Invoicing
Invoices built from what actually shipped, matched and acknowledged
Short-pays and debit notes start with an invoice that disagrees with the delivery. FTP EDI builds the invoice from the acknowledged ASN and the retailer's receipt, then sends it in whichever format they need.
The problem
The invoice is the last document and the first to be disputed
Finance invoices from the order because that is what the accounts system knows about. The warehouse shipped something slightly different and the depot accepted less again. Three numbers, one payment.
The retailer pays the lowest and sends a debit note. Someone spends an afternoon reconstructing what happened from emails and the EDI mailbox, weeks after the delivery.
If the invoice is generated from the delivery, checked against the receipt and held until both are known, the numbers agree before anyone has to argue about them.
The order for 300 cases, the ASN for 288 and the depot receipt for 284 are matched line by line. The invoice is held until the receipt is known, then raised for 284 cases and a shortage of 4 refused cases is flagged.
How it works
From receipt to acknowledged invoice
- 01
Delivery is confirmed
The ASN is acknowledged and, where the retailer sends one, the receiving advice or EPOD comes back with the quantities actually accepted.
- 02
Invoice is built from what was received
FTP EDI takes the delivered quantities, applies the prices and terms from the order and generates the INVOIC, INVHDR or 810 in the retailer's format.
- 03
Checked, sent, acknowledged
The invoice is run through the retailer rules, held if the ASN is still open, sent when clear and the acknowledgement is matched. Queries are flagged against the delivery.
What you get
Invoices that agree with the delivery
Three-way match before sending
Order, ASN and receipt are compared line by line. Differences are shown before the invoice goes, not in a debit note.
Retailer invoice formats
EDIFACT INVOIC, Tradacoms INVHDR with batched trailers and X12 810, including retailer-specific references and tax handling.
Hold until delivered
Invoices for open ASNs are held automatically and released when the receipt or acknowledgement arrives, or on a timer you set.
Credit notes and corrections
Shortages and refusals from the RECADV or EPOD generate credit notes in the same flow, referencing the original invoice.
Finance system export
Sent invoices are pushed to your accounting system or ERP by API or file, with the retailer references attached.
Dispute evidence
Order, ASN, MDN, receipt and invoice in one export when a retailer short-pays or queries a delivery.
Retailers
Invoice rules by retailer
Tradacoms trailers, EDIFACT tax segments, X12 810 references: each retailer checks invoices differently. The template carries the rules.
EDIFACT D96A orders, ASNs and invoices, with the ASN mandatory for every palletised load and EPOD replacing paper TRNs.
RequirementsTradacoms orders, delivery notes and invoices, with EDIFACT DESADV available for ASN-enabled depots.
RequirementsEDIFACT D96A with strict PO number patterns, best-before on every DESADV line and an approved pallet label specimen.
RequirementsANSI X12 4010: 850 orders, 855 acknowledgements, 856 ASNs and 810 invoices with 997 functional acknowledgements both ways.
RequirementsEDIFACT D96A orders, ASNs and invoices with GS1 logistic labels and a standard UK delivery note.
RequirementsEDIFACT D96A orders, ASNs and invoices with GS1 pallet labels and per-depot pallet rules.
RequirementsQuestions
Invoicing questions
Why should the invoice come from the delivery rather than the order?
Retailers pay against what they received. If your invoice is built from the order and the depot refused two pallets, the invoice is wrong and it will be queried or short-paid. Building from the ASN and the receipt removes the gap.
Does Sainsbury's need a Tradacoms invoice?
Yes. Sainsbury's invoices are Tradacoms INVHDR messages, batched per transmission with the correct trailer totals. FTP EDI generates them from the same delivery data that produced the DELHDR. See Sainsbury's requirements.
How do Amazon 810 invoices avoid short-pay?
The 810 has to reference the 850 and match the 856 quantities and the ASIN or EAN identifiers. FTP EDI matches all three before sending and generates the 997 exchange automatically. See Amazon UK requirements.
Can I still send PDF invoices to some customers?
Yes. Partners that do not trade by EDI can receive a PDF invoice by email from the same document, one invoice per email where the retailer requires it, with the same audit trail.
Ready to stop arguing about invoices?
Tell us who you trade with and what you ship. We'll come back with a plan, a price and a go-live date within one working day.
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