ORDERS, ORDRSP, DESADV, INVOIC: the EDI messages behind a fashion order
A single wholesale order between a fashion brand and a retailer triggers a chain of standard EDI messages. Here is what each one does, what it must contain and where errors usually start.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Summary by the editors
- In EANCOM, the GS1 subset of UN/EDIFACT, a typical fashion order runs through ORDERS, ORDRSP, DESADV and INVOIC, with CONTRL and APERAK as acknowledgements.
- GS1 defines ORDRSP as the supplier's response to a purchase order, and allows one order to be answered by one or more response messages.
- According to GS1, the despatch advice (DESADV) should always be sent before the goods physically arrive, and each pallet or carton should be uniquely identified, ideally with an SSCC.
- North American retailers use ANSI X12 equivalents, such as 850 for the purchase order, 856 for the advance ship notice and 810 for the invoice.
- Most costly EDI errors in fashion are content errors, such as wrong quantities per size or cartons that do not match the ASN, rather than technical failures.
ORDERS, ORDRSP, DESADV and INVOIC are the four core EANCOM messages that carry a wholesale order from purchase to payment: the retailer orders, the brand confirms, the brand announces the shipment, and the brand invoices. Two further messages, CONTRL and APERAK, confirm that files were received and could be processed. Understanding what each message promises helps brands see why a small data error at order entry can surface weeks later as a deduction.
What is EANCOM and how does it relate to X12?
EANCOM is the GS1 implementation of the UN/EDIFACT standard, widely used by European retailers. GS1's EANCOM 2002 manual lists the messages and their names, among them ORDERS (purchase order), ORDRSP (purchase order response), ORDCHG (purchase order change request), DESADV (despatch advice), RECADV (receiving advice), INVOIC (invoice), SLSRPT (sales data report), INVRPT (inventory report) and PRICAT (price and sales catalogue). In North America, retailers mostly use ANSI X12, where the same steps have numbered transaction sets; Nordstrom's requirements, for example, name the 850 purchase order, 856 advance ship notice, 810 invoice and 997 functional acknowledgement.
| Step | EANCOM message | X12 equivalent | Sent by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order | ORDERS | 850 | Retailer | Buys specific GTINs, quantities, delivery dates and locations |
| Order change | ORDCHG | Per retailer guide | Retailer | Requests changes to an existing order |
| Confirmation | ORDRSP | Per retailer guide | Brand | Accepts, changes or rejects order lines |
| Shipment notice | DESADV | 856 | Brand | Describes what is in the delivery, carton by carton |
| Receipt | RECADV | Per retailer guide | Retailer | Reports what was actually received |
| Invoice | INVOIC | 810 | Brand | Bills for delivered goods |
| Acknowledgement | CONTRL, APERAK | 997 | Receiver | Confirms a file was received or flags errors |
Only the X12 sets that a retailer actually requires matter: Nordstrom names four, while other retailers add order acknowledgements or change messages. Check each retailer's guide, because not every retailer uses every message.
What does the ORDERS message contain for a fashion order?
A purchase order identifies the buyer, the supplier, the delivery and invoicing locations and every ordered item, normally by GTIN. In fashion this means one line per size and colour, which is why an order for a single style can contain dozens of lines. The order also carries requested delivery dates or windows, prices and sometimes store-level allocation, so that the brand can pack per store. If a GTIN on the order is unknown in the brand's system, the line cannot be processed automatically.
Pre-order and replenishment orders look different in the data. A seasonal pre-order may carry several delivery windows months ahead, while a replenishment order for continuous items is usually smaller, more frequent and expects a fast confirmation. Brands that handle both through the same EDI connection should check that their ERP can tell the two apart, for example through order type codes agreed with the retailer, so that each is allocated and confirmed under the right rules.
Why does the order response (ORDRSP) matter so much?
GS1 defines ORDRSP as a message responding to a purchase order under conditions agreed between supplier and buyer. It can respond for one or more items, and one order may be answered by one or more response messages, depending on business practice. For a brand this is the moment to tell the retailer, in data rather than in an email, which lines will be delivered in full, which are reduced, which are moved to a later date and which are cancelled.
Brands that skip the order response, or send a blanket acceptance, push the problem downstream. The retailer's open-to-buy and allocation still assume the original quantities, and the mismatch surfaces at goods receipt, often as a short delivery claim.
What is a DESADV, and how is it different from a delivery note?
GS1 describes DESADV as a message specifying details for goods despatched or ready for despatch, and states that it should always be sent before the goods are physically delivered. Each unit delivered, such as a pallet or carton, should be uniquely identified, and GS1 recommends its Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) for this. The message can describe the shipment hierarchically, from shipment to pallets, cartons and items, which lets the receiver cross-check the physical delivery against the electronic message and spot discrepancies immediately.
That cross-check is the point. A retailer's distribution centre scans the SSCC on the carton label and expects the contents announced in the DESADV. If the carton holds a different size mix, the receipt has to be handled manually, and many retailers pass that cost back to the supplier.
How do invoices and acknowledgements close the loop?
The INVOIC message bills for what was delivered. Retailers usually match it automatically against the order and the receipt, so an invoice that repeats the original order quantity instead of the shipped quantity will fail matching. In some markets the invoice format is now also a legal question: since 1 January 2026, Belgian VAT-registered businesses must issue and receive structured e-invoices for domestic B2B transactions, implemented through the Peppol network.
Acknowledgements are easy to overlook. CONTRL reports whether a file was syntactically readable; APERAK reports application errors, such as an unknown location. A brand that does not monitor these messages may believe an invoice was received when it was in fact rejected.
Where do AI tools help with the message flow?
The message standards themselves are stable, so AI adds value around them rather than in them. Useful applications are:
- Reading inbound orders that still arrive as PDF or email and turning them into structured order data for review.
- Comparing each outbound DESADV with packing scan data before it is sent, and flagging lines where quantities differ.
- Classifying APERAK and rejection messages by cause, so that recurring master data problems are fixed at source.
- Summarising retailer implementation guides so that teams can see where an account deviates from the standard.
None of these replaces correct master data. If GTINs, location codes and size scales are wrong, an AI model will only process the wrong data faster.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ORDRSP and ORDCHG?
ORDRSP is sent by the supplier to respond to a purchase order, accepting, changing or rejecting lines. ORDCHG is a purchase order change request, normally sent by the buyer to modify an order it has already placed. Both are defined in GS1's EANCOM manual.
Is DESADV the same as an ASN?
Yes, in practice. DESADV is the EANCOM name for the despatch advice; in North America the equivalent is the X12 856 advance ship notice. Both announce the contents of a shipment before it arrives.
What is an SSCC on a fashion carton?
The Serial Shipping Container Code is a GS1 identifier for a logistic unit such as a carton or pallet. It is printed as a barcode on the carton label and referenced in the despatch advice, so the receiver can link the physical carton to its announced contents.
Do all retailers use EANCOM?
No. Many European retailers use EANCOM, while most North American retailers use ANSI X12, and marketplaces often prefer APIs. Each retailer publishes its own implementation guide stating which standard, version and messages it uses.
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