Tesco EDI Requirements and Compliance Guide

Tesco trades with suppliers in both EANCOM, the GS1 subset of UN/EDIFACT, and TRADACOMS. Orders arrive by EDI, and Tesco's distribution centres receive against a despatch advice that lists the SSCC on each pallet's GS1 logistics label, so the ASN and the label have to agree.

Tesco's EDI Messages

These are the EDIFACT and TRADACOMS messages Tesco exchanges with suppliers. Where we have a guide, the card links to a segment-by-segment breakdown. New to the standards? Start with the EDIFACT guide or the TRADACOMS guide.

Tesco-Specific Message Requirements

• EDIFACT ORDERS (Purchase Order): Tesco runs sales-based ordering and transmits purchase orders by EDI. Suppliers on EANCOM receive ORDERS; suppliers on TRADACOMS receive the equivalent ORDHDR file.
• EDIFACT DESADV (Despatch Advice (ASN)): Tesco uses the despatch advice to know what is on a delivery before it arrives, then scans the SSCC on each pallet at goods-in and checks it against the ASN. If the label and the DESADV disagree, the pallet does not match on receipt.
• EDIFACT INVOIC (Invoice): Invoices and credit notes go back by EDI. Build the invoice from the same order and despatch data you sent in the DESADV so the quantities agree.
• EDIFACT RECADV (Receiving Advice): Tesco can return a receiving advice confirming what was booked in. Reconcile it against your despatch advice to catch short or over deliveries before you invoice.
• EDIFACT INVRPT (Inventory Report): Inventory reports share stock positions alongside Tesco's product planning data. Ask during onboarding whether your account receives them and how often.
• TRADACOMS ORDHDR (Order File): The TRADACOMS order file, for suppliers who trade TRADACOMS with Tesco.
• TRADACOMS INVFIL (Invoice File): The TRADACOMS invoice file, the TRADACOMS equivalent of INVOIC.

Compliance Requirements

Here is what Tesco expects from EDI-compliant suppliers:

• Receive purchase orders by EDI, as EANCOM ORDERS or TRADACOMS ORDHDR depending on your setup
• Send a despatch advice (ASN) for deliveries into Tesco distribution centres before the goods arrive
• Label every pallet with a GS1 logistics label carrying a unique SSCC that matches the despatch advice
• Send invoices and credit notes by EDI, as EANCOM INVOIC or TRADACOMS INVFIL
• Handle the planning data Tesco shares, such as forecasts and inventory reports, where your account uses them
• Connect to Tesco's EDI network (OpenText, formerly GXS Trading Grid), directly or through a provider already connected to it
• Complete testing with Tesco's EDI onboarding team before go-live

How to Set Up EDI with Tesco

1. Agree the trading relationship with Tesco and get your supplier details from your commercial contact.
2. Confirm with Tesco's EDI team whether you will trade EANCOM (EDIFACT) or TRADACOMS, and which messages your category needs.
3. Connect to Tesco's EDI network, either directly or through an EDI provider already connected to it.
4. Map your order, despatch advice and invoice data, and set up GS1 SSCC pallet labels if you deliver to Tesco distribution centres.
5. Process the test documents Tesco sends and work through its onboarding team's test cases.
6. Go live once testing passes.

Sources for Tesco's EDI Requirements

Tesco issues its message specifications to suppliers during onboarding, so confirm the current version with Tesco's EDI team before you build. These are the public sources this page draws on:

• GS1 case study: Dairy Crest and Tesco: How a Tesco supplier receives EDI orders, labels pallets with SSCCs and sends ASNs into Tesco's distribution centres (GS1, 2015).
• ecosio: Tesco EDI connection guide: Third-party guide from EDI provider ecosio covering Tesco's standards, network and testing steps.
• SEEBURGER: Tesco EDI: Third-party list of the EDIFACT and TRADACOMS messages commonly exchanged with Tesco.
• GS1 EANCOM standard: GS1's EANCOM standard, the subset of UN/EDIFACT used for retail EDI.

How to Achieve Tesco EDI Compliance

Getting compliant with Tesco takes three things: an EDI setup that sends and receives the EDIFACT and TRADACOMS messages Tesco uses, validation that catches errors before a message reaches Tesco, and a connection to your ERP so orders flow through without re-keying.

UK grocery and health and beauty retail runs on two standards. UN/EDIFACT, usually in the GS1 EANCOM subset, is the international standard and the one GS1 recommends for new EDI users. TRADACOMS is the older UK-only standard. GS1 UK stopped supporting it in 2017, but many UK retailers still trade in it. Products are identified by GS1 barcodes, and pallets carry a GS1-128 logistics label with an SSCC that the despatch advice references.

OrderSync processes EDIFACT, EANCOM, and TRADACOMS orders in the same pipeline as your X12, PDF, CSV, and email orders. Our purchase order automation checks each order against your product catalogue, pricing, and Tesco's requirements before it syncs to your ERP. To check a message by hand, paste it into the free EDIFACT inspector.

Only trading with one or two retailers and no ERP to connect? Web EDI, or an agent that runs it for you, may be enough to meet Tesco's requirements.

Related Guides and Articles

Learn more about Tesco EDI requirements and compliance best practices: