Overview
The ORDERS message is the foundational message in the EDI procurement process. It is sent from a buyer to a supplier to place an order for goods or services, specifying product identification, quantities, requested delivery dates, prices, shipping instructions, and other commercial terms. In many EDI implementations, the ORDERS message is the first business document exchanged, and it triggers the entire downstream document flow — order confirmation, despatch, invoicing, and payment.
The ORDERS message type supports several order functions beyond a simple new order. Through the BGM (Beginning of Message) segment, it can represent blanket orders (long-term agreements with periodic call-offs), call-off orders against existing contracts, order amendments, order cancellations, and sample orders. The message function code in BGM element 1225 further distinguishes between original messages, replacements, and cancellations.
In the EANCOM subset widely used in retail and consumer goods, ORDERS is one of the most heavily implemented messages. Retailers typically generate orders from their replenishment systems and transmit them to suppliers via EDI, enabling automated order processing, warehouse picking, and shipment scheduling without manual data entry.
Message Structure
The ORDERS message consists of a header section with information applying to the entire order, a detail section with repeating line items, and a summary section with control totals. The header establishes the order identity, parties, dates, and terms. Each line item in the detail section describes a single product being ordered.
Key Segments
| Segment | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
UNH | Message Header | Identifies the message type (ORDERS) and directory version |
BGM | Beginning of Message | Order number, document type (purchase order, blanket order), and function (original, change, cancel) |
DTM | Date/Time/Period | Order date, requested delivery date, validity period for the order |
RFF | Reference | References to contracts, promotions, previous orders, or buyer internal references |
NAD | Name and Address | Buyer (BY), supplier (SU), delivery party (DP), ship-from party (SF), invoicee (IV) |
CTA | Contact Information | Contact person at the buyer or supplier for order queries |
TOD | Terms of Delivery | Delivery terms (e.g., Incoterms like FOB, CIF, DDP) |
CUX | Currencies | Order currency code |
LIN | Line Item | Product identification by GTIN, buyer or supplier article number |
PIA | Additional Product ID | Alternative item identifiers (buyer code, supplier code, manufacturer part number) |
IMD | Item Description | Free-text or coded product description |
QTY | Quantity | Ordered quantity with unit of measure |
PRI | Price Details | Expected unit price (net or gross) |
UNS | Section Control | Separates the detail section from the summary |
CNT | Control Total | Number of line items for integrity verification |
UNT | Message Trailer | Segment count and message reference number |
Common Use Cases
- Retail replenishment: Automated store or warehouse replenishment systems generate ORDERS messages daily based on stock levels, sales forecasts, and reorder points. Suppliers receive these electronically and begin picking and packing immediately.
- Manufacturing procurement: Manufacturers send ORDERS to component and raw material suppliers based on MRP (Material Requirements Planning) runs, specifying precise delivery schedules tied to production plans.
- Blanket orders and call-offs: A blanket ORDERS message establishes the terms for a period contract, and subsequent call-off orders reference the blanket order to schedule individual deliveries.
- Order amendments: When quantities or delivery dates need to change, an amended ORDERS message (with replacement function code) updates the original order while maintaining traceability.
- Drop-ship orders: A buyer orders goods to be shipped directly from the supplier to a third-party delivery address (e.g., a customer warehouse), with the delivery party differing from the buyer.
Example Snippet
UNH+1+ORDERS:D:96A:UN:EAN008'
BGM+220+PO-2024-00456+9'
DTM+137:20240310:102'
DTM+2:20240320:102'
NAD+BY+5412345000013::9'
NAD+SU+4012345000010::9'
NAD+DP+5412345000099::9'
CUX+2:EUR:4'
LIN+1++4012345000027:SRV'
QTY+21:500:PCE'
PRI+AAA:25.50'
LIN+2++4012345000034:SRV'
QTY+21:200:PCE'
PRI+AAA:12.00'
UNS+S'
CNT+2:2'
UNT+15+1'Implementation Considerations
Product identification is critical in ORDERS. In retail EDI, the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) in the LIN segment serves as the primary key, but many implementations also require the buyer's article number or the supplier's article number in PIA segments. Ensure your mapping can handle multiple identification schemes and fall back gracefully when one is missing.
Delivery scheduling can be complex. Simple orders specify a single requested delivery date in DTM, but more sophisticated implementations use the SCC (Scheduling Conditions) segment combined with QTY to define delivery schedules with multiple delivery dates and quantities per line item — common in automotive and manufacturing supply chains.
When implementing order amendments, the replacement ORDERS message should contain the complete updated order, not just the changed fields. The receiving system replaces the original order entirely with the new version. Maintain the original order number and increment a version reference to preserve audit traceability.