EDI 852 Product Activity Data

The EDI 852 transaction set is the standard data format for providing trading partners with product SKU activity data, such as inventory levels, sales rates and other product movement-related information. An 852 may include any or all of the following information:

• Item description and UPC
• Quantity sold
• Quantity on hand
• Quantity on order
• Forecast sales
• Sales history and/or comparison to prior periods

Activity may be provided at a distribution center level or individual location or store level. Information may be provided in terms of dollars, units or both. This transaction set is an important aspect of supply chain visibility. Using 852 transactions, distributors, warehouses or retailers can provide their suppliers with the information they need to plan, ship and set re-order and stocking levels for their products. Many retailers actually require their suppliers to manage product activity and other point-of-sale (POS) data. The goal of this information sharing is to ensure inventory levels are properly maintained, and shipments are timely, as well as to drive lower inventory costs and a higher ROI. Unlike many other EDI transaction sets, the 852 is often transmitted on a schedule rather than as a result of an event (such as an 856 Advance Shipping Notice sent prior to a shipment, or a 997 Functional Acknowledgement in response to another transaction). For example, many retailers provide their suppliers with an 852 for each SKU on a weekly basis. Accepting and using 852 transaction data is easy with EDI/HQ™, our advanced EDI software. The powerful data management tools in EDI/HQ™ let you map 852 data into your own database or analysis software. Want to learn more? Contact 1 EDI Source today.