EDI 840

What are the Essential Components of EDI 840?

An EDI 840 transaction set can be used to request a variety of information from a seller or supplier. Important elements in a Request for Quotation document include: 

• Buyer identification information 
• A deadline for response 
• A description of the goods or services needed 
• Requests for price and payment term information 
• Requests for delivery schedules or conditions information 

How do I Use EDI 840?

EDI 840 is usually used by a buyer to request a quote or bid from a seller or supplier. It’s similar to filling out a “Get a Quote” form online, and is great for purchases that need evaluation, but do not require a formal Request for Proposal. Buyers might send EDI 840 to several suppliers or sellers before deciding who to buy from, and it’s often used for advanced, made-to-order manufacturing jobs that require detailed scoping or regarding government contracts. 

Generally, vendors and suppliers will respond to an EDI 840 transaction with an EDI 843 Response to Request for Quotation, which should contain the information the seller requested. The seller might also send an EDI 997 Functional Acknowledgement in response to EDI 840. 

What are the Benefits of EDI 840?

Because EDI 840 is automated, it can help streamline trading partner communications, while eliminating the need for time-consuming and error-prone manual data entry. EDI 840 also replaces lengthy phone calls between buyers and sellers, by providing an easy way for buyers to assess if a seller meets their needs. The transaction also provides back-up documentation for the bid, and subsequent purchases. 

EDI 840 Request for Quotation documents are also more secure than phone calls, emails, or faxed requests. This is because many integrated EDI solutions use measures such as HTTPs protocols or in-transit encryption to protect the data in EDI transactions.