EDI 864 Text Message

EDI 864 Text Message Definition

The EDI 864 transaction set is an electronic Text Message that is used to electronically transmit codes, messages, table descriptions, contracts, and other one-time communication for people, not for computer processing. The EDI 864 document is sent for multiple purposes like sending a text message about the reception of invalid data or other messages to vendors or suppliers. The use of this transaction set to transmit quasi or unique transaction set standards is discouraged.

Sent By: Either Trading Partner (Retailer or Supplier)

EDI 864 can be sent by either party. In practice, it is most commonly sent by the retailer or buyer to notify the supplier of errors, rejections, or other issues with previously submitted EDI documents such as invoices or ASNs.

Received By: Either Trading Partner (Supplier or Retailer)

The receiving party reads the message to understand what went wrong and what corrective action is needed. For suppliers, this is often an alert about rejected invoices or data errors that need to be corrected and resubmitted.

What EDI 864 Represents in Real Life

EDI 864 is not a transactional document.

It is the EDI equivalent of an email or a notification — a human-readable message sent through the EDI channel. In most real-world scenarios, suppliers receive 864s from retailers telling them something went wrong with a document they submitted.

Common reasons a supplier receives an EDI 864:

• • • An invoice (810 or 880) was rejected due to data errors
    • An ASN (856) had missing or invalid information
    • Allowance or charge amounts were incorrect
    • A document failed the retailer’s mapping validation

In short, the EDI 864 is the early warning system that tells you something needs to be fixed before it becomes a bigger problem.

EDI 864 Specification

Components of an EDI 864 Text Massage:

Each EDI 864 document contains segments and data elements. Examples of data elements are:

• • • Message date and time
    • Recipient identifying information
    • Free-form message text
    • Reference numbers (invoice numbers, PO numbers, etc.)

Additional data that may be included:

• • • Error codes and descriptions
    • Sender and receiver identification
    • Transaction reference numbers for the rejected documents
    • Instructions for correction and resubmission
    • Business day deadlines for resubmission

Related EDI Transactions

EDI documents that commonly trigger an EDI 864 notification:

• • • EDI 810 – Invoice
    • EDI 856 – Advance Ship Notice
    • EDI 880 – Grocery Products Invoice

Other related EDI documents include:

• • • EDI 812 – Credit / Debit Adjustment
    • EDI 820 – Payment or Order Remittance
    • EDI 824 – Application Advice
    • EDI 850 – Purchase Order
    • EDI 855 – Purchase Order Acknowledgment
    • EDI 860 – Order Change Request
    • EDI 867 – Product Transfer and Resale Report
    • EDI 870 – Order Status Report
    • EDI 875 – Grocery Products Purchase Order
    • EDI 997 – Functional Acknowledgement

EDI 864 Sample File Format (Raw EDI File)

ISA*00*          *00*          *12*111111111      *12*222222222      *230512*2119*U*00401*000000212*0*P*>~GS*TX*111111111*222222222*20230512*2119*3*X*004010~ST*864*000000003~BMG*18*000266353~MIT*000266353**80*55~MSG*                         INVOICE ERRORS      EDIT DATE:2023-05-12*NP~MSG*TXT NBR: 000266353                REPORTED TO:              EDIT TIME:21:06:45*SS~MSG*                         TRADING PARTNER NAME*SS~MSG*                             SENDER ID: INTERCHANGE REC*SS~MSG*        THE FOLLOWING INVOICES HAVE BEEN REJECTED DUE TO*DS~MSG*        VIOLATION(S) OF THE MAPPING SPECIFICATIONS.*SS~MSG*        YOU MUST CORRECT AND RETRANSMIT UTILIZING THE SAME INVOICE*SS~MSG*        NUMBER WITHIN 5 BUSINESS DAYS.  OTHERWISE, THESE REJECTED*SS~MSG*        INVOICES WILL BE DELETED FROM OUR SYSTEM AND WILL NOT BE*SS~MSG*        PAID.*SS~MSG*        IF YOU CANNOT CORRECT AND RETRANSMIT THE INVOICE(S) IN*DS~MSG*        ERROR, NOTIFY YOUR EDI PRODUCTION SUPPORT CONTACT OR CALL*SS~MSG*  INVOICE NUMBER        E R R O R   M E S S A G E*DS~MSG*INVOICE#             ED18  INVALID ALLOWANCE/CHARGE AMOUNT RECEIVED*SS~MSG*INVOICE#             ED15  INVOICE AMOUNT OUT OF BALANCE*SS~SE*19*000000003~GE*1*3~IEA*1*000000212~

What Each Line in the EDI 864 Sample Means

Each segment in an EDI 864 serves a specific purpose. Here is a breakdown of the sample file above:

ISA – Interchange Control Header. Opens the EDI envelope with sender/receiver IDs, date (230512), time (2119), and control number.

GS – Functional Group Header. Identifies the transaction type (TX = Text Message).

ST – Transaction Set Header. “864” identifies the document type with control number 000000003.

BMG – Beginning Segment for Text Message. Transaction purpose (18 = Notification) and reference number (000266353).

MIT – Message Identification. Contains the message reference number, message type (80), and priority or category code (55).

MSG – Free-Form Message Text. The core of the 864. Each MSG segment contains one line of human-readable text. In this sample, the messages explain that invoices were rejected due to mapping violations, list the specific error codes (ED18 = Invalid allowance/charge amount, ED15 = Invoice amount out of balance), and instruct the supplier to correct and retransmit within 5 business days.

SE – Transaction Set Trailer. Closes the 864. Contains the segment count (19) and matching control number.

GE – Functional Group Trailer. Closes the functional group. 1 transaction set included.

IEA – Interchange Control Trailer. Closes the EDI envelope.

Real-World Example: Supplier Receiving an Invoice Rejection Notice

A supplier sends 10 invoices (EDI 880s) to a grocery retailer. Two of them fail validation.

• • • The retailer’s system detects errors in two invoices
    • The retailer sends an EDI 864 Text Message listing the rejected invoices and error codes
    • Elevate receives the 864 and alerts the supplier’s team
    • The supplier reviews the errors: one has an invalid allowance amount, the other has a balance issue
    • The supplier corrects and resubmits the invoices using the same invoice numbers
    • The retailer processes the corrected invoices and schedules payment

Without the 864, the supplier might not discover the rejections until payment is overdue.

Why Monitoring EDI 864 Messages Is Critical

Ignoring 864 messages directly impacts cash flow.

Common consequences of missing 864 alerts:

• • • Rejected invoices go unnoticed and expire past the resubmission window
    • Payments are delayed or never processed
    • The supplier loses revenue on valid shipments
    • Manual follow-up is required to resolve aged issues
    • Trading partner relationships suffer from repeated errors

Monitoring and acting on 864s quickly keeps invoices flowing and payments on schedule.

Common Challenges with EDI 864 Text Messages

• • • Messages are free-form text with no standardized structure — parsing requires flexibility
    • Different trading partners use different error codes and formats
    • Resubmission deadlines vary and can be easy to miss
    • High-volume suppliers may receive dozens of 864s daily
    • Correlating 864 errors back to the original invoice or ASN requires reference number matching

Flexible EDI systems handle these scenarios without breaking the flow.

How to Start Receiving EDI 864

1. Confirm which partners send 864s: Not all trading partners use the 864. Check with your major retailers and buyers to understand if and how they send error notifications via EDI.
2. Choose an EDI platform: You need EDI software to translate your data into the proper ANSI X12 format. Cloud-based platforms like Elevate make this straightforward with transparent pricing, no contracts, and end-to-end support.
3. Set up alerts and routing: Configure your EDI platform to parse incoming 864 messages and route them to the right team. Elevate can surface these as readable alerts so your team can act immediately.
4. Establish a correction workflow: Create an internal process for reviewing 864 errors, correcting the original documents, and resubmitting within the required timeframe.
5. Go live and monitor: Begin receiving production 864s and track resolution times. A good EDI platform will alert you to new messages in real time so nothing slips through.

Need help with EDI 864 implementation and more?

Elevate is built for small businesses and includes hands-on onboarding so you don’t have to figure it out alone.

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