EDI 944 Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice Transaction Specifications
1. What is an EDI 944 Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice?
The 944 EDI document type is an electronic version of a paper Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice. Standard EDI formats include X12, ANSI, EDIFACT and its subsets. The 944 EDI document type is used to advise a depositor or agent thereof that a transfer shipment has been received. This document also provides detailed information concerning product that has been received.
While it’s main purpose is to inform the supplier or manufacturer that a shipment has been received, the EDI 944 can also:
- Report surpluses or shortfalls of an item
- Indicate if a product was damaged when it arrived
- Provide updates about the inventory levels of the product
- Indicate warehouse lot numbers or certain production codes
2. What are the Essential Components of EDI 944?
EDI 944 transactions need to include several key pieces of information pertaining to an arriving shipment. These include, but are not limited to:
- Shipment number
- Manufacturer information, such as vendor number
- Carrier information
- Product types and quantities
- Product tracking details like lot numbers and serial numbers
- Date and time of shipment receipt
- Indication of missing or damaged goods
3. EDI 944 Format
Common information in the EDI 944 transaction includes:
- Manufacturer information
- Shipment identification
- Shipment date
- Carrier information
- Item identification
- Quantity and units
4. EDI 944 Specification
This X12 Transaction Set contains the format and establishes the data contents of the Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice Transaction Set (944) for use within the context of an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) environment. The transaction set can be used by a receiving location to advise a depositor or an agent of the depositor that a transfer shipment has been received. This transaction set provides the depositor or the depositor’s agent with detail information concerning product that has been received.
5. EDI 944 Key Data
EDI 944 Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice documents are a mix of data elements and fields. Most commonly the EDI 944 Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice will include:
- Supplier information
- When the shipment was received
- Item numbers, descriptions and quantities
- Warehouse receiving location
- Shipper information
Once received, a destination official will inspect the shipment for accuracy and any damage. Once verified and accepted, the recipient will respond to the supplier with a 944 Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice.
6. How do I Use EDI 944?
A “stock transfer” refers to the movement of inventory from a manufacturing plant or other facility, to a remote warehouse or 3PL. Manufacturers regularly send stock to their 3PLs, from which they can be sent to DCs or directly to retailers.
Before sending a shipment of goods to a 3PL, the manufacturer sends an EDI 943 Warehouse Stock Transfer Shipment Advice document, letting them know the details of the pending shipment. When the shipment is received into the warehouse, an EDI 944 Receipt Advice is sent to confirm receipt. The 944 document will also include details on the shipment, including any discrepancies, and the condition of the goods (I.e. if there were any damaged or defective products).
After receiving a 944 document from their 3PL, the manufacturer will respond automatically with an EDI 997 Functional Acknowledgement. The products then remain in the 3PL warehouse until the manufacturer needs them moved, at which time they’ll start the final shipment process with an EDI 940 Warehouse Shipping Order.
7. What are the Benefits of EDI 944?
EDI 944 is important first and foremost to help manufacturers and suppliers account for inventory across their warehouses. By sending information on the product quantity received, as well as indicating any damaged goods, the 3PL can help the manufacturer properly reconcile their inventory numbers. This also helps in planning replenishment shipments for the warehouses, as well as knowing how much stock is in each warehouse available for retailer shipments.
Another benefit of using EDI to send Warehouse Stock Transfer Receipt Advice documents is automation. Using technology like RFID or barcode scanning paired with integrated EDI, an EDI 944 document can be automatically generated as products are scanned during receiving and sent to the manufacturer. This not only ensures the most accurate shipment data possible, but also gives the manufacturer near real-time visibility into their outgoing shipments.
