Purchase Order Message
UN/EDIFACT ORDERS is the international equivalent of the X12 850 — a structured purchase order used widely across Europe and global trade lanes.
In this guide
EDIFACT ORDERS moves from Buyer to Seller / Supplier (Buyer → Seller) via AS2, SFTP, VAN. The interactive diagram below traces every business and technical step the message passes through — press Play Flow to watch it travel, or click any step for detail.
How it works
How EDIFACT ORDERS Works
Sender
Buyer
Receiver
Seller / Supplier
Direction
Buyer → Seller
Standard
UN/EDIFACT
Version
D.01B
Transport
AS2 / SFTP / VAN
Business Purpose
Order Management
Sender — Buyer
EDI Transmission
ORDERS
Purchase Order Message
UN/EDIFACT D.96A / D.01B
Receiver — Seller / Supplier
Related transaction flows
Need help understanding this EDI flow?
Ask EDI AI →EDIFACT ORDERS workflow. Steps: Buyer ERP Order, Generate ORDERS, SFTP / AS2 / VAN, Buyer Gateway, Translate to ERP, Confirm with ORDRSP. Transmitted from Buyer to Seller / Supplier via AS2, SFTP, VAN, following UN/EDIFACT D.96A / D.01B.
Overview
Communicates order details between buyer and seller in cross-border and multi-standard supply chains, particularly common in automotive, retail, and manufacturing in Europe.
Sender
Buyer
Receiver
Seller / Supplier
Direction
Buyer → Seller
Standard / Version
UN/EDIFACT D.96A / D.01B
Segment structure
Key segments that make up this transaction set:
| Segment | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| BGM | Beginning of Message | Document name, number, and function (original, change). |
| DTM | Date/Time/Period | Order date and requested delivery date. |
| NAD | Name and Address | Buyer, seller, and delivery party details. |
| LIN | Line Item | Identifies each ordered item. |
| QTY | Quantity | Ordered quantity for the line. |
Interactive example
Click any segment below to see its business meaning.
UNB
This is an envelope or control segment. Select a highlighted segment on the left (shown in green) for a full business explanation.
View raw EDI
UNB+UNOC:3+BUYERCORP:ZZ+ACMESUPPLY:ZZ+230914:1230+101'
UNH+1+ORDERS:D:96A:UN'
BGM+220+PO-2024-88213+9'
DTM+137:20230914:102'
NAD+BY+BUYERCORP::92'
NAD+SU+ACMESUPPLY::92'
NAD+DP+DC4WAREHOUSE::92'
LIN+1++SKU-10293:BP'
QTY+21:100'
PRI+AAA:25.00'
LIN+2++SKU-38810:BP'
QTY+21:250'
PRI+AAA:4.50'
UNS+S'
CNT+2:2'
UNT+14+1'
UNZ+1+101'Mapping example
A representative field-level mapping from a common source system into this transaction:
| Source | Source Field | Target Field |
|---|---|---|
| SAP IDoc (ORDERS05) | E1EDP01-MENGE | QTY+21 (Quantity) |
| SAP IDoc (ORDERS05) | E1EDP01-MATNR | LIN/7140 (Item Number) |
| SAP IDoc (ORDERS05) | E1EDP01-NETPR | PRI/5118 (Price Amount) |
Validation rules
- UNH message reference number must be unique within the interchange.
- Each NAD segment must use a valid party qualifier (BY=Buyer, SU=Supplier, DP=Delivery Party).
- UNT segment count (number of segments) must match the actual segments in the message.
- Every LIN loop should have at least one QTY segment.
Common errors & troubleshooting
Interchange rejected at UNB/UNZ level
Cause: Interchange control reference in UNZ doesn't match UNB.
Fix: Ensure the translator auto-generates matching control references for UNB/UNZ pairs.
Supplier can't resolve item number
Cause: LIN/7143 item number type code (BP vs. SA - Supplier's Article Number) mismatched what the supplier expects.
Fix: Agree on and document which item number qualifier will be used before go-live.
Related articles
Frequently asked questions
They serve the same business purpose, but EDIFACT uses a different segment/element syntax (colons and pluses instead of asterisks) and different segment names, so a translation map is needed to convert between the two.
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