Walmart EDI Requirements: Complete Supplier Guide 2025

Walmart is the world's largest retailer, and as a Walmart supplier, you're required to have EDI capabilities. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about Walmart's EDI requirements, implementation timeline, and compliance standards.

Walmart EDI: The Basics

Walmart requires all suppliers to exchange business documents electronically using EDI (Electronic Data Interchange). This isn't optional—it's a mandatory requirement for doing business with Walmart.

Why Walmart Requires EDI

Walmart processes millions of transactions daily across thousands of suppliers. EDI enables:

Speed: Orders processed in minutes instead of days
Accuracy: 99.9%+ accuracy vs. manual data entry
Cost Savings: Reduced labor and paper costs
Real-time Visibility: Track orders from PO to delivery
Automated Reconciliation: Streamlined payment processing

Required EDI Transaction Sets

Walmart requires suppliers to support these EDI transaction sets:

1. EDI 850 - Purchase Order (Inbound)

What it is: Electronic purchase order from Walmart to you

When you receive it: When Walmart places an order

What to do: Process the order and send acknowledgment (997)

Typical volume: Daily, can be multiple times per day

2. EDI 997 - Functional Acknowledgment (Outbound)

What it is: Confirmation that you received Walmart's EDI document

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

What to include: Transaction set identifier, control numbers, accept/reject status

Critical: Walmart tracks 997 response times—late responses trigger compliance issues

3. EDI 856 - Advance Ship Notice (Outbound)

What it is: Detailed shipping information for your order

When to send it: When order ships, before delivery

What to include:

Carton details and contents
SSCC-18 barcode for each carton
BOL number
Estimated delivery date
Carrier and tracking information

Walmart requirement: Must be sent within 24 hours of ship date

4. EDI 810 - Invoice (Outbound)

What it is: Electronic invoice for payment

When to send it: After delivery confirmation

What to include:

Match exactly to the PO and ASN
Proper invoice number format
Accurate pricing and quantities
Department numbers
Purchase order reference

Payment impact: Invoices that don't match PO/ASN can be rejected

Walmart EDI Connection Methods

AS2 (Recommended)

Walmart's preferred EDI transmission method is AS2 (Applicability Statement 2):

Advantages:

Direct connection to Walmart
No VAN fees
Faster transmission
Better security (encrypted)

Requirements:

AS2 server or gateway
Digital certificates
MDN (Message Disposition Notification) support

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol)

Alternative connection method for suppliers:

Advantages:

Simpler to implement
Lower technical requirements
Batch processing supported

Disadvantages:

Not as fast as AS2
Less real-time visibility

VAN (Value-Added Network)

Traditional EDI connection through third-party network:

Advantages:

Outsourced technical management
Support for multiple trading partners
Error handling and tracking

Disadvantages:

Per-transaction fees
Monthly subscription costs
Slower than direct AS2

Walmart EDI Implementation Timeline

Phase 1: Registration (Week 1-2)

Contact Walmart Vendor Support
- Request EDI onboarding package
- Receive your Walmart ISA ID and qualifier
- Get AS2 connection details
Choose EDI Solution
- In-house development
- EDI service provider
- Modern platform like OrderSync
Gather Information
- Your company DUNS number
- GLN (Global Location Number)
- Banking information for payment
- Product UPC codes and pack sizes

Phase 2: Testing (Week 3-6)

Connection Testing
- Set up AS2 connection
- Exchange test files
- Verify MDN responses
Transaction Testing
- Process sample EDI 850 purchase orders
- Send EDI 997 acknowledgments
- Create EDI 856 ship notices
- Generate EDI 810 invoices
Validation
- Walmart reviews your test transactions
- Fix any errors or formatting issues
- Retest until approved

Phase 3: Go-Live (Week 7-8)

Production Cutover
- Schedule go-live date with Walmart
- Switch from test to production environment
- Process first live orders
Monitoring
- Watch for errors closely
- Ensure timely 997 responses
- Verify ASN accuracy
Compliance
- Maintain 98%+ compliance score
- Respond to all EDI documents within SLA
- Keep contact information updated

Walmart EDI Compliance Requirements

Response Time Requirements

| Transaction | Response Time | Compliance Target | | ----------------- | --------------------------- | ----------------- | | EDI 997 (ACK) | Within 24 hours | 98% | | EDI 856 (ASN) | Within 24 hours of ship | 95% | | EDI 810 (Invoice) | Within 48 hours of delivery | 95% |

Quality Standards

Walmart measures supplier EDI quality on:

Timeliness: Meeting response deadlines
Accuracy: Correct data in all fields
Completeness: No missing required elements
Compliance: Following Walmart's EDI specifications

Compliance Score Impact:

98-100%: Excellent standing
95-97%: Warning level
Below 95%: Risk of penalties or delisting

Common Walmart EDI Challenges

1. SSCC-18 Barcode Requirements

Walmart requires SSCC-18 (Serial Shipping Container Code) on all cartons:

Solution:

Implement GS1-128 compliant label printing
Include SSCC in EDI 856
Ensure unique serial numbers for each carton

2. Department Number Mapping

Every product must have correct Walmart department number:

Solution:

Maintain current department number database
Update when Walmart changes categories
Validate department numbers before sending 856/810

3. Pack Size Discrepancies

Mismatch between ordered quantity and pack size causes issues:

Solution:

Clearly communicate pack sizes
Send 832 Price/Sales Catalog with pack details
Validate quantities before shipping

4. Invoice Matching Errors

EDI 810 invoices must exactly match PO and ASN:

Solution:

Automated three-way matching
Reconcile PO → ASN → Invoice
Review rejections and correct issues

Walmart EDI Best Practices

1. Automate Everything

Manual EDI processing is error-prone and slow:

Automatic PO Processing: Import 850s directly to your system
Automatic 997 Responses: Send within minutes, not hours
Auto-generated ASNs: Create 856 from shipping data
Automated Invoicing: Generate 810 from delivery confirmation

2. Monitor Compliance Daily

Don't wait for Walmart to tell you there's a problem:

Set up dashboards for compliance metrics
Alert on late 997 responses
Track ASN accuracy
Monitor invoice match rates

3. Maintain Data Quality

Bad data causes most EDI failures:

Keep product master data current
Verify UPC codes
Update addresses promptly
Validate quantities and units of measure

4. Have a Backup Plan

Technical issues happen:

Test failover procedures
Have manual backup processes documented
Maintain emergency contact list
Keep historical EDI files for reference

Cost of Walmart EDI Compliance

Traditional EDI Costs

Setup: $10,000 - $50,000

EDI software license
AS2 gateway
Integration with ERP
Testing and validation

Monthly: $500 - $2,000

VAN fees (if used)
Support and maintenance
Updates and changes

Per-Transaction: $0.05 - $0.50

VAN transaction fees
Processing costs

Modern EDI Platform Costs

Setup: $0 - $1,000

Cloud-based setup
Pre-built Walmart integration
Guided implementation

Monthly: $199 - $999

All-inclusive pricing
No per-transaction fees
Unlimited volume

Hidden Savings:

Reduced chargebacks
Faster payment cycles
Lower error rates
Less staff time

Getting Started with Walmart EDI

Step 1: Contact Walmart

Email: supplier.help@walmart.com

Request:

EDI implementation guide
AS2 connection details
Test account access
Onboarding timeline

Step 2: Choose Your Solution

Option A: Build In-House

Requires significant technical expertise
3-6 months development time
Ongoing maintenance burden

Option B: Use OrderSync (Recommended)

Walmart EDI pre-configured
Go live in 2-4 weeks
Full compliance automation
Start Free Trial

Step 3: Complete Testing

Process 50+ test transactions
Achieve 100% accuracy
Get Walmart approval
Schedule go-live

Step 4: Go Live

Switch to production
Monitor closely for first 2 weeks
Ensure compliance scores stay above 98%

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Walmart EDI implementation take?

Typical timeline: 6-8 weeks from start to production. With automated platforms like OrderSync, this can be reduced to 2-4 weeks.

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

Non-compliance can result in:

Chargebacks and penalties
Delayed payments
Loss of shelf space
Potential delisting as a supplier

Can I use the same EDI system for other retailers?

Yes! Most EDI systems support multiple trading partners. OrderSync supports Walmart, Target, Amazon, and many other major retailers.

Do I need different EDI setups for Walmart.com vs. Walmart stores?

No, the same EDI setup works for both channels. However, some transaction details may differ.

Conclusion

Walmart EDI compliance is complex but manageable with the right approach and tools. The key is choosing a solution that automates the process, maintains high compliance scores, and scales with your business.

Modern EDI platforms like OrderSync eliminate the complexity and cost of traditional EDI, making it accessible for suppliers of all sizes.

Ready to get Walmart EDI compliant? Try our free EDI visualizer or contact our team for a personalized implementation plan.

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