# EDI 214 Transportation Carrier Shipment Status: Complete Guide
> How the EDI 214 Shipment Status Message works: how carriers report pickup, in-transit, and delivery status, the B10 and AT7 segments and status codes, and how shippers use it.
The EDI 214 Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message is how a carrier reports a shipment's status to a shipper: picked up, in transit, arrived, delivered, or delayed, each with a status code, time, and location. It is the EDI feed behind shipment tracking, delivery confirmation, and proactive exception alerts.
**The EDI 214 is how a carrier keeps a shipper in the loop while freight is moving.** Each time a shipment hits a milestone, picked up, departed, arrived, delivered, the carrier sends a 214 with the status, the time, and the location. It is the data behind every "where is my shipment" dashboard and every proactive delay alert. Without it, a shipper is blind between pickup and the delivery receipt.
This guide covers what the 214 reports, the status codes that carry the meaning, the segments you will work with, and how shippers turn the feed into visibility.
## What Is an EDI 214?
**An EDI 214 is the Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message defined by the [ASC X12 standards body](https://x12.org/), used by a carrier to report the status and location of a shipment to the shipper or its 3PL at each milestone of the move.** It is the tracking feed of freight EDI.
Authoritative references for 214 implementation:
- The [X12.org Transaction Sets reference](https://x12.org/products/transaction-sets) defines the B10 and AT7 segment structure and the status and reason codes used across 214 implementations
- The [NMFTA](https://nmfta.org/) assigns the SCAC carrier codes that identify the reporting carrier on each status message
**Who sends it?** The carrier moving the freight.
**When is it sent?** At each status event: pickup, departure, arrival, delivery, and any exception such as a delay.
**Why does it matter?** The 214 is what turns a tendered load into a tracked shipment. It feeds delivery confirmation, supports on-time-in-full measurement, and lets a shipper act on a delay before the customer notices.
## Status Codes: Where the Meaning Lives
A 214 carries one or more status events, each a code with a time and place. Common status codes include:
- **AF** - Carrier departed pickup location
- **X6** - En route to delivery
- **X1** - Arrived at delivery location
- **D1** - Delivered
- **AG** - Estimated delivery
- **SD** - Shipment delayed, paired with a reason code explaining why
Each status code is paired with a reason code and a date, time, and location, so the shipper knows not just that something happened, but when, where, and why.
## Key Segments Explained
Here are the segments you will work with in a 214 transaction set:
| Segment | Name | Purpose |
|---------|------|---------|
| **ST** | Transaction Set Header | Identifies the start of the 214 and assigns a control number |
| **B10** | Beginning Segment for Transportation Carrier Shipment Status | The shipment identification number and the carrier SCAC |
| **L11** | Business Instructions and Reference Number | The load, PO, or BOL references that tie the status to the order |
| **AT7** | Shipment Status Details | The status code, reason code, and the date and time of the event |
| **MS1** | Equipment, Shipment, or Real Property Location | The city, state, and country where the event occurred |
| **MS2** | Equipment or Container Owner | The carrier equipment reporting the status |
The **AT7** segment is the workhorse. Each AT7 carries one status event, so a single 214 can report several milestones, or a stream of 214s can report them one at a time as they happen.
## Where the 214 Sits in the Freight Flow
The 214 runs through the middle of the freight transaction, after booking and before billing:
1. **[204 Motor Carrier Load Tender](/guides/edi/204-motor-carrier-load-tender)** - Shipper offers the load
2. **[990 Response to a Load Tender](/guides/edi/990-response-to-load-tender)** - Carrier accepts
3. **214 Shipment Status Message** - Carrier reports each milestone as the load moves
4. **[210 Motor Carrier Freight Invoice](/guides/edi/210-motor-carrier-freight-invoice)** - Carrier bills the completed move
The 214 complements the order side: it tracks the truck, while the [856 Ship Notice / ASN](/guides/edi/856-ship-notice) tells the buyer what is in the shipment. Together they give end-to-end visibility from dock to delivery.
## How Shippers Turn 214 Feeds Into Visibility
A 214 feed is only useful if the status events are matched to the right shipment and the exceptions are surfaced. Raw status messages piling up in an EDI mailbox help no one.
OrderSync reads inbound 214s (and arbitrary-format tracking updates) and ties each status event to its shipment and the order behind it, so delivered confirmations close out automatically and delays surface as exceptions to act on. It is the document layer that makes the status feed legible, not a TMS that controls the freight. Upload a 214 to the [free EDI inspector](/edi-inspector) to see it parsed, or [book a 15-minute walkthrough](/book-call) to see a status feed turned into shipment visibility.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is an EDI 214 used for?
The 214 is used by a carrier to report shipment status to a shipper: pickup, in transit, arrival, delivery, and exceptions like delays, each with a time and location. It is the EDI feed behind shipment tracking and delivery confirmation.
### What are EDI 214 status codes?
Status codes in the AT7 segment carry the milestone, such as AF for departed pickup, X1 for arrived at delivery, D1 for delivered, and SD for delayed. Each is paired with a reason code and a date, time, and location.
### What is the difference between an EDI 214 and an EDI 856?
The 214 reports the carrier's movement of the freight, tracking the truck. The 856 ASN tells the buyer what is in the shipment and how it is packed. The 214 is about transportation status; the 856 is about shipment contents.
### How often is an EDI 214 sent?
At each status event, so a shipment generates several 214s over its life: at pickup, in transit, on arrival, and at delivery, plus any exception updates.