EDI 214

EDI 214: Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message

What is an EDI 214: Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message?

 An EDI 214 transaction is a Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message that is used by transportation carriers, like trucking companies, to provide shippers and consignees with a status update on their shipments. This status can be delineated through:

• Purchase Order information
• Date of shipment
• Times
• Proof of delivery
• Expected delivery
• Shipment origination (names and addresses)
• Shipment locations (coordinates)
• Shipment status details 
• Description of the shipment
• Routes
• Identifying numbers.

How is an EDI 214: Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message used?

Shippers typically require EDI 214 Status messages based on various events including carrier arrivals and departures from pickup locations.

The purpose of this transaction type is to allow a transportation carrier the ability to provide shippers and consignees with the status of a given shipment.

As with just about every EDI transaction, the shipper that receives an EDI 214, may choose to send an EDI 997 in response, but this is often superfluous. Some trading partners may require the extra step. 

Benefits of the EDI 214 Transaction Set

There are 3 primary benefits of the EDI 214:

1. Evaluating carrier performance - The 214 EDI transaction makes it easy for shippers to determine whether a carrier is holding up its end of the bargain. By referencing the first and the last shipment statuses, the retail partners or other buyers can easily determine if the carrier met the predetermined transit schedule. 

2. Management of reception facilities - Because the EDI 214 gives advanced warning of the location of a shipment and the time until arrival, this affords the retailer or other receiving entity the ability to adjust loading dock schedules and move employees around according to arrival times. 

3. Verification of the entire transportation order series - Many retailers and shippers require an EDI 214 because it is straightforward to verify that the contents of the Transportation Carrier Status Message match those of the EDI 211 Bill of Lading, the EDI 850 Purchase Order, the EDI 210 Invoice, and of course, the SCAC code.

Common Issues with EDI 214

• Not returning the same values that were sent in the EDI 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender may have an impact on the accuracy and timeliness of the EDI 214.
• To make sure that Shipment Status updates are accurate, proper reason codes that adhere to the shipper's EDI criteria are required. If not, the file may be rejected due to other codes.
• Shippers anticipate a 214 edi status to be sent almost immediately as the event occurs.
• In most cases, carriers must be able to accept and reconcile EDI 997 documents on behalf of shippers as a response to the edi 214 status.
   

Ensuring all information matches accordingly enables the shipper to pay the carrier with the confidence of knowing the correct, agreed-upon order, was fulfilled.