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TRADACOMS Order Sample File (ORDHDR)

UK grocery order file: header, order, trailer. Valid TRADACOMS ORDHDR version 9, explained segment by segment, free to download.

A synthetic file: made-up companies, IDs and amounts, safe to load into a test system.

A TRADACOMS order file is the UK retail format for purchase orders, still used by several grocers. This sample has three messages inside STX and END: an ORDHDR file header with supplier and customer, one ORDERS message with order PO4500813 and two OLD lines, and an ORDTLR trailer.

Standard
TRADACOMS ORDHDR
Version
ORDHDR version 9
Sent by
Retailer to supplier
Segments
19

sample-tradacoms-order-file.edi

From NORTHGATE GROCERS 5012345000015 to HILLSIDE FOODS 5012345000022. Click a line to jump to its explanation.

Open in EDI Inspector
STX=ANA:1+5012345000015:NORTHGATE GROCERS+5012345000022:HILLSIDE FOODS+261009:081500+TR5521++ORDHDR'MHD=1+ORDHDR:9'TYP=0430+NEW-ORDERS'SDT=5012345000022+HILLSIDE FOODS LTD'CDT=5012345000015+NORTHGATE GROCERS LTD'FIL=1871+1+261009'MTR=6'MHD=2+ORDERS:9'CLO=5012345000046:0412+NORTHGATE LEEDS KIRKSTALL'ORD=PO4500813::261009'DIN=261014'OLD=1+5012345100012:HF-OAT-500++:NG-110432+1+120+11500+++ROLLED OATS 500G'OLD=2+5012345100029:HF-GRN-750++:NG-110587+1+60+24000+++HONEY GRANOLA 750G'OTR=2'MTR=8'MHD=3+ORDTLR:9'OFT=1'MTR=3'END=3'

ORDHDR Sample, Segment by Segment

Every segment and element, with what each code means. The 12 segments with a note are open; open any other to see its elements.

  1. 1STXStart of transmission

    Start of transmission: sender and receiver GLNs, date 261009 (YYMMDD) and transmission reference TR5521.

    STX01
    Syntax rules identifier
    ANA:1Identifier (ANA): ANA · Version: 1
    STX02
    Transmission sender
    5012345000015:NORTHGATE GROCERSSender code: 5012345000015 · Sender name: NORTHGATE GROCERS
    STX03
    Transmission recipient
    5012345000022:HILLSIDE FOODSRecipient code: 5012345000022 · Recipient name: HILLSIDE FOODS
    STX04
    Date and time of transmission
    261009:081500Date (YYMMDD): 261009 · Time (HHMMSS): 081500
    STX05
    Sender's transmission reference
    TR5521
    STX07
    Application reference
    ORDHDR
  2. 2MHDMessage header

    Message 1 is the ORDHDR file header.

    MHD01
    Message reference (sequence within the transmission)
    1
    MHD02
    Type of message
    ORDHDR:9Message type: ORDHDR · Version: 9
  3. 3TYPTransaction type details

    0430: new orders.

    TYP01
    Transaction code
    0430New orders
    TYP02
    Transaction type
    NEW-ORDERS
  4. 4SDTSupplier details
    SDT01
    Supplier's identity
    5012345000022
    SDT02
    Supplier's name
    HILLSIDE FOODS LTD
  5. 5CDTCustomer details
    CDT01
    Customer's identity
    5012345000015
    CDT02
    Customer's name
    NORTHGATE GROCERS LTD
  6. 6FILFile details

    File generation number 1871. The receiver checks it runs in sequence.

    FIL01
    File generation number
    1871
    FIL02
    File version number
    1
    FIL03
    File creation date
    261009
  7. 7MTRMessage trailer
    MTR01
    Number of segments in the message, MHD and MTR included
    6
  8. 8MHDMessage header

    Message 2 is the order itself (ORDERS).

    MHD01
    Message reference (sequence within the transmission)
    2
    MHD02
    Type of message
    ORDERS:9Message type: ORDERS · Version: 9
  9. 9CLOCustomer's location

    The delivery location: GLN plus the store code 0412.

    CLO01
    Customer's location
    5012345000046:0412Location GLN: 5012345000046 · Customer's own location code: 0412
    CLO02
    Customer's location name
    NORTHGATE LEEDS KIRKSTALL
  10. 10ORDOrder references

    The order number, PO4500813, and its date.

    ORD01
    Customer's order
    PO4500813::261009Order number: PO4500813 · Order date: 261009
  11. 11DINDelivery instructions

    The delivery date.

    DIN01
    Earliest delivery date
    261014
  12. 12OLDOrder line details

    Order line: GTIN and supplier code, the customer's code NG-110432, 120 units at 11500 (£1.15, four implied decimals).

    OLD01
    Sequence number
    1
    OLD02
    Supplier's product number
    5012345100012:HF-OAT-500GTIN of the traded unit: 5012345100012 · Supplier's own code: HF-OAT-500
    OLD04
    Customer's product number
    :NG-110432Customer's own code: NG-110432
    OLD05
    Unit of ordering
    1
    OLD06
    Quantity ordered
    120
    OLD07
    Cost price (four implied decimal places)
    11500
    OLD10
    Traded unit description
    ROLLED OATS 500G
  13. 13OLDOrder line details
    OLD01
    Sequence number
    2
    OLD02
    Supplier's product number
    5012345100029:HF-GRN-750GTIN of the traded unit: 5012345100029 · Supplier's own code: HF-GRN-750
    OLD04
    Customer's product number
    :NG-110587Customer's own code: NG-110587
    OLD05
    Unit of ordering
    1
    OLD06
    Quantity ordered
    60
    OLD07
    Cost price (four implied decimal places)
    24000
    OLD10
    Traded unit description
    HONEY GRANOLA 750G
  14. 14OTROrder trailer

    Order trailer: 2 lines.

    OTR01
    Number of lines ordered
    2
  15. 15MTRMessage trailer

    Message trailer: 8 segments from MHD to MTR.

    MTR01
    Number of segments in the message, MHD and MTR included
    8
  16. 16MHDMessage header
    MHD01
    Message reference (sequence within the transmission)
    3
    MHD02
    Type of message
    ORDTLR:9Message type: ORDTLR · Version: 9
  17. 17OFTOrder file totals
    OFT01
    Number of orders in the file
    1
  18. 18MTRMessage trailer
    MTR01
    Number of segments in the message, MHD and MTR included
    3
  19. 19ENDEnd of transmission

    End of transmission: 3 messages.

    END01
    Number of messages in the transmission
    3

The Same File as a Document

What a person reads once the codes are translated. Download it as a PDF from the menu above.

Purchase Order

PO4500813

Oct 9, 2026

Currency
GBP
Earliest delivery
Oct 14, 2026

Supplier

HILLSIDE FOODS LTD

GLN: 5012345000022

Customer

NORTHGATE GROCERS LTD

GLN: 5012345000015

Delivery location

NORTHGATE LEEDS KIRKSTALL

GLN: 5012345000046

LineItem / UPCDescriptionQtyUnitUnit priceAmount
1HF-OAT-5005012345100012ROLLED OATS 500G120Traded unit£1.15£138.00
2HF-GRN-7505012345100029HONEY GRANOLA 750G60Traded unit£2.40£144.00
Lines
2
Total quantity
180
Merchandise
£282.00
Total
£282.00

About This ORDHDR Sample

TRADACOMS predates EDIFACT and groups messages into files: a header message, one message per order and a trailer message, each with its own MHD and MTR. Segment tags are followed by an equals sign, and prices usually carry four implied decimals.

Here the unit cost 11500 is £1.1500, the same price as the EDIFACT ORDERS sample.

For every segment the standard allows and how retailers use them, read the TRADACOMS ORDHDR guide. To check a file of your own, paste it into the EDI Inspector, or browse all 22 EDI sample files.

Related Sample Files

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a TRADACOMS ORDHDR?

A TRADACOMS order file is the UK retail format for purchase orders, still used by several grocers. This sample has three messages inside STX and END: an ORDHDR file header with supplier and customer, one ORDERS message with order PO4500813 and two OLD lines, and an ORDTLR trailer.

Can I use this TRADACOMS ORDHDR sample to test my system?

Yes. It is a complete, valid TRADACOMS file of 19 segments with made-up companies, IDs and amounts. Download it as .edi or .txt, load it into your translator or ERP test environment, and change the sender and receiver IDs to your test IDs if your system routes by them.

How do I check my own TRADACOMS ORDHDR file?

Paste it into the free OrderSync EDI Inspector. It names every segment and element, checks the envelope counts and control numbers, tests GS1 check digits, and points at the exact segment a trading partner would reject. Nothing is uploaded: the file is read in your browser.

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