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EDIFACT message guide · Ordering

ORDRSP Purchase order response

The UN/EDIFACT message a seller sends to respond to a purchase order or a purchase order change request.

Sent by
Seller or supplier
Received by
Buyer
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment

What is the EDIFACT ORDRSP message?

ORDRSP is the UN/EDIFACT purchase order response message. The directory defines it as a message from the seller to the buyer, responding to a purchase order message or a purchase order change request message. A response can accept the order as sent, accept it with changes, or reject it, at header or line level.

Buyers rely on the response to know what will actually arrive. Line-level changes to quantities, prices or dates in an ORDRSP feed the buyer's planning and later invoice matching, so the response should reflect what the supplier truly intends to ship.

How the EDIFACT ORDRSP message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT ORDRSP Purchase order response message. Seller or supplier sends it to buyer. It usually follows ORDERS and ORDCHG. It is usually followed by DESADV. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: UNS (Section control). 17 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT ORDRSP message worksPurchase order response: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSORDERSPurchase orderORDCHGPurchase order changerequestORDRSPSENDERSeller or supplierRECEIVERBuyerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYDESADVDespatch advice2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage ORDRSPUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSUNSSection control+ 17 conditional groups, starting with:RFFAJTNADTAXCUXPYTTDTTODPACEQDSCCAPRALCRCSEFILINBlue 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 ORDRSP. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT ORDRSP message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT ORDRSP Purchase order response message. Seller or supplier sends it to buyer. It usually follows ORDERS and ORDCHG. It is usually followed by DESADV. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: UNS (Section control). 17 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT ORDRSPmessage worksPurchase order response: who sends it, where itfits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSORDERSPurchase orderORDCHGPurchase order change requestORDRSPSENDERSeller orsupplierRECEIVERBuyerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYDESADVDespatch advice2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message ORDRSP (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSUNSSection control+ 17 conditional groups, starting with:RFFAJTNADTAXCUXPYTTDTTODPACEQDSCCAPR…Blue 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 ORDRSP.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends ORDRSP, 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 ORDRSP 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

  • Confirming an order exactly as received
  • Confirming with changed quantities, prices or dates
  • Rejecting an order or individual lines
  • Responding to an order change request

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows ORDERS Purchase orderORDCHG Purchase order change request
This message ORDRSP Purchase order response
Usually followed by DESADV Despatch advice

Structure

Mandatory segments in ORDRSP (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the ORDRSP message has 187 segment positions arranged in 60 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
  • DTM
  • UNS
  • UNT

Practical example

ORDRSP in practice

A German industrial supplier receives an ORDERS for 12 items. Two items are on backorder, so its ERP sends an ORDRSP accepting ten lines as ordered and changing the delivery date on the other two by three weeks. The buyer's purchasing system updates the open order and alerts the planner for the delayed items.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for ORDRSP

  • Agree whether the partner expects full order echo or only changed lines.
  • Use response codes consistently at header and line level.
  • Send responses within the time the partner requires, often within 24 hours.
  • Keep confirmed prices and dates consistent with the DESADV and INVOIC that follow.

How ECOM helps

Automate ORDRSP with ECOM

Solution

Order-to-Cash Automation

Automate the flow from purchase order to payment across every customer channel.

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

Industry

Industrial Manufacturing

Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.

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

Related messages

Related ordering messages

Need help with ORDRSP?

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