EDI 850 Purchase Order
An EDI 850 is the electronic purchase order a buyer sends to a supplier. It is the document that starts most B2B order flows, listing items, quantities, prices, ship-to, and dates in the standard X12 format. The supplier's system turns the 850 into a sales order automatically, without anyone keying it.
What the 850 carries
An 850 carries the PO number, buyer and ship-to addresses, requested dates, and line items with SKU or GTIN, quantity, and price, expressed as X12 segments like BEG, N1, PO1, and CTT. Each retailer publishes which segments and qualifiers it requires.
From 850 to fulfillment
A received 850 becomes a sales order, then drives an 855 acknowledgment, an 856 advance ship notice, and an 810 invoice. Automating the 850 is the single biggest lever for removing manual order entry, because it is the document that arrives most often and starts everything.
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
An EDI 850 is the electronic purchase order transaction set. A buyer's system sends it to order goods, and the supplier's system converts it into a sales order automatically.
An incoming EDI 850 becomes a sales order in the supplier's ERP or order system, which then drives the acknowledgment, shipment, and invoice.
Automate every order format
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