How to Read a Walmart EDI 850 File
Complete step-by-step guide to understanding Walmart 850 Purchase Order EDI files, including critical fields that prevent chargebacks.
What is a Walmart EDI 850 File?
A Walmart EDI 850 is an electronic purchase order sent by Walmart to suppliers. It's a text file using the X12 EDI standard format that contains all the information you'd find in a traditional purchase order: items to ship, quantities, prices, delivery dates, and destination.
For Walmart suppliers, understanding your 850 files is critical. Missing key fields like MABD (Must Arrive By Date) results in automatic chargebacks of $50-$500 per shipment.
Structure of an EDI 850 File
EDI files are structured in segments (lines) separated by tildes (~). Each segment contains elements separated by asterisks (*). Here's what a typical Walmart 850 looks like:
Critical Walmart 850 Fields You Must Know
1. MABD (Must Arrive By Date) - DTM*002
Most important field in the entire file. This is Walmart's required delivery deadline. Format: DTM*002*YYYYMMDD~
In the example above, DTM*002*20250127~ means the shipment must arrive by January 27, 2025. Missing the MABD triggers Walmart's OTIF (On-Time In-Full) penalty: 3% of the cost of goods sold (COGS) for late, early, or incomplete deliveries.
As of March 2024, Walmart requires suppliers to deliver orders 95% in full and hit the MABD 90% of the time (98% for collect suppliers).
2. PO Number - BEG03
Found in the BEG segment. In BEG*00*SA*PO123456**20250120~, the PO number is "PO123456" (third element). You'll reference this number on invoices (810) and ASNs (856).
3. Department Number - REF*DP
REF*DP*12345~ indicates department number 12345. This determines where items are routed within Walmart stores. Wrong department number = items sent to wrong stores = chargebacks.
4. Ship-To DC - N1*ST
N1*ST*WALMART DC 6034*92*0078742060347~ tells you to ship to Distribution Center 6034. The last element (0078742060347) is the GLN (Global Location Number). You must ship to the correct DC listed in the 850.
5. Item Number (SKU) - PO107
PO1*1*100*EA*12.99*TP*UP*012345678901~ has the UPC/item number in the last element: 012345678901. The item number format varies:
- UP = UPC barcode
- VN = Vendor's item number
- UK = UPC + check digit
6. Quantity Ordered - PO102
In PO1*1*100*EA*12.99, the quantity is 100 (second element), and the unit of measure is EA (each). Other common units: CA (case), DZ (dozen), PR (pair).
7. Unit Price - PO104
In the same PO1 segment, 12.99 is the unit price. The price basis (fifth element, "TP") indicates "trading partner price" - meaning the agreed-upon wholesale price.
How to Actually Read Your Walmart 850 File
Step 1: Open the File
850 files usually have .edi, .txt, or .x12 extensions. Open with any text editor (Notepad, TextEdit, VS Code). The file will look cryptic but follows the structure shown above.
Step 2: Find the PO Number
Search for "BEG*" - the third element after the asterisks is your PO number. Write this down.
Step 3: Extract the MABD Date
Search for "DTM*002" - the date immediately after is your Must Arrive By Date in YYYYMMDD format. Convert this to a readable date and mark it on your calendar.
Step 4: Identify the Ship-To Location
Search for "N1*ST" - this shows which Walmart DC to ship to. Verify this matches your shipping labels.
Step 5: Extract Line Items
Each PO1 segment is a line item. Count how many PO1 segments exist to know how many SKUs are on this PO. For each PO1:
- Note the quantity (second element)
- Note the unit price (fourth element)
- Note the item number (last element)
Step 6: Check for Special Instructions
Look for N9 segments (notes) or additional REF segments. These may contain special routing instructions, pack configurations, or compliance requirements.
Common Walmart EDI 850 Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring MABD dates: Always ship to arrive BEFORE the MABD, not on the MABD date.
- Shipping to wrong DC: Double-check the DC number in N1*ST matches your ship-to address.
- Missing department numbers: If REF*DP exists, include this on your ASN (856) and invoice (810).
- Wrong item numbers: Use the exact item number from PO107, including the qualifier (UP, VN, etc.).
- Quantity mismatches: Ship the exact quantity in PO102, or send an 855 acknowledgment if you can't fulfill.
Easier Way: Convert EDI 850 to CSV
Instead of manually parsing EDI files, you can convert them to Excel-ready CSV format instantly. PlainEDI extracts all key fields (MABD, PO number, department, ship-to, line items) into clean CSV columns.
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