Target EDI Requirements: Complete Supplier Guide 2025

Target is one of the largest retailers in the US, with 1,900+ stores and a growing e-commerce business through Target.com and the Target Plus marketplace. If you're a Target supplier — or looking to become one — EDI capability is a requirement. This guide covers the transaction sets Target requires, how to get set up, what compliance looks like, and the Target-specific details (like DPCI codes) that trip up new vendors.

Target EDI: The Basics

Target requires all suppliers to exchange business documents electronically using EDI. Like most major retailers, this is mandatory — not optional. Target's EDI follows the ANSI X12 standard and all vendor communications, compliance documentation, routing guides, and EDI specifications are managed through Partners Online, Target's supplier portal.

Why Target Requires EDI

Target processes millions of transactions across thousands of suppliers. EDI enables:

• Automated order processing — POs flow directly into supplier systems
• Accurate receiving — ASN data lets Target's DCs scan and receive efficiently
• Three-way matching — PO, ASN, and invoice are reconciled automatically for payment
• Inventory visibility — Real-time stock data supports replenishment and Target.com availability
• Compliance tracking — Every transaction is logged and measured against performance standards

Required EDI Transaction Sets

Target requires suppliers to support these core EDI transaction sets:

1. EDI 850 — Purchase Order (Inbound)

What it is: Electronic purchase order from Target to you

When you receive it: When Target places an order — can be daily or multiple times per day

What to do: Process the order, verify product and pricing data, begin fulfillment

Key Target detail: The 850 includes Target's DPCI codes (see below) which must be used throughout the rest of the transaction flow

2. EDI 855 — PO Acknowledgment (Outbound)

What it is: Your confirmation that you received the PO and can fulfill it

When to send it: Promptly after receiving the 850

What to include: Accept, reject, or accept-with-changes status for each line item

Key Target detail: Required for most vendor programs — confirms you've received and reviewed the order

3. EDI 856 — Advance Ship Notice (Outbound)

What it is: Detailed shipping information — what's on the truck, how it's packed, when it arrives

When to send it: After shipment, before arrival at Target's DC or store

What to include:

• Carton-level detail with SSCC-18 barcodes
• Product identification (UPC and DPCI)
• Quantities per carton
• BOL number, carrier, tracking information
• Ship-from and ship-to addresses

Key Target detail: Target requires carton-level ASN detail — each physical carton must be individually identified. This is one of Target's most strictly enforced documents.

4. EDI 810 — Invoice (Outbound)

What it is: Electronic invoice for payment

When to send it: After delivery confirmation

What to include:

• Invoice number and date
• PO reference number
• Line items with DPCI, UPC, quantities, and unit prices
• Must match the PO and ASN exactly for three-way match

Payment impact: Invoices that don't match PO and ASN data are rejected or result in deductions

5. EDI 997 — Functional Acknowledgment (Both Directions)

What it is: Confirmation that an EDI document was received and is syntactically valid

When to send it: Within 24 hours of receiving any EDI document from Target

Key Target detail: Target tracks 997 response rates — late or missing acknowledgments affect your compliance score

6. EDI 860 — Purchase Order Change (Inbound)

What it is: Modifications to an existing PO — quantity changes, date changes, cancellations

When you receive it: Any time before shipment (sometimes close to ship date)

What to do: Process the change and send an 865 acknowledgment

7. EDI 865 — PO Change Acknowledgment (Outbound)

What it is: Your confirmation that you received and will comply with the PO change

When to send it: Promptly after receiving the 860

Additional Transaction Sets (Program-Dependent)

Depending on your vendor program, Target may also require:

| Transaction | Name | When Used | |-------------|------|-----------| | 846 | Inventory Inquiry/Advice | Drop-ship and Target Plus marketplace programs — you send inventory feeds | | 852 | Product Activity Data | Target sends POS/sales data to you for planning and forecasting | | 870 | Order Status Report | Drop-ship scenarios — order fulfillment status updates |

DPCI: Target's Product Identifier

This is one of the most important Target-specific concepts to understand. DPCI (Department, Class, Item) is Target's internal product identification system. The format is:

XXX-XX-XXXX

Where:

• XXX = Department number (3 digits)
• XX = Class number (2 digits)
• XXXX = Item number (4 digits)

DPCI is unique to Target — no other retailer uses it. It appears in virtually every EDI transaction:

• The 850 includes DPCI for each ordered item
• The 856 must reference DPCI at the item level in each carton
• The 810 must include DPCI for each invoiced line item

Common pitfall: Suppliers must maintain an accurate mapping between their internal SKUs/UPCs and Target's DPCI codes. DPCI mapping errors are one of the top causes of ASN and invoice failures with Target.

For Target.com and Target Plus items, you may also encounter TCIN (Target.com Item Number), an additional identifier used for online products.

Target EDI Connection Methods

VAN (Value-Added Network) — Most Common

Target uses OpenText (formerly GXS/Inovis) as their primary VAN. Most suppliers connect through a VAN that interconnects with OpenText:

How it works:

• Your VAN (SPS Commerce, TrueCommerce, DiCentral, etc.) routes documents through the VAN network to Target's OpenText endpoint
• No direct technical connection to Target required
• Your VAN handles translation, transmission, and error tracking

This is the recommended path for most small-to-mid-size suppliers.

AS2 (Direct Connection)

For larger vendors who prefer a direct, encrypted connection:

Requirements:

• AS2-capable server or gateway
• Digital certificate exchange with Target
• MDN (Message Disposition Notification) configuration
• Target provides AS2 endpoint details during onboarding

Advantages: No VAN per-transaction fees, faster transmission, direct connection

API (Target Plus / Emerging)

For Target Plus marketplace and certain newer programs, Target has been expanding API-based integration options alongside traditional EDI. This is still evolving — check with Target's vendor team or Partners Online for current availability.

Target EDI Implementation Timeline

Phase 1: Vendor Approval (Varies)

Before EDI begins, you need to be an approved Target vendor:

1. Merchandising/sourcing agreement — Target's buying team approves your product line
2. Vendor number assigned — Target sets you up in their systems
3. Partners Online registration — Access the portal at partnersonline.com

Phase 2: EDI Setup (Week 1-3)

1. Review Target's EDI implementation guides — Available through Partners Online
2. Set up your EDI connection — Through your VAN or AS2
3. Configure ISA/GS identifiers — Target assigns your trading partner IDs and qualifiers
4. Map your product data — Build your DPCI-to-SKU/UPC cross-reference table
5. Set up SSCC-18 barcode generation — Required for ASN compliance

Phase 3: Testing (Week 3-6)

1. Send test transactions to Target's test environment
   • EDI 856 (ASN) — Target's most scrutinized document
   • EDI 810 (Invoice) — Must match test PO data
   • EDI 997 (Acknowledgment)
2. Target's EDI team validates your documents against their specs
3. Fix flagged issues and resubmit
4. Iterate until all documents pass — May take multiple rounds

Testing is thorough. Target checks segment-level detail, qualifier codes, DPCI accuracy, SSCC-18 formatting, and hierarchical structure. Suppliers with limited EDI experience should plan for 2-3 testing cycles.

Phase 4: Go-Live (Week 6-8)

1. Target moves you to production EDI
2. First live orders arrive — monitor closely
3. Verify ASN accuracy against physical shipments
4. Watch for compliance alerts in Partners Online

Target EDI Compliance

Vendor Scorecard

Target uses a vendor scorecard to track supplier performance across multiple dimensions. Key metrics include:

ASN Compliance:

• ASN transmission rate — Target expects 100% of shipments to have a corresponding ASN
• ASN timeliness — Must be sent before the shipment arrives at the DC
• ASN accuracy — Carton contents must match declared data; target is 95%+ (top vendors hit 98%+)

Invoice Compliance:

• Invoice accuracy — Must match PO and ASN through three-way match
• Invoice timeliness — Submitted within Target's invoicing window

Shipping Compliance:

• On-time shipping — Shipments arrive within the PO's delivery window
• Fill rate — Percentage of ordered units actually shipped
• Routing guide adherence — Using Target-approved carriers and following routing instructions

Labeling Compliance:

• GS1-128 labels required on all cartons
• SSCC-18 barcodes must match ASN data exactly
• Labels must be placed correctly and be scannable

Chargebacks

Target issues chargebacks for non-compliance. Common chargeback triggers include:

• Missing or late ASNs
• ASN inaccuracies — carton contents don't match declared data
• Incorrect or unscannable labels/barcodes
• Routing guide violations — wrong carrier, missed appointment
• Ship window violations — shipping early or late
• Packing slip errors
• Invoice discrepancies

Chargeback amounts vary by infraction type and can be per-carton, per-PO, or percentage-based. Details are in Target's Vendor Compliance Guide on Partners Online.

The key takeaway: Chargebacks add up fast if you have systemic EDI or fulfillment issues. The most common root causes are ASN inaccuracies, DPCI mapping errors, and label problems.

Common Challenges with Target EDI

1. DPCI Mapping Complexity

Maintaining accurate DPCI-to-UPC/SKU mappings is an ongoing challenge:

• Target may reassign DPCIs when products move departments
• New items require new DPCI assignments
• Errors cascade — a wrong DPCI in the ASN means a wrong DPCI in the invoice

Solution: Build DPCI mapping from the original PO data and carry it through the entire transaction flow automatically.

2. Carton-Level ASN Detail

Target requires each physical carton to be individually identified in the ASN with an SSCC-18. This is more granular than what some retailers require:

• Each carton needs a unique SSCC-18
• Contents must be itemized per carton
• The hierarchical HL loop structure must be correct (shipment → order → pack → item)

Solution: Generate ASNs and SSCC-18 labels from the same data source so they match by definition.

3. Tight Delivery Windows

Target enforces strict ship windows. Both early and late shipments trigger compliance issues:

• Early shipments can cause DC congestion and receiving problems
• Late shipments mean empty shelves and missed sales

Solution: Integrate ship-date tracking with your order management system and set up alerts for POs approaching their ship window.

4. Routing Guide Complexity

Target's routing guide varies by:

• DC location
• Shipment size (LTL vs. truckload vs. parcel)
• Freight terms (collect vs. prepaid)
• Product category

Misrouting is a common and preventable chargeback. Review the current routing guide on Partners Online before each shipment if your shipping profile varies.

5. Drop-Ship / Target Plus Requirements

If you're in Target's marketplace or drop-ship programs, you face additional requirements:

• Inventory feeds (846) must be accurate and timely
• Order fulfillment SLAs are tighter — often 1-2 business days
• Returns handling has its own compliance requirements
• Additional identifiers (TCIN) may be needed

Target vs. Walmart: Key Differences

If you already sell to Walmart, here's what's different about Target:

| Aspect | Target | Walmart | |--------|--------|---------| | Product ID | DPCI (unique to Target) | Item number / GTIN | | Primary VAN | OpenText | Any VAN / direct AS2 preferred | | Supplier Portal | Partners Online | Retail Link | | AS2 preference | VAN more common | AS2 strongly preferred | | ASN granularity | Carton-level (strict) | Carton-level (strict) | | Marketplace | Target Plus (EDI + API) | Walmart Marketplace (API) |

The core EDI transaction sets (850, 855, 856, 810, 997) are the same. The main differences are in product identifiers, connection preferences, and portal systems.

Best Practices for Target EDI

1. Master Your DPCI Mapping

Build your DPCI cross-reference from PO data automatically. Never manually maintain a separate DPCI spreadsheet — it will drift out of sync.

2. Invest in ASN Accuracy

The 856 is where most compliance failures happen. Automate ASN generation from your warehouse/shipping system and validate every ASN against the original PO before sending.

3. Use Partners Online Actively

Don't just set up EDI and forget about Partners Online. Check it regularly for:

• Updated routing guides
• Compliance alerts and scorecard updates
• Chargeback notices (dispute them promptly if incorrect)
• EDI spec changes

4. Label from the Same Data Source

Generate GS1-128 labels and ASN data from the same system at the same time. This eliminates the #1 cause of label-to-ASN mismatches.

5. Automate End-to-End

Manual steps anywhere in the PO → ASN → Invoice chain are where errors enter. The most compliant Target suppliers automate the entire flow.

Getting Started with Target EDI

Step 1: Get Set Up on Partners Online

Register at partnersonline.com (your Target buyer or vendor manager will provide access details).

Step 2: Choose Your EDI Solution

Option A: VAN Provider

• Connect through SPS Commerce, TrueCommerce, or another VAN that interconnects with OpenText
• Easiest setup path for new suppliers
• Monthly fees plus potential per-transaction costs

Option B: Use OrderSync (Recommended)

• Target EDI pre-configured
• Automatic DPCI mapping from PO data
• ASN and invoice generation automated
• Multi-retailer support (Target + Walmart + others in one system)
• Schedule a Demo

Step 3: Complete Testing

• Process test transactions across all required document types
• Fix any validation issues flagged by Target's EDI team
• Plan for 2-3 testing cycles if this is your first major retailer EDI setup

Step 4: Go Live and Monitor

• Watch your first production orders closely
• Check Partners Online for compliance scores after the first few weeks
• Address any chargebacks or alerts immediately

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Target EDI implementation take?

Typical timeline: 6-8 weeks from EDI setup to production. With an experienced provider or platform like OrderSync, this can be reduced to 3-4 weeks.

What happens if I don't comply with Target EDI requirements?

Non-compliance results in:

• Chargebacks and financial penalties
• Lower vendor scorecard ratings
• Potential loss of shelf space or delisting
• Delayed payments due to invoice disputes

Can I use the same EDI system for Target and Walmart?

Yes — most EDI platforms and VANs support multiple retail trading partners. OrderSync supports Target, Walmart, and other major retailers from a single platform with retailer-specific formatting handled automatically.

What's the difference between Target's DC orders and store-level orders?

Target POs may be DC-level (shipped to a distribution center for Target to redistribute) or store-level (shipped directly to individual stores). The PO structure and ship-to identifiers differ — your EDI system needs to handle both.

Conclusion

Target EDI compliance requires attention to detail — particularly around DPCI mapping, carton-level ASNs, and strict delivery windows. But the fundamentals are the same as any major retailer: automate your document flow, validate before sending, and monitor your compliance scores actively.

The suppliers who succeed with Target are the ones who treat EDI as a system, not a series of manual steps. Modern platforms like OrderSync handle the Target-specific complexity — DPCI mapping, ASN generation, three-way invoice matching — so you can focus on growing the relationship.

Ready to simplify your Target EDI? Try our free EDI Inspector to see how EDI documents work, or contact our team for a personalized implementation plan.

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Related Resources:

• The Essential Guide to EDI
• What is EDI 850? Purchase Orders
• What is EDI 856? Advance Ship Notices
• What is EDI 810? Electronic Invoices
• Walmart EDI Requirements
• Free EDI Inspector Tool