EDI X12 850 is called Purchase Order in X12 standards and this is an electronic document sent from a buyer to seller requesting for purchasing goods or services. This is one of the initial or basic documents in the supply chain ecosystem.

Different Levels in 850:

Usually there are three different levels of loops in 850:

• Header
• Detail
• Summary

SDQ Segment:

This segment is not often used in all Purchase Orders. However this segment is mainly used in places where bulk orders need to be distributed to multiple places.

This segment is usually used to avoid sending redundant data. This reduction of data is achieved by sending the order synopsis as header data only once contrary to sending it multiple times during conventional 850 PO processing. This segment can be used to send orders to multiple locations for the items being ordered. This segment is essentially a combination of location number and an ordered quantity for that particular location. This permits one SDQ purchase order broadened into multiple orders.

SDQ Segment – Element details:

SDQ segment detail

• This segment usually comes under the detail segment in PO1 loop.
• This segment is optional in complete 850 X12 file
• Max no of occurrences in this segment is 500
• Max no of elements in this segment is 23
• An SDQ segment can hold up to 10 locations. When the PO has more than 10 locations,additional SDQ segments will be used.
• SDQ23 may be used to find areas within a larger store or its associated place. Eg: Front or back room, outpost or associated mini warehouse. This value can be given when trading partners mutually agree.

Example SDQ data as follows:

PO1*000000001*239*EA*27.50**UX*9876754312~
CTP**RPA*01~
SDQ*EA*92*0551*75*0552*48*0553*12*0554*104~

In the above example, the buyer has ordered 239 quantities of product code 987675431. The segregation and delivery location can be identified using the SDQ segment. Location 0551 should receive 75 units. Location 0552 should receive 48 units. Location 0553 should receive 12 units. Location 0554 should receive 104 units. If a specific situation arises to accommodate more locations, then the same can be accommodated using multiple SDQ segments.

SDQ & N1 segment:

Presence of the N1 segment has a strong connection with the SDQ segment. N103 – Identification Code qualifier provides a unique qualifier for N1 >> ST qualifier. This ID code qualifier is referred to SDQ03, SDQ05 etc.. until SDQ21 element. Hence, when N1 >> ST segment is present, SDQ data can be connected with location ID qualifier present in N1 >> ST segment. This combination of N1 and SDQ should share all the locations contained in the SDQ segment at detail level, and will be shipped to locations contained in that N1 segment. Usually, that also indicates the Ship-To location which is also known as distribution center and the shipping containers will need to contain information that finds the final destination of that shipment. This type of order is also known as “Cross-Dock” order. i.e they are shipped to the distribution center, but they are identified for a store as the final “Ship To” location.

If there is no presence of N1>>ST Ship To qualifier, then the location numbers in the SDQ should be used to determine shipment locations. This may require shipping directly to the location referred in the SDQ segment or it needs a travel guide to refer to the location qualifiers given in the SDQ segment.