# EDI 212 Delivery Trailer Manifest: LTL Guide
> EDI 212 Motor Carrier Delivery Trailer Manifest explained: ATA, B2A, AT7, MS2, LX, L11, AT8 and OID segments, a live LTL example, and how DCs use it to book appointments.
The EDI 212 Motor Carrier Delivery Trailer Manifest is the X12 transaction an LTL carrier sends a consignee to list every shipment on a trailer it is about to deliver: the trailer and seal, each shipment's PRO and bill of lading numbers, the purchase orders, piece counts and weights. Retail distribution centers often use it to schedule the delivery appointment.
**The EDI 212 tells a receiving dock what is on the trailer before the trailer arrives.** An LTL trailer bound for a retail distribution center usually carries freight from several shippers. The DC needs to know which purchase orders are on it, how many cartons and pallets, and when it can come in. The 212 answers all three in one document, sent by the carrier from its terminal once the trailer is loaded for delivery.
This guide covers what the 212 carries, who sends it and why, every segment you will map, two live examples (an original manifest and a replacement), how it differs from the 214 and the 856, and the errors that cost a trailer its appointment.
## What Is an EDI 212?
**An EDI 212 is the Motor Carrier Delivery Trailer Manifest transaction set defined by [ASC X12](https://x12.org/products/transaction-sets), used by a motor carrier to give a consignee the contents of a trailer, containing multiple shipments, that has been tendered for delivery.** The standard's own purpose statement adds that it is not for full truckload shipments. A truckload is one shipment, so there is nothing to manifest. The 212 travels in functional group `TM` (the `GS01` value).
Authoritative references for 212 work:
- The [X12 transaction set catalog](https://x12.org/products/transaction-sets) defines the 212 and its segment order, and [Stedi's X12 004010 reference for the 212](https://www.stedi.com/edi/x12-004010/212) shows the full loop structure by release
- The [National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA)](https://nmfta.org/what-is-scac-and-how-do-carriers-get-it) issues the Standard Carrier Alpha Codes (SCACs) that identify the delivering carrier in `ATA01` and the trailer owner in `MS201`
- Each consignee publishes its own 212 implementation guide. Best Buy, Walmart and H-E-B all have 212 guides in Stedi's public guide library, and the consignee's guide sets which segments and references are required
**Who sends it?** The LTL carrier delivering the trailer, usually from the destination terminal.
**Who receives it?** The consignee: in practice a retail distribution center, a large warehouse, or the logistics provider that manages the consignee's inbound docks.
**When is it sent?** After the carrier has loaded the delivery trailer and before it shows up at the dock. Consignees set the lead time. Best Buy's carrier guide, for example, asks for the manifest within 90 minutes of the trailer closing at the carrier's terminal.
**Why does it matter?** A DC plans labor and dock doors around what is arriving. Without a manifest, an LTL trailer is a box with unknown contents, and the receiving team finds out what is in it when the doors open. With a 212, the DC can check every PO before the truck arrives and book a door for it.
## Why Consignees Ask for a 212
Most EDI in a supplier relationship runs between the supplier and the retailer. The 212 is different: it runs from the carrier to the receiver, and the supplier never sees it. It exists because of how LTL works.
An LTL carrier picks up from many shippers, cross-docks the freight at its terminals, and builds delivery trailers by destination. By the time a trailer leaves for a DC, it may hold shipments from five suppliers, each with its own bill of lading, PRO number and purchase orders. Each supplier sent its own [856 ASN](/guides/edi/856-ship-notice) to the retailer, but none of those ASNs says which trailer the freight is on. The 212 makes that link.
Retailers use it in two main ways:
1. **Appointment scheduling.** The 212 becomes the carrier's request for a delivery appointment. In Best Buy's published carrier guide, the 212 replaces the manual appointment form for LTL freight into its DCs, and Best Buy answers with an EDI 163 that grants the appointment or rejects the manifest with the data that needs fixing.
2. **Receiving preparation.** The DC matches each PO on the manifest to its open orders and ASNs, flags anything it does not recognize, and stages labor for the carton and pallet counts.
See our glossary entry on [cross-docking](/glossary/cross-docking) for how carriers and DCs consolidate freight, and the [SCAC code entry](/glossary/scac-code) for how carriers are identified.
## Where the 212 Sits in the Freight Flow
An LTL shipment into a retail DC typically produces these documents. Which ones are exchanged by EDI depends on each party's setup.
1. **[204 Motor Carrier Load Tender](/guides/edi/204-motor-carrier-load-tender).** The shipper, or the retailer on collect freight, tenders the shipment to the carrier.
2. **[990 Response to a Load Tender](/guides/edi/990-response-to-load-tender).** The carrier accepts or declines.
3. **[211 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading](/guides/edi/211-motor-carrier-bill-of-lading)** or a [215 pick-up manifest](/guides/edi/215-motor-carrier-pickup-manifest). The shipper documents what it handed over.
4. **[856 Ship Notice](/guides/edi/856-ship-notice).** The supplier tells the retailer what shipped.
5. **[214 Shipment Status](/guides/edi/214-transportation-carrier-shipment-status).** The carrier reports pickup, linehaul and terminal events.
6. **212 Delivery Trailer Manifest.** The carrier tells the DC what is on the delivery trailer.
7. **Delivery.** The DC receives against the manifest and the ASNs, and the carrier reports delivery with another 214.
8. **[210 Motor Carrier Freight Invoice](/guides/edi/210-motor-carrier-freight-invoice).** The carrier bills whoever pays the freight.
## Interactive Example: 212 for a Three-Shipment LTL Trailer
This continues the story from our [754 routing instructions guide](/guides/edi/754-routing-instructions). Carrier `QLTX` collected Lakeshore Home Goods' two purchase orders in Grand Rapids, moved them through its terminal network, and loaded them onto a delivery trailer for the retailer's DC 6021 in Columbus, Ohio, together with freight from two other suppliers. The heading names the DC (`N1*ST`), says the trailer is available for delivery (`AT7*AV`), and gives the trailer and seal numbers. Each `LX` loop is one shipment with its PRO and bill of lading in `L11`, weight and handling units in `AT8`, purchase orders in `OID`, and the shipper in `N1*SH`. The sample uses X12 004030. All names, IDs and SCACs are fictional.
Use the **Plain English** tab for a readable summary, or click any segment to break it down element by element.
## Interactive Example: 212 Replacement Manifest
The same day, the carrier pulls the third shipment off the trailer and pushes delivery to the next morning. It resends the manifest with `B2A01` = `05` (replace), the same manifest number in `ATA02`, a new date and time in `AT7`, and only the two shipments still on board. The receiver should discard the earlier version and plan from this one.
## 212 Structure at a Glance
The table follows X12 004030, the release used in the example and in retailer guides such as Best Buy's. In 004010 the structure is the same except that loop 0210 holds the `SPO` (Shipment Purchase Order Detail) segment instead of `OID`.
| Area | Segment | Name | Usage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heading | **ST** | Transaction Set Header | Mandatory | `ST01` = `212` |
| Heading | **ATA** | Beginning Segment for Motor Carrier Delivery Trailer Manifest | Mandatory | Carrier SCAC, manifest number, date |
| Heading | **B2A** | Set Purpose | Mandatory | Original, replace or cancel |
| Heading | **L11** | Business Instructions and Reference Number | Optional | Trailer-level references |
| Loop 0100 | **N1 / N2 / N3 / N4** | Name and address | Optional, 1 | Where the trailer is being delivered |
| Loop 0100 | **G61 / G62 / L11** | Contact, date/time, references | Optional | Consignee contact and references |
| Loop 0150 | **AT7** | Shipment Status Details | Mandatory, 1 | Status of the whole trailer |
| Loop 0150 | **G62 / MS1** | Date/time, location | Optional | Extra dates; where the trailer is |
| Loop 0160 | **MS2** | Equipment or Container Owner and Type | Mandatory in loop | Trailer owner SCAC, number, type |
| Loop 0160 | **M7 / AT9** | Seal numbers, trailer dimensions and weight | Optional | |
| Loop 0200 (LX) | **LX** | Assigned Number | Mandatory in loop, repeats | One loop per shipment |
| Loop 0200 | **L11** | Business Instructions and Reference Number | Optional, up to 10 | PRO, bill of lading and other references |
| Loop 0200 | **AT7 / BLR / MAN / AT8 / Q7 / G62 / TSD** | Shipment status, pickup carrier, marks, weight and count, exceptions, dates, trailer position | Optional | `AT8` carries weight and handling units |
| Loop 0210 | **OID / SDQ** | Order Identification Detail, Destination Quantity | Optional, repeats | One `OID` per purchase order |
| Loop 0220 | **N1 / N2 / N3 / N4 / L11** | Name and address | Optional, 1 | The shipper of this shipment |
| Summary | **SE** | Transaction Set Trailer | Mandatory | Segment count and control number |
The standard's notes say loop 0200 is usually keyed on the carrier's PRO number, and that loop 0220 (the shipper) is only needed when the carrier has not already given that information in an earlier status message. Retailer guides often tighten this: Best Buy, for instance, makes the shipper loop, the `L11` references and the `OID` lines mandatory.
## Key Segments Explained
### ATA: Beginning Segment
```
ATA*QLTX*DM-6021-1112-07*20261112~
```
| Element | Name | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| **ATA01** | Standard Carrier Alpha Code | `QLTX` | SCAC of the carrier delivering the trailer |
| **ATA02** | Reference Identification | `DM-6021-1112-07` | The delivery trailer manifest number the carrier assigned |
| **ATA03** | Date | `20261112` | Date the manifest was created |
`ATA02` is the key for everything that follows. A replacement or cancellation must carry the same manifest number as the original, or the receiver will treat it as a second trailer.
### B2A: Set Purpose
```
B2A*00~
```
| Element | Name | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| **B2A01** | Transaction Set Purpose Code | `00` | `00` original, `05` replace, `01` cancellation are the codes retailer guides commonly accept |
| **B2A02** | Application Type | | Rarely used on a 212 |
A replace (`05`) is a full replacement: the receiver should drop every shipment from the earlier version and use only what the new one lists. A cancellation (`01`) means the trailer is no longer coming to that location.
### N1 Loop (Heading): Delivery Location
```
N1*ST*BIG-BOX RETAILER DC 6021*92*6021~
N3*1200 DISTRIBUTION PKWY~
N4*COLUMBUS*OH*43217*US~
```
The heading `N1` loop names where the trailer is going, normally with `N101` = `ST` (ship to) and the consignee's own location ID in `N104`. The ID qualifier in `N103` varies by guide: the example uses `92` (assigned by buyer), and some retailers ask for `94` (assigned by the ultimate destination). A wrong location ID is one of the fastest ways to get a manifest rejected.
### AT7: Shipment Status Details
```
AT7*AV*NS***20261112*0530*LT~
```
| Element | Name | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| **AT701** | Shipment Status Code | `AV` | `AV` available for delivery |
| **AT702** | Shipment Status or Appointment Reason Code | `NS` | `NS` normal status |
| **AT703** | Shipment Appointment Status Code | | Used instead of `AT701` when the segment reports an appointment |
| **AT704** | Shipment Status or Appointment Reason Code | | Reason for the appointment status |
| **AT705** | Date | `20261112` | Date the trailer is available |
| **AT706** | Time | `0530` | Time it is available |
| **AT707** | Time Code | `LT` | `LT` local time |
This is the same `AT7` segment a carrier uses on the [214 shipment status message](/guides/edi/214-transportation-carrier-shipment-status), with the same code lists. On a 212 the heading `AT7` describes the whole trailer. Consignees that schedule from the 212 typically read `AT705` and `AT706` as the earliest time the trailer can be at their dock.
### MS2 and M7: Trailer and Seal
```
MS2*QLTX*530118*TL~
M7*QS4471902~
```
| Element | Name | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| **MS201** | Standard Carrier Alpha Code | `QLTX` | SCAC of the trailer's owner |
| **MS202** | Equipment Number | `530118` | Trailer number |
| **MS203** | Equipment Description Code | `TL` | `TL` trailer (not otherwise specified) |
| **M701** | Seal Number | `QS4471902` | Seal on the trailer doors |
The yard and gate teams use these. A trailer that arrives with a different number or a broken seal is a receiving exception, so store both with the appointment.
### LX and L11: Each Shipment and Its References
```
LX*1~
L11*QLTX20481557*CN~
L11*LHG-BOL-77120*BM~
```
| Element | Name | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| **LX01** | Assigned Number | `1` | Sequence number of the shipment on this manifest |
| **L1101** | Reference Identification | `QLTX20481557` | The reference value |
| **L1102** | Reference Identification Qualifier | `CN` | `CN` carrier's PRO number, `BM` bill of lading number |
The PRO number (`CN`) is the carrier's tracking number for the shipment. The bill of lading number (`BM`) is the shipper's, and it is usually the reference that ties the shipment to the supplier's 856 ASN. Some retailers also require their own load or move number in an extra `L11` on freight they pay for. The guide names the qualifier.
### AT8: Weight and Handling Units
```
AT8*G*L*5710*316~
AT8*G*L*2260**8~
```
| Element | Name | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| **AT801** | Weight Qualifier | `G` | `G` gross weight |
| **AT802** | Weight Unit Code | `L` | `L` pounds, `K` kilograms |
| **AT803** | Weight | `5710` | Weight of the shipment |
| **AT804** | Lading Quantity | `316` | Handling units that are not unitized, such as loose cartons |
| **AT805** | Lading Quantity | `8` | Handling units that are unitized, such as pallets |
`AT804` and `AT805` add up to the total handling units. Put floor-loaded cartons in `AT804` and pallets in `AT805`, as in the two lines above, so the DC knows whether it needs a forklift or a crew.
### OID: Order Identification Detail
```
OID*SO-55120*4500781234**CTN*220*L*4180~
```
| Element | Name | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| **OID01** | Reference Identification | `SO-55120` | Shipper's reference for the order |
| **OID02** | Purchase Order Number | `4500781234` | The consignee's PO number |
| **OID04** | Packaging Form Code | `CTN` | `CTN` carton, `PLT` pallet |
| **OID05** | Quantity | `220` | Number of packages for this PO |
| **OID06** | Weight Unit Code | `L` | `L` pounds |
| **OID07** | Weight | `4180` | Weight for this PO |
The `OID` lines are why DCs want the 212. Each one names a purchase order the DC can look up. The carrier usually gets these values from the bill of lading or from the consignee's own [204 load tender](/guides/edi/204-motor-carrier-load-tender) on collect freight. If the 204 carried `OID` data, the guide may ask the carrier to echo it exactly. In 004010 the same information goes in `SPO`, where `SPO01` is the PO number and `SPO03` to `SPO06` carry the unit, quantity and weight.
### N1 Loop (Detail): Shipper
```
N1*SH*LAKESHORE HOME GOODS~
N4*GRAND RAPIDS*MI*49508*US~
```
The last loop in each shipment names who shipped it (`N101` = `SH`). The DC uses it to find the supplier's ASN and to contact the right vendor about shortages.
## 212 vs 214 vs 856 vs 215
These four are easy to mix up because they all describe freight on the move.
| Document | Sent by | Sent to | Scope | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **212 Delivery Trailer Manifest** | Carrier | Consignee | One delivery trailer, many shipments | What is on the trailer coming to your dock |
| **[214 Shipment Status](/guides/edi/214-transportation-carrier-shipment-status)** | Carrier | Shipper, consignee or third party | One shipment | Where the shipment is and what just happened to it |
| **[856 Ship Notice/ASN](/guides/edi/856-ship-notice)** | Supplier | Buyer | One shipment, down to cartons and items | What the supplier shipped against the PO |
| **[215 Pick-up Manifest](/guides/edi/215-motor-carrier-pickup-manifest)** | Shipper | Carrier | One pickup, many shipments | What the shipper handed to the carrier |
The 215 and the 212 are mirror images. The 215 is the shipper's list of shipments at the start of the move. The 212 is the carrier's list of shipments on one trailer at the end of it, usually mixing freight from many shippers.
## Common 212 Errors and How to Prevent Them
| Error | What happens | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| **Wrong consignee location ID** | Manifest rejected or sent to the wrong DC's schedule | Map `N104` from the consignee's location table, not from the free-text address |
| **Replacement sent with a new manifest number** | DC sees two trailers and double-books a door | Reuse `ATA02` on every replace and cancel |
| **Replacement sent as a partial update** | Shipments left off the new version are lost | Always send the full trailer contents with `B2A01` = `05` |
| **PO missing or mistyped in `OID02`** | DC cannot match the freight to an open order; appointment refused | Take PO numbers from the 204 or the BOL electronically, not from a keyed field |
| **Carton count differs from the ASN** | Receiving exception at the door | Carry the shipper's BOL piece count; flag mismatches with the shipper before dispatch |
| **Loose and palletized units in the same field** | DC plans the wrong labor | Use `AT804` for loose cartons and `AT805` for pallets |
| **Manifest sent too late** | No appointment slot left, trailer waits in the yard | Send when the trailer closes, within the consignee's stated window |
| **Full truckload sent as a 212** | Rejected or ignored | Use the 212 for multi-shipment LTL trailers only, as the standard intends |
| **Cancellation not sent when the trailer is re-routed** | DC holds a door for a trailer that is not coming | Trigger `B2A01` = `01` from the carrier's dispatch change |
## 212 Implementation Checklist
For a carrier setting up 212s with a new consignee:
- Get the consignee's 212 guide and confirm the X12 release (004010 uses `SPO`, 004030 uses `OID`)
- Load the consignee's location IDs for `N104` and test one per DC
- Confirm the required `L11` qualifiers per shipment (PRO, BOL, and any consignee load number)
- Confirm the `AT7` status and reason codes and the time code it expects
- Confirm the send window and whether the 212 is the appointment request
- Confirm the response: a 997 only, or an appointment message such as a 163
- Test an original, a replace with a shipment removed, a replace with a new date, and a cancellation
- Monitor 997s and appointment rejections for the first weeks of production
For a supplier, there is nothing to send, but there is plenty to influence. The PO numbers, carton counts and weights on a 212 come from your bill of lading. Accurate BOLs and [856 ASNs](/guides/edi/856-ship-notice) are what let the DC match the carrier's manifest to your shipment. Our [EDI compliance guide](/edi-compliance) and [EDI document types reference](/edi-document-types) show how these fit around the order.
## Where OrderSync Fits
A 212 is the end of a chain that starts with an order. If the purchase order was keyed wrong, the PO number on the bill of lading is wrong, and the DC cannot match the freight when the carrier's manifest arrives.
OrderSync reads inbound orders in any format, from EDI 850s and 875s to PDFs, emails and spreadsheets, matches customers, items and units to your catalog, and outputs clean ERP data or valid X12. That gives your shipping team correct PO numbers and quantities to put on the bill of lading. Paste any 212 into the [free EDI inspector](/edi-inspector) to see it parsed segment by segment with a plain-English summary, or [book a 15-minute walkthrough](/book-call) to see your own orders processed.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is an EDI 212?
The EDI 212 Motor Carrier Delivery Trailer Manifest is an X12 transaction an LTL carrier sends to a consignee listing every shipment on a trailer it is about to deliver: trailer and seal numbers, each shipment's PRO and bill of lading, the purchase orders, piece counts and weights. Many retail DCs use it to schedule the delivery appointment.
### Who sends an EDI 212?
The motor carrier delivering the trailer sends it, usually from the destination terminal once the trailer is loaded. The consignee, typically a retail distribution center or its logistics provider, receives it. The supplier that shipped the goods is not part of the exchange.
### What is the difference between EDI 212 and EDI 214?
A 214 reports a status event for one shipment, such as pickup, arrival or delivery, to whoever needs to track it. A 212 lists all the shipments on one delivery trailer for the consignee. The 212 even reuses the 214's AT7 status segment, but for the trailer as a whole.
### Is the EDI 212 used for full truckload shipments?
No. The X12 standard describes the 212 as a manifest of a trailer containing multiple shipments and says it is not for full truckload shipments. A truckload is a single shipment, which a 214 or the shipper's 856 already covers.
### What does the ATA segment mean in an EDI 212?
ATA is the 212's beginning segment. ATA01 is the SCAC of the delivering carrier, ATA02 is the manifest number the carrier assigned, and ATA03 is the date the manifest was created. Replacements and cancellations must reuse the same ATA02.
### How do you change or cancel an EDI 212?
Send a new 212 with the same manifest number in ATA02. B2A01 code 05 replaces the manifest in full, so it must list every shipment still on the trailer. Code 01 cancels it when the trailer is no longer going to that location. Check the consignee's guide for the codes it accepts.
### What does a retailer send back after a 212?
At minimum a 997 functional acknowledgment. Retailers that schedule dock appointments from the 212 may also send an appointment message. Best Buy's published carrier guide, for example, answers with an EDI 163 that grants the appointment or rejects the manifest with the data to fix.
### Does a supplier need to send an EDI 212?
No. The 212 is exchanged between the carrier and the consignee. A supplier's job is to give the carrier an accurate bill of lading and to send its own 856 ASN to the retailer, because the DC matches the carrier's 212 against both.