiman Marcus
- NEXCOM (Navy Exchange Service Command)
- Nexemo (via Logicbroker)
- NLS (National Logistics Services)
- Nordstrom
- Optics Planet
- Peltz Shoes
- PetSmart
- QVC
- QVC Group (dba Cornerstone Brands Inc)
- RACK ROOM SHOES
- Rally House
- Raymour & Flanigan
- RJW Logistics, LLC
- Road Runner Sports
- Rooms To Go
- Rue Gilt Groupe (formerly Retail Convergence)
- Saks Fifth Avenue & Saks OFF 5th
- Scheels All Sports, Inc.
- Sheplers
- Shoe Carnival Drop Ship
- Shopbop (BOP LLC)
- Sports Basement
- Sportsman's Guide
- Sportsman's Warehouse
- Staples Advantage
- Staples Inc.
- Stord
- Summit Racing Equipment
- Superior Communications
- Sur La Table
- Target
- The Aaron's Company, Inc.
- The Home Depot
- The Paper Store
- URBN
- Ventura Foods
- VEYER, LLC
- Walmart
- Wayfair LLC
- West Coast Kids
- Williams Sonoma
- Zappos
- Zoro Tools, Inc.
Catalog breakdown
Where X12 846 Inventory Inquiry/Advice appears in this catalog
The largest groups of classified 846 catalog entries are in retail, apparel & footwear and e-commerce & marketplaces.
By industry
- retail 34 channels
- apparel & footwear 31 channels
- e-commerce & marketplaces 21 channels
- furniture & home 20 channels
- building & hardware 7 channels
- electronics & technology 7 channels
By network
- SPS Commerce 29 channels
- Rithum 24 channels
- Logicbroker 9 channels
- TrueCommerce 8 channels
- InterTrade 2 channels
- CommerceHub 2 channels
FAQ
EDI 846 questions
What is an EDI 846?
EDI 846 is the X12 Inventory Inquiry/Advice transaction set. Trading partners use it when stock availability is reported or requested. It carries the data for the inventory availability record, and your system matches it on item, location, quantity type and snapshot time.
Who sends an EDI 846 and who receives it?
A supplier, warehouse, or 3PL usually sends the 846 to a retailer, marketplace, or distributor. A buyer can also send it as an inventory inquiry. Your trading partner agreement confirms the direction and version for your account.
When is an EDI 846 sent?
The sender publishes a scheduled inventory snapshot, often daily or intraday per retailer requirements, or pushes a stock-status change to its selling channels. Your partner guide sets any deadline or schedule for the document.
What are the key segments in an EDI 846?
Across 135 partner document references listed here, the business segments that appear most often include BIA (Beginning Segment for Inventory Inquiry/Advice), LIN (Item Identification), QTY (Quantity), REF (Reference Identification), DTM (Date/Time Reference), CTT (Transaction Totals). Each partner guide sets which segments and elements your account must send.
What is the difference between EDI 846 and EDI 832?
The 846 carries the inventory availability record and is used when stock availability is reported or requested. The 832 carries the product and price catalog and is used when catalog entries or commercial details are published.
What should I map for X12 846?
Start with item, location, quantity type and snapshot time and the target inventory availability record. 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 846 error handling?
Distinguish on-hand, available and reserved quantities before publishing availability. Deliver an old snapshot after a new one and prevent stale stock from replacing current values. Also test a lost response after destination processing so that a retry cannot create an unintended duplicate or repeated adjustment.
Which partners list X12 846?
The directory on this page links 117 partner entries that list this message. Choose your partner and channel, then confirm which messages and versions your account requires.
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