EDI to CSV for Dropshippers: Walmart, Target, Amazon Direct Fulfillment Guide

You're dropshipping products for Walmart, Target, or Amazon. Orders come in as EDI 850 purchase orders. You forward them to your supplier or 3PL warehouse. They ship directly to the customer with retailer branding. You submit the 856 Advance Ship Notice (ASN) to the retailer. Then the 810 invoice gets processed.

The problem: EDI files are unreadable. Retailers send cryptic .edi files with segments like ST*850*0001~BEG*00*DS*PO123456~. You need to extract the customer name, address, items, quantities, and ship-by dates to forward to your supplier.

The solution: Convert EDI to CSV instantly. Upload the 850 purchase order to PlainEDI, get a labeled CSV with all order details, import to your order management system or send to your 3PL. Submit ASN and invoice through retailer web portals (Walmart Drop Ship Vendor Portal, Amazon Vendor Central, Target Partners Online).

This guide covers the complete dropshipping EDI workflow for all three major retailers, 3PL integration strategies, compliance requirements, and cost-effective alternatives to full EDI software.

Understanding the Dropship EDI Workflow

The dropshipping EDI lifecycle follows a standard 4-step pattern across Walmart, Target, and Amazon:

Step 1: Customer Places Order on Retailer Website

• Walmart.com: Customer buys product listed under "Sold & Shipped by [Your Company]"
• Amazon: Amazon Retail (1P) customer selects Direct Fulfillment product
• Target Plus: Customer orders from Target.com/Target app

What happens behind the scenes: Retailer's order management system generates an EDI 850 purchase order and sends it to your EDI mailbox (VAN, AS2, or SFTP) or makes it available in their vendor portal.

Step 2: You Receive EDI 850 Purchase Order

Download locations:

• Walmart DSV: Walmart Drop Ship Vendor (DSV) Portal under "EDI Documents" or via EDI VAN/AS2
• Amazon: Vendor Central → Orders → "Download Orders" as EDI 850 or via Direct Fulfillment API
• Target: Partners Online Portal → "Orders" section → Download EDI 850

What you need to extract from 850 PO:

• Purchase order number (BEG segment)
• Customer shipping address (N1/N3/N4 segments with qualifier "ST" ship-to)
• Item details: SKU/UPC, description, quantity, unit price (PO1 segment)
• Ship-by date / Delivery date (DTM segment - Walmart MABD, Amazon delivery window, Target requested date)
• Special instructions (retailer-branded packing slip, gift message if applicable)

Step 3: Forward Order to Supplier/3PL

Typical workflow:

1. Download EDI 850 from retailer portal
2. Upload to PlainEDI → Get CSV with customer name, address, items, quantities
3. Import CSV to your order management system (Shopify, NetSuite, Excel)
4. Generate purchase order for your supplier or shipping instructions for 3PL
5. Include retailer-specific requirements (Walmart packing slip, Amazon FBA labeling, Target branding)

Step 4: Supplier Ships → You Submit 856 ASN

After your supplier/3PL ships the order:

• Collect tracking number, carrier, ship date
• Submit EDI 856 Advance Ship Notice to retailer (via portal or EDI transmission)
• Walmart DSV: ASN Builder in Drop Ship Vendor Portal (web form, no EDI required) or EDI 856 via VAN/AS2
• Amazon: Vendor Central "Shipments" tab or Direct Fulfillment API for EDI 856
• Target: Partners Online ASN submission (web form) or EDI 856 via AS2

Why ASN is critical: Late or missing ASNs trigger chargebacks. Walmart charges penalties for late/missing dropship ASNs. Amazon Direct Fulfillment has strict 4-hour advance notice requirement. Target Perfect Order Program (May 4, 2025) charges $0.75/carton for missing ASNs.

Step 5: Submit EDI 810 Invoice

After shipment confirmation, submit invoice:

• Walmart DSV: Invoice via Drop Ship Vendor Portal or EDI 810
• Amazon: Vendor Central invoice submission (auto-generated from ASN in some cases) or EDI 810
• Target: Partners Online invoice or EDI 810

Three-way match: Retailers match 850 PO ↔ 856 ASN ↔ 810 Invoice. Mismatches (quantity, price, UPC) trigger payment holds and chargebacks.

Retailer-Specific Dropshipping EDI Requirements (2025)

Walmart Drop Ship Vendor (DSV) Program

EDI Setup Options:

• Web Portal (Recommended for low volume): Walmart Drop Ship Vendor Portal for ASN/invoice submission via web forms (no EDI transmission required)
• EDI via VAN/AS2: Full EDI transmission for high-volume dropshippers (850/856/810/997)
• Walmart DSV API: Modern API alternative for tech-savvy vendors

Key Requirements:

• MABD dates: EDI 850 includes Must Arrive By Date in DTM*002 segment (CCYYMMDD format). Ship to arrive MABD-3 to MABD window.
• Packing slip: Must include Walmart branding, customer name, order details (Walmart provides packing slip template in DSV Portal)
• Carrier requirements: Use Walmart-approved carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS). Tracking must be provided in 856 ASN.
• Department numbers: REF*DP segment in 850 PO contains department number (critical for correct item routing)

Compliance & Penalties:

• Late/missing ASN penalties apply to dropship orders
• OTIF (On-Time In-Full) requirements: 90% on-time for prepaid, 98% ready for collect, 95% in-full
• Below 90% OTIF triggers 3% COGS penalty
• Customer complaints about dropship quality trigger vendor warnings/suspension

Amazon Direct Fulfillment (Vendor Central Dropship)

Program Overview: Amazon Direct Fulfillment allows Vendor Central (1P) vendors to dropship directly to Amazon customers. Vendors must be invited to Direct Fulfillment program (not available to all Vendor Central accounts).

EDI Setup Options:

• Vendor Central portal: Download 850 orders, submit ASN/invoice via web interface
• Direct Fulfillment API: Real-time API for order retrieval and ASN submission (recommended for 50+ orders/month)
• EDI via VAN: Traditional EDI 850/856/810 transmission

Key Requirements:

• Order acknowledgment: 850 PO must be acknowledged within 8 hours of receipt
• ASN timing: 856 ASN must be submitted 4 hours before actual delivery to customer (strict requirement)
• Invoice timing: 810 invoice within 24 hours of shipment
• Packaging: Amazon-branded packing slip required (Amazon provides packing slip PDF via API or Vendor Central)
• Carrier tracking: Valid tracking from UPS/FedEx/USPS required in ASN

Compliance & Penalties:

• Shortage chargebacks: If customer doesn't receive item, Amazon charges unit cost + 10-15% handling fee
• Three-way match failures: 850 PO ↔ 856 ASN ↔ 810 Invoice must match exactly (quantity, price, UPC)
• SIPP (Shipping and Item Performance Program): Late shipments, invalid tracking, or customer complaints trigger SIPP violations ($1.80-$4.40 per unit penalty effective Jan 1, 2025)
• Dispute window: 30 days to dispute shortage chargebacks via Vendor Central (requires proof of delivery)

Target Plus Marketplace Dropshipping

Program Overview: Target Plus is Target's curated marketplace for select vendors. Dropshipping allowed on selective basis (invitation required).

EDI Setup Options:

• Partners Online portal: Web-based order download and ASN submission
• EDI via AS2: Direct AS2 connection for EDI 850/856/810/997 (required for high-volume vendors)
• Third-party EDI providers: SPS Commerce, TrueCommerce integration

Key Requirements (2025 Updates):

• Perfect Order Program (effective May 4, 2025): Compliance metrics updated for 2025
• ASN penalties: $0.75 per carton for missing/late ASN (changed from 3% COGS), minimum $100 penalty
• ASN Accuracy (new 2025 metric): Bill of Lading (BOL) number must be in correct format and segment in EDI 856
• Physical Barcode Accuracy (new 2025 metric): GS1-128 labels must be scannable and match EDI data
• Fill rate requirement: 95% measured at item level (3% COGS penalty for non-compliant items)

Compliance & Penalties:

• Perfect Order Program tracks ASN availability, ASN accuracy, fill rate, physical barcode accuracy
• Supplier Performance Management Dashboard (SPMD) for real-time compliance metrics
• Repeated violations trigger account warnings, reduced visibility, or account suspension

Dropshipper EDI to CSV Workflow (PlainEDI Method)

Here's the step-by-step process for managing dropship EDI without full EDI software:

Step 1: Download EDI 850 Purchase Order

• Walmart DSV: Login to Drop Ship Vendor Portal → EDI Documents → Download 850 PO (.edi file)
• Amazon: Vendor Central → Orders → Download Orders (select EDI format)
• Target: Partners Online → Orders → Download EDI 850

Step 2: Convert EDI to CSV with PlainEDI

1. Go to PlainEDI upload page
2. Upload .edi file (drag & drop or browse)
3. PlainEDI parses the 850 PO and displays instant CSV preview
4. CSV includes labeled columns:
   • PO Number (from BEG segment)
   • Ship To Name, Address, City, State, ZIP (from N1/N3/N4 segments)
   • Item SKU/UPC, Description, Quantity, Unit Price (from PO1 segment)
   • Ship By Date / MABD Date (from DTM segment - Walmart MABD, Target requested date, Amazon delivery window)
   • Department Number (Walmart REF*DP), TCIN (Target VA qualifier), ASIN (Amazon)
5. Download CSV (requires PlainEDI account: $9 single file, $39 for 10-pack, $99/month unlimited)

Step 3: Forward Order to Supplier/3PL

Option A: Import to Order Management System

• Import CSV to Shopify/WooCommerce/NetSuite/Excel using native CSV import or third-party tools (SaasAnt, Zapier)
• Create purchase order for supplier with customer shipping address from CSV
• Include retailer-specific instructions (packing slip template, branding requirements)

Option B: Email CSV to 3PL/Supplier

• Send CSV via email to your 3PL warehouse or supplier
• Include fulfillment instructions: "Ship with Walmart-branded packing slip, tracking required"
• 3PL processes CSV and ships directly to customer

Option C: Manual Processing (Low Volume)

• Open CSV in Excel/Google Sheets
• Copy customer address and item details to your shipping label template
• Print packing slip with retailer branding

Step 4: Supplier Ships → Collect Tracking

After your supplier/3PL ships the order:

• Receive tracking number from UPS/FedEx/USPS
• Record ship date and carrier (needed for ASN submission)
• Verify customer received correct items (prevent shortage chargebacks)

Step 5: Submit ASN via Retailer Portal

Walmart DSV ASN Submission:

• Login to Drop Ship Vendor Portal → ASN Builder
• Enter PO number, tracking number, carrier, ship date
• Submit ASN (no EDI transmission required - web form)

Amazon Vendor Central ASN Submission:

• Vendor Central → Shipments → Create Shipment
• Enter order number, tracking, carrier, ship date
• Submit (Amazon auto-generates 856 ASN from web form)

Target Partners Online ASN Submission:

• Partners Online → Shipments → Create ASN
• Upload CSV with tracking details or enter manually
• Submit ASN before delivery to avoid $0.75/carton penalty

Step 6: Submit Invoice (EDI 810 or Portal)

• Walmart DSV: Invoice Builder in portal (web form) or EDI 810
• Amazon: Vendor Central invoice (auto-generated from ASN in many cases) or EDI 810
• Target: Partners Online invoice submission or EDI 810

Important: Invoice must match PO and ASN exactly (quantity, price, UPC) to avoid payment delays.

3PL Integration for Dropshipping EDI

If you use a third-party logistics (3PL) warehouse for dropship fulfillment, you have three integration options:

Option 1: CSV Email Workflow (Simplest)

Process:

1. Download EDI 850 from retailer portal
2. Convert to CSV with PlainEDI
3. Email CSV to your 3PL with fulfillment instructions
4. 3PL ships and sends you tracking numbers
5. You submit ASN to retailer portal

Best for: 10-50 orders/month, simple 3PL relationship, low-tech 3PL that doesn't have EDI integration.

Cost: $99/month PlainEDI unlimited + $0 3PL integration fees (just email CSV).

Option 2: 3PL Portal Integration (Medium)

Process:

1. Download EDI 850 from retailer portal
2. Convert to CSV with PlainEDI
3. Import CSV to 3PL's web portal (most modern 3PLs have CSV import)
4. 3PL processes order, ships, auto-sends tracking to you
5. You submit ASN to retailer portal with tracking from 3PL

Best for: 50-200 orders/month, modern 3PL with web portal, need some automation.

Cost: $99/month PlainEDI + 3PL portal fees (usually free or $50-$100/month).

Option 3: Full EDI Integration (Advanced)

Process:

1. Retailer sends 850 PO via EDI to your EDI software/provider
2. Your EDI software auto-forwards 850 to 3PL's EDI system
3. 3PL receives order, ships, sends 856 ASN back via EDI
4. Your EDI software receives 856, auto-transmits to retailer
5. Fully automated - no manual CSV conversion

Best for: 200+ orders/month, multiple 3PLs, high-volume dropshipping business.

Cost: $750-$2,000/month for full EDI software (SPS Commerce, TrueCommerce, Orderful) + 3PL EDI integration fees ($100-$500/month per 3PL).

Why expensive: Requires custom EDI mapping between your system, retailer's format, and 3PL's format. 6-12 months implementation time.

When to Graduate from CSV to Full EDI

You should consider full EDI integration when:

• You consistently process 200+ dropship orders per month
• You work with 3+ retailers (Walmart + Target + Amazon)
• You use 2+ different 3PL warehouses (need automated routing)
• Manual CSV processing takes 10+ hours per week
• Your 3PL offers EDI integration and charges lower fulfillment fees for EDI orders

Migration path: Start with PlainEDI CSV method ($99/month). When you hit 200+ orders/month, migrate to Orderful ($1,999/month modern API platform) or SPS Commerce ($750-$2,000/month managed service).

Cost Comparison: Dropshipping EDI Solutions

Let's compare the total cost of managing dropship EDI for a vendor processing 100 orders/month across Walmart, Amazon, and Target:

Option 1: PlainEDI CSV Method

• Monthly cost: $99/month PlainEDI unlimited files
• Setup time: 0 hours (instant)
• Processing time: 5 minutes per order × 100 orders = 8.3 hours/month
• Labor cost: 8.3 hours × $25/hour = $208/month
• Total monthly cost: $99 + $208 = $307/month
• Annual cost: $307 × 12 = $3,684/year

Option 2: Orderful Modern EDI Platform

• Monthly cost: $1,999/month Integrated API plan
• Setup time: 9 days average onboarding
• Setup cost: First trading partner FREE (Walmart), then ~$200/month per additional retailer-transaction relationship
• Processing time: Automated (0 hours/month)
• Total monthly cost: $1,999 base + 3 retailers × 2 transactions (850/856) × $200 = $1,999 + $1,200 = $3,199/month
• Annual cost: $3,199 × 12 = $38,388/year

Option 3: SPS Commerce Managed Service

• Monthly cost: $1,200/month (typical for 100 orders/month, 3 retailers)
• Setup fee: $10,000 implementation (custom mapping for Walmart/Amazon/Target)
• Setup time: 6-12 months onboarding
• Processing time: Automated (0 hours/month)
• Year 1 cost: $10,000 + ($1,200 × 12) = $24,400
• Year 2+ annual cost: $1,200 × 12 = $14,400/year

Common Dropshipping EDI Challenges & Solutions

Challenge 1: Late/Missing ASN Penalties

Problem: Your 3PL ships the order but doesn't notify you in time. You submit ASN late. Walmart/Target charges late ASN penalty.

Solution:

• Set up automated tracking notifications from your 3PL (email/API)
• Submit ASN immediately upon receiving tracking number (don't wait for delivery confirmation)
• Walmart DSV: Submit ASN same day as ship date
• Amazon: Submit ASN 4 hours before delivery (use estimated delivery date from carrier)
• Target: Submit ASN before shipment arrives at customer

Challenge 2: Three-Way Match Failures (850 ↔ 856 ↔ 810)

Problem: Customer orders 10 units. Your 3PL ships 10 units. But invoice shows 11 units. Retailer flags mismatch, holds payment.

Solution:

• Always verify quantity in CSV matches what your 3PL actually ships
• If 3PL ships partial order (out of stock), update ASN quantity accordingly
• Invoice quantity must match ASN quantity, not original PO quantity
• Use PlainEDI to cross-reference: Download 850 PO → Convert to CSV → Compare with 3PL shipped quantity → Submit accurate 856 ASN

Challenge 3: Multiple 3PLs/Suppliers

Problem: You have 3 different suppliers. Walmart sends you 5 orders. Orders 1-2 go to Supplier A, orders 3-4 go to Supplier B, order 5 goes to Supplier C. Managing this manually is chaotic.

Solution:

• Download all 850 POs from Walmart DSV Portal
• Convert batch to CSV with PlainEDI (supports batch upload)
• Filter CSV by SKU/product category in Excel:
  • Supplier A products → Export to supplier_a.csv → Email to Supplier A
  • Supplier B products → Export to supplier_b.csv → Email to Supplier B
  • Supplier C products → Export to supplier_c.csv → Email to Supplier C
• Each supplier ships their portion, sends you tracking
• You submit separate ASNs for each shipment (multiple ASNs per PO is allowed)

Challenge 4: Retailer-Specific Packing Requirements

Problem: Walmart requires Walmart-branded packing slip. Target requires Target branding. Your 3PL uses generic packing slips. Customer complains.

Solution:

• Walmart: Download packing slip template from Walmart DSV Portal → Email PDF to 3PL → 3PL prints and includes in shipment
• Amazon: Vendor Central provides packing slip PDF for each order → Email to 3PL
• Target: Partners Online packing slip generator → Email to 3PL
• Best practice: Include packing slip PDF link in CSV you send to 3PL (add column "Packing_Slip_URL")

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I dropship without EDI software?

Yes. For low-to-medium volume (under 200 orders/month), you can download EDI files from retailer portals, convert to CSV with PlainEDI, forward orders to your 3PL/supplier, and submit ASNs via retailer web portals. No EDI transmission software required.

Do I need EDI transmission for Walmart DSV, Amazon Direct Fulfillment, or Target Plus?

No for low volume. All three retailers offer web portals for ASN and invoice submission:

• Walmart DSV: ASN Builder and Invoice Builder (web forms, no EDI required)
• Amazon Vendor Central: Shipments tab for ASN submission
• Target Partners Online: ASN and invoice web forms

EDI transmission (VAN/AS2) is only required at high volumes (200+ orders/month) or if retailer specifically mandates it for your account.

How does PlainEDI handle dropship-specific EDI fields?

PlainEDI automatically extracts dropship-relevant fields from EDI 850 purchase orders:

• Customer ship-to address (N1/N3/N4 segments with "ST" qualifier)
• Walmart MABD dates (DTM*002 segment)
• Target TCIN and requested delivery date
• Amazon ASIN and delivery window
• Department numbers, special instructions, gift messages (if present in PO)

What if my 3PL already has EDI integration?

If your 3PL has full EDI integration, you have two options:

• Option 1: Use 3PL's EDI integration for automatic order forwarding (retailer → your EDI → 3PL EDI). You'll need full EDI software ($750-$2,000/month).
• Option 2: Continue using PlainEDI CSV method if 3PL also accepts CSV/email orders (many 3PLs support both EDI and CSV). Saves $650-$1,900/month in EDI software costs.

How do I handle partial shipments in dropshipping?

If your 3PL ships partial order (item out of stock):

1. Submit first 856 ASN with actual shipped quantity and tracking
2. When remaining items ship, submit second 856 ASN with same PO number, new tracking
3. Retailers accept multiple ASNs per PO
4. Invoice should match total shipped quantity across all ASNs (not original PO quantity)

What are the biggest dropshipping EDI mistakes?

Top mistakes leading to chargebacks:

• Late/missing ASNs: Submit ASN immediately after receiving tracking from 3PL (don't wait)
• Wrong ship-to address: Always use customer address from EDI 850 N1/N3/N4 "ST" segments, not retailer warehouse address
• Quantity mismatches: ASN quantity must match actual shipped quantity (not PO quantity if partial shipment)
• Missing tracking numbers: ASN without valid tracking triggers penalties
• Wrong packing slip: Must use retailer-branded packing slip (Walmart/Amazon/Target templates)