EDI Requirements

H-E-B EDI Requirements

H-E-B is a Texas grocery retailer, and its EDI reflects grocery reality: it runs primarily on the UCS grocery transaction sets — the 875 Grocery Products Purchase Order and 880 Grocery Products Invoice — rather than only the X12 850/810 most general-merchandise retailers use, though 850/810 are also supported. The 856 (ASN) is the most compliance-sensitive document, and perishable/DSD programs add date-coding and identifier requirements on top of the base set. Setup is application-driven: you complete H-E-B’s EDI Information/Application Sheet before anything else.

Required EDI documents

Document	Name	Notes
EDI 875	Grocery Products Purchase Order (UCS)	primary PO H-E-B transmits; grocery UCS 004010
EDI 876	Grocery Products PO Change (UCS)	grocery equivalent of the X12 860
EDI 850	Purchase Order (X12)	also supported alongside the 875
EDI 855	PO Acknowledgment	reported required; missing 855 reported to trigger a chargeback
EDI 856	Advance Ship Notice (ASN)	most compliance-sensitive; 4010, pick/pack hierarchy
EDI 880	Grocery Products Invoice (UCS)	grocery invoice; carries allowance/promo structures
EDI 810	Invoice (X12)	also supported; must agree with the 856
EDI 852	Product Activity Data	conditional — confirm whether your program uses it
EDI 997	Functional Acknowledgment	required for all transmissions

Labeling & packaging

GS1-128 (UCC-128) shipping labels with a unique SSCC-18. On the 856 the SSCC-18 is carried in the MAN segment with a “GM” qualifier as a 20-digit value — the UCC Application Identifier (00 for SSCC-18) plus the 18-digit SSCC — and must match the physical pallet exactly.
H-E-B relies on pack-level (HL=P) U.P.C.s and case quantities to confirm receipt, so pack-level LIN (UA/UK) and SN1 (CA) segments are critical on the ASN.
Perishable items require a date in the DTM segment (reported as expiration-date qualifier 036, YYYYMMDD) — grocery/DSD date coding, not optional.

Connection & portal

AS2 for direct connection, or a third-party VAN (enter the VAN’s name on the EDI application). ANSI X12/UCS envelopes, versions reported as 004010 (grocery UCS) with 005010 also referenced.
The H-E-B Supplier Portal covers order management, invoicing, shipment notices, and payment tracking; it doesn’t replace the EDI documents themselves. (Some third-party guides call the certification portal “Supplier Connect” — confirm the current name in your onboarding packet.)
Setup begins with H-E-B’s EDI Information/Application Sheet, which requires your H-E-B Accounts Payable (AP) number from PeopleSoft and, for DSD suppliers, a DUNS number.

Onboarding & testing

Reported to vary by program and partner rather than following a fixed calendar; plan for several weeks. Sequence: complete the EDI Information/Application Sheet (AP number + DUNS for DSD) → establish AS2 or name your VAN → map the grocery UCS sets (875/880) plus 856/855/997 → certify each document in test → go live.

Compliance & chargebacks

• Chargeback exposure is reported as roughly $25–$500 per violation, with third-party sources citing a late ASN around $150 and a missing 855 around $75 — treat these as reported, not published, and confirm against your vendor agreement.
• ASN accuracy is the biggest lever: the SSCC-18, pack-level UPCs, and case quantities on the 856 must match what physically ships, and the 810/880 must agree with the 856.
• Confirm the current routing guide and label-placement rules for your program (Domestic, DSD, Import, Regional) — requirements and fees differ by lane.

Worth knowing

• Grocery EDI ≠ general-merchandise EDI: H-E-B leans on the UCS 875/880 grocery set, so a supplier tooled only for X12 850/810 may need mapping work. Both are supported — confirm which H-E-B assigns you.
• DSD (direct-store-delivery) suppliers have extra identifier requirements (DUNS) and their own program rules.
• Perishables carry traceability weight: expiration/lot data on the 856 supports date-code compliance and aligns with FSMA Section 204 food-traceability expectations — confirm the current federal compliance date and required Key Data Elements.

How EndlessEDI helps with H-E-B

H-E-B checks pack-level UPCs, case quantities, and perishable dates right on receipt. EndlessEDI speaks its grocery UCS set (875/880) or plain 850/810, builds 856s with the GM-qualified SSCC and DTM date codes it expects, and keeps PO, ASN, and invoice agreeing so short-pays never start.

Explore EndlessEDI

H-E-B EDI FAQ

Does H-E-B use the grocery UCS 875/880 or standard X12 850/810?

Both, but grocery-first. H-E-B primarily transmits the 875 Grocery Products Purchase Order and takes the 880 Grocery Products Invoice (the UCS grocery set), while also supporting the X12 850 and 810. Confirm which set H-E-B assigns your account so your mapping matches.

What does H-E-B require on the 856 ASN?

A pick/pack ASN with a unique SSCC-18 (carried with a “GM” qualifier as the 00 + 18-digit value) that matches the pallet, plus pack-level (HL=P) UPCs and case quantities H-E-B uses to confirm receipt. Perishable items also need an expiration date in the DTM segment.

How do I start EDI with H-E-B?

Complete H-E-B’s EDI Information/Application Sheet first — it requires your H-E-B AP number from PeopleSoft and, for DSD suppliers, a DUNS number. Then set up AS2 or name your VAN, map the required documents, and certify each in test before going live.

EDI requirements and penalty schedules change and vary by program. Figures marked “reported” come from third-party sources, not the retailer’s published fee schedule — always confirm against the retailer’s current routing guide and your vendor agreement.