X12 transaction guide · Planning
EDI 846 Inventory Inquiry/Advice
The X12 document used to share inventory levels and availability between trading partners.
- Sent by
- Supplier, manufacturer or warehouse
- Received by
- Retailer, distributor or marketplace
- Standard
- ANSI ASC X12
- EDIFACT equivalent
- INVRPT
What is an EDI 846?
The EDI 846 Inventory Inquiry/Advice is the ANSI X12 transaction set used to communicate inventory information. Most often a supplier sends it to a retailer or marketplace to report how much of each item is available to sell, and sometimes on order, committed or expected to arrive.
The 846 is essential in drop-ship and online selling, where the retailer displays availability to shoppers but the supplier holds the stock. Out-of-date inventory leads to orders that cannot be filled, cancellations and damaged supplier scorecards, so many programs expect inventory feeds several times a day.
How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 846, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 004010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 846 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.
When it is used
- Drop-ship suppliers sharing available inventory with retailers
- Distributors publishing availability to customers
- Warehouses reporting stock positions to inventory owners
- Vendor-managed inventory programs
Where it fits in the document flow
Structure
Key segments in the 846
The segments most implementations use, described in plain language. The last column shows what X12 release 004010 itself requires: "Required" marks a segment the standard requires in every 846; "Optional, common" marks a segment the standard leaves optional, or that sits in an optional loop, but that implementations often use. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, makes some optional segments mandatory and restricts the values, and requirements can differ between releases. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.
| Segment | Name | What it carries | In X12 004010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIA | Beginning Segment for Inventory Inquiry/Advice | Purpose code, report type, reference number and date of the inventory report. | Required |
| N1 loop | Party Identification | The location or warehouse the inventory belongs to. | Optional, common |
| LIN | Item Identification | Product identifiers such as UPC, vendor item or buyer item numbers. | Required |
| QTY | Quantity | Inventory quantities by type, such as available, on hand or on order. | Optional, common |
| SCH | Line Item Schedule | Expected availability dates for future quantities. | Optional, common |
Example
Sample EDI 846
An inventory report dated the same day showing 150 units of one item available for sale (QTY qualifier 33). BIA02 code MM identifies a manufacturer inventory report. X12 also defines codes such as DD (distributor inventory report) and SI (seller inventory report), and each trading partner specifies the code it expects.
Illustrative data only, not tied to one X12 release or trading partner. The interchange (ISA/IEA) and functional group (GS/GE) envelopes are omitted for readability.
ST*846*0001~
BIA*00*MM*INV20261020*20261020~
LIN**UP*012345678905~
QTY*33*150*EA~
SE*5*0001~The sample is the same one shown above, with a note beside each segment the first time it appears. Segment IDs are highlighted at the start of each line; the fields after them are separated by asterisks, and each segment ends with a tilde.
Avoid problems
Common 846 errors and how to prevent them
Stale inventory
Feeds sent too rarely cause oversells. Match feed frequency to the partner's requirements and your sales velocity.
Not reserving for other channels
Publishing the same stock to every channel without safety stock leads to oversells across channels.
Unknown items
Items must be set up with the partner before inventory updates for them are accepted.
Trading partners
Integration guides that include the 846
EDI 846 FAQs
How often should an 846 be sent?
It depends on the partner's program. Drop-ship programs often expect several updates a day, while others accept daily feeds.
Is the 846 only for drop-ship?
No. It is also used by distributors, warehouses and vendor-managed inventory programs.
Can APIs replace the 846?
Marketplaces and some retailers accept inventory through APIs. Many retail drop-ship programs still require the 846.
More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.
Need help with the EDI 846?
ECOM maps, tests and monitors X12 documents for your trading partners and integrates them with your ERP.