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EDIFACT message guide · Transport

IFTMCA Consignment advice

The UN/EDIFACT message that gives prior notice of a consignment delivery, including hazardous details, for shipment, consolidation or insurance.

Sent by
Shipper, forwarder or party issuing a transport contract
Received by
Forwarder, consolidator, carrier or insurer
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT IFTMCA message?

IFTMCA is the UN/EDIFACT consignment advice message. The directory defines it as a message conveying prior notification of a consignment delivery, including non-hazardous and hazardous details, for subsequent shipment or consolidation. It can also convey a consignment advice for insurance from the party issuing a transport instruction or contract to the insurer.

Forwarders use the advance notice to plan consolidation and capacity before goods arrive at their warehouse, and shippers use it to declare consignments under cargo insurance policies. It is sent before the goods are delivered.

How the EDIFACT IFTMCA message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT IFTMCA Consignment advice message. Shipper, forwarder or party issuing a transport contract sends it to forwarder, consolidator, carrier or insurer. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by IFCSUM and IFTICL. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG8 loop with TDT (Transport information) and the required SG13 loop with NAD (Name and address). 15 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT IFTMCA message worksConsignment advice: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeIFTMCASENDERShipper, forwarder orparty issuing atransport contractRECEIVERForwarder,consolidator, carrier orinsurerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYIFCSUMForwarding andconsolidation summaryIFTICLCargo insuranceclaims2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage IFTMCAUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG8 · repeats up to 99TDTTransport informationMandatory group SG13 · repeats up to 99NADName and address+ 15 conditional groups, starting with:LOCTODRFFGORTCCICDCTADOCGIDEQDBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for IFTMCA. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT IFTMCA message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT IFTMCA Consignment advice message. Shipper, forwarder or party issuing a transport contract sends it to forwarder, consolidator, carrier or insurer. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by IFCSUM and IFTICL. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG8 loop with TDT (Transport information) and the required SG13 loop with NAD (Name and address). 15 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT IFTMCAmessage worksConsignment advice: who sends it, where it fitsand what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeIFTMCASENDERShipper,forwarder orparty issuing atransportcontractRECEIVERForwarder,consolidator,carrier orinsurerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYIFCSUMForwarding and consolidationsummaryIFTICLCargo insurance claims2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message IFTMCA (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG8 · repeats upto 99TDTTransport informationMandatory group SG13 · repeats upto 99NADName and address+ 15 conditional groups, starting with:LOCTODRFFGORTCCICDCTADOCGIDEQDBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for IFTMCA.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends IFTMCA, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around IFTMCA and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Pre-notifying a forwarder of goods for consolidation
  • Advising consignments delivered to a warehouse for shipment
  • Declaring consignments to a cargo insurer

Where it fits in the message flow

This message IFTMCA Consignment advice
Usually followed by IFCSUM Forwarding and consolidation summaryIFTICL Cargo insurance claims

Structure

Mandatory segments in IFTMCA (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the IFTMCA message has 119 segment positions arranged in 40 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • SG8 (TDT)
  • SG13 (NAD)
  • UNT

Practical example

IFTMCA in practice

Several suppliers deliver goods to a forwarder's warehouse in Shenzhen for consolidation. Each supplier's system sends an IFTMCA before delivery with the purchase order references, package counts, weights, volumes and any dangerous goods details. The forwarder plans container loading from the advices and later sends the destination agent an IFCSUM.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for IFTMCA

  • Send advices before goods arrive at the forwarder.
  • Include hazardous goods details for consolidation planning.
  • Use purchase order and supplier references the buyer recognizes.
  • Agree whether the message is used for consolidation, insurance or both.

How ECOM helps

Automate IFTMCA with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

Industry

3PL and Warehousing

Warehouse orders, shipping advice, receipts and inventory reporting between brands, 3PLs, carriers and retailers.

Solution

Logistics Automation

Automate tenders, status updates, freight invoices and warehouse orders with logistics partners.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

Related transport messages

All 36 transport messages

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