Last reviewed October 6, 2026 by Effective Data's EDI specialists.
When the 940 is used, and which way it travels
Companies doing business with major retailers have to interface efficiently with third-party logistics providers, and the 940 is how the instruction to ship travels. It lays out all of the information a 3PL partner needs to fulfil the order exactly.
It carries the buyer's PO number, ship-to location and contact information, the supplier's order number, the requested ship date, warehouse order details including item identifiers, quantities and units of measure, special equipment requirements such as refrigerated freight, and billing details.
Because it populates from other EDI sources, a 940 takes minutes rather than the hours of manual submission, and it minimizes the transcription mistakes that manual processes invite.
Also called the Shipping Order, the Warehouse Shipping Schedule. Same document, same number.
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.
| Segment | Name | Part | What it carries |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST | Transaction Set Header | Header | Identifies the document as a 940 and opens the control number the trailer must match. |
| W05 | Shipping Order Identification | Header | Order number, purchase order reference and the order's purpose. |
| N1 | Party Identification | Header | Ship-to, the warehouse, and the party to bill. |
| G62 | Date/Time | Header | Requested ship date and delivery date. |
| W66 | Warehouse Carrier Information | Header | How it should move: payment method, carrier and special handling. |
| LX | Assigned Number | Detail | Numbers the line loops. |
| W01 | Line Item Detail, Warehouse | Detail | The item and quantity to ship, by UPC or vendor part number, with unit of measure. |
| W76 | Total Shipping Order | Summary | Total quantity, weight and volume ordered, as an integrity check on the lines. |
| 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 a 940 and opens the control number the trailer must match.
- W05 Shipping Order Identification Header
- Order number, purchase order reference and the order's purpose.
- N1 Party Identification Header
- Ship-to, the warehouse, and the party to bill.
- G62 Date/Time Header
- Requested ship date and delivery date.
- W66 Warehouse Carrier Information Header
- How it should move: payment method, carrier and special handling.
- LX Assigned Number Detail
- Numbers the line loops.
- W01 Line Item Detail, Warehouse Detail
- The item and quantity to ship, by UPC or vendor part number, with unit of measure.
- W76 Total Shipping Order Summary
- Total quantity, weight and volume ordered, as an integrity check on the lines.
- SE Transaction Set Trailer Summary
- Closes the set. Segment count and control number must match the ST.
Why yours is being rejected
Every EDI provider publishes what an 940 is. What matters in production is why one fails, and these are the failure modes we can put a source against today:
-
Totals that disagree with the lines. The W76 order totals must reconcile with the W01 line items, and a mismatch fails the document at the warehouse before anything ships.
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Imprecise instructions. Sellers, manufacturers and suppliers need to communicate shipping information with timeliness and exact precision; a 940 with wrong dates, locations or units becomes a mis-shipped order fulfilled exactly as written.
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.
The documents the 940 travels with
Frequently asked
+ What is an EDI 940?
The Warehouse Shipping Order, sent to third-party logistics providers as a request for shipment of goods. It enables rapid data transmission for shipping goods from remote warehouses to buyer locations.
+ What information does a 940 include?
The buyer's PO number, ship-to location and contact information, the supplier's order number, the requested ship date, warehouse order details such as item identifiers, product quantities, units of measure and manufacturer information, special equipment requirements, and billing details.
+ How does the 940 relate to the 945?
They are a pair: the 940 asks the warehouse to ship, and the 945 is the warehouse's answer confirming what was actually shipped, which the seller reconciles against what was ordered.
+ Who uses the 940?
Suppliers who use a third-party warehouse. It is essential for companies seeking to conduct business with major retailers through 3PL providers, and it is standard across supply chains.
Is your 940 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 847.969.9300Answered 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.