EDI 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment: Common Mistakes and Fixes

When a retailer sends you a purchase order, it expects an answer. In EDI, that answer is the 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment: your electronic reply saying whether you will fill the order as written, change it, or reject some of it.

Where the 855 fits

The order starts with the retailer’s 850 Purchase Order. Your 855 replies to it. After you ship, you bill with the 810 Invoice, covered in What Is an EDI 810 Invoice?

Accept, change or reject at the line level

An 855 answers line by line, not just for the whole order. For each line you can typically:

• Accept it as ordered.
• Accept it with changes, such as a different quantity or ship date.
• Reject it, for example when an item is unavailable.

Codes and permitted changes vary by retailer, so work from the code list in your retailer’s guide rather than a general one.

Common mistakes

• Sending the 855 late. Time limits for acknowledgments vary by retailer. Find yours and track it.
• Changing price or quantity without checking the retailer’s rules. Some retailers do not accept changes, and others expect them to be flagged.
• Not reporting a shortage. Accepting a line you cannot fill in full can lead to a short shipment later.
• Mismatched order numbers. If the order number on your 855 does not match the 850, the retailer’s system may not link them.

What can follow

Penalties for late or incorrect acknowledgments differ by retailer. Where one exists, it can show up as a chargeback or a lower compliance score, and the details sit in your retailer’s guide.

Before and after you send

• Check stock and price against each 850 as it arrives.
• Send the 855 inside your retailer’s time limit.
• Confirm the retailer received it with a 997 Functional Acknowledgment.