What the 846 is
The EDI 846 — the X12 Inventory Inquiry / Advice — is your sellable inventory positions — the heartbeat of drop-ship programs. It travels outbound for most trading programs.
When it's sent
The 846 travels outside the core 850 → 855 → 856 → 810 chain — it supports the programs that surround it.
Key segments
| Segment | What it carries |
|---|---|
| BIA | Report type and inquiry/advice indicator |
| LIN | Item identification (UPC/GTIN/SKU) |
| QTY | Quantity by status: on-hand, committed, on-order, backordered |
| SDQ | Location-level quantity breakdown when reporting by warehouse |
Sample 846
A representative 846 interchange — fixed-width ISA envelope, functional group, and control totals:
1ISA*00* *00* *ZZ*ACMESUPPLY *ZZ*RETAILPARTNER *260101*1200*U*00401*000000001*0*P*>~ 2GS*IB*ACMESUPPLY*RETAILPARTNER*20260101*1200*1*X*004010~ 3ST*846*0001~ 4REF*ZZ*SAMPLE 846 DOCUMENT~ 5DTM*097*20260101~ 6SE*4*0001~ 7GE*1*1~ 8IEA*1*000000001~
Partners that require it
Trading partners in the EDISQ catalog that trade the 846:
Whole Foods EDI 846
Grocery · AS2
KeHE EDI 846
Distributor · AS2
UNFI EDI 846
Distributor · AS2
Dot Foods EDI 846
Distributor · AS2
Grainger EDI 846
Industrial · AS2
Fastenal EDI 846
Industrial · AS2
Chewy EDI 846
Pet · API + AS2
Wayfair EDI 846
E-commerce · API + AS2
Overstock EDI 846
E-commerce · AS2
Zappos EDI 846
E-commerce · AS2
McKesson EDI 846
Healthcare Distribution · VAN
Cardinal Health EDI 846
Healthcare Distribution · AS2
FAQ
What is an EDI 846?
The EDI 846 is the X12 Inventory Inquiry / Advice. Your sellable inventory positions — the heartbeat of drop-ship programs.
Who sends the 846?
You send the 846 to your trading partner. EDISQ maps it from your ERP, validates it against the partner's spec, and transmits it.
How do I automate the 846?
Enable your trading partner in EDISQ, connect your ERP, and the certified map handles the 846 end to end — first 25 documents each month free.