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What is an EDI 864?

The EDI 864 is the text message transaction: simple information meant to be read by humans rather than processed by computers, from short notices to contracts.

Either direction
Written by EDI specialists
Everything is on the page, nothing to fill in

Last reviewed October 6, 2026 by Effective Data's EDI specialists.

Where it fits

When the 864 is used, and which way it travels

How the EDI 864 travelsThe 864 Text Message travels in both directions between Sender and Receiver. In sequence with: 850, 856, 810, 864.SenderReceiver864Text MessageIn sequence850Purchase order856Ship notice810Invoice864Text message
How the EDI 864 travelsThe 864 Text Message travels in both directions between Sender and Receiver. In sequence with: 850, 856, 810, 864.SenderReceiver864Text MessageIn sequence850Purchase order856Ship notice810Invoice864Text message
Which way the 864 travels, and the documents it is usually traded alongside. Partner implementation guides can add or drop documents from this set.

The 864 carries recipient identifying information, the message date and time, and free-form message text. It was originally created as a one-time communication method for specific data.

Some businesses now use it more frequently, to communicate information for which no specific document exists. It is deliberately flexible in what it can send.

It travels with the same security and timeliness as every other EDI document, directly to the receiver or through a Value-Added Network.

Also called the Text Message Transaction. Same document, same number.

Inside the document

The segments, and what each one carries

The published X12 structure, minus the segments most partners never use. Each partner's implementation guide narrows this further: which qualifiers, which identifiers, how many decimals. That guide, not the standard, is what your file is validated against.

Structure of the EDI 864An ISA/IEA interchange envelope wraps a GS/GE functional group, which wraps the 864 transaction set from ST to SE. Header: BMG. Detail: MIT, MSG. Summary: none listed.ISAInterchange envelopeIEAGSFunctional groupGESTTransaction set 864SEHeaderBMGDetailrepeats per line or loopMITMSGSummaryno segments listed
Structure of the EDI 864An ISA/IEA interchange envelope wraps a GS/GE functional group, which wraps the 864 transaction set from ST to SE. Header: BMG. Detail: MIT, MSG. Summary: none listed.ISAInterchange envelopeIEAGSFunctional groupGESTTransaction set 864SEHeaderBMGDetailrepeats per line or loopMITMSGSummaryno segments listed
The 864 inside its X12 envelope. ISA and GS wrap every interchange; ST and SE open and close this document; the segments between them are the ones listed below, in the part of the document they belong to.
SegmentNamePartWhat it carries
ST Transaction Set Header Header Identifies the document as an 864 and opens the control number the trailer must match.
BMG Beginning Segment for Text Message Header The message's purpose and subject.
MIT Message Identification Detail Identifies each message in the set, with an optional subject line.
MSG Message Text Detail The free-form text itself, one line per segment.
SE Transaction Set Trailer Summary Closes the set. Segment count and control number must match the ST.
ST Transaction Set Header Header
Identifies the document as an 864 and opens the control number the trailer must match.
BMG Beginning Segment for Text Message Header
The message's purpose and subject.
MIT Message Identification Detail
Identifies each message in the set, with an optional subject line.
MSG Message Text Detail
The free-form text itself, one line per segment.
SE Transaction Set Trailer Summary
Closes the set. Segment count and control number must match the ST.
The part that costs money

Why yours is being rejected

Every EDI provider publishes what an 864 is. What matters in production is why one fails, and these are the failure modes we can put a source against today:

  1. Nobody reads it. The 864 carries information meant to be read by humans rather than processed by computers, so free-form text routed into an automated pipeline with no one monitoring it is a notice that was sent and never seen.

If one of these is happening to you right now, skip to the bottom of the page and describe it. Diagnosing rejected documents is most of what we do.

Related documents

The documents the 864 travels with

850

EDI 850

Read it →
856

Ship Notice/Manifest

Read it →
810

Invoice

Read it →

Frequently asked

+ What is an EDI 864?

The Text Message Transaction. It contains simple information that can be read by humans rather than computer processing, ranging from simple messages to contracts and more.

+ What does an 864 include?

Recipient identifying information, the message date and time, and free-form message text.

+ When is the 864 used?

It was originally created as a one-time communication method to transfer specific data, but some businesses use it more frequently to communicate information for which there is no specific document.

Is your 864 failing, or being mandated by a partner?

Describe the situation and a named EDI specialist will tell you what it takes, including when the answer is that you do not need us.

Or call 847.969.9300

Answered by a named EDI specialist on the same business day. If we are not the right answer we will say so on the first call.