Bulk EDI orders in AIMS360: import the retailer's 850, pack for the DC or by store with GS1-128 carton labels, handle 753 routing and 860 changes, then send the 856 ASN and 810 invoice from the same shipment. Drop ship runs on the same EDI, with no per-document fees.
A bulk order is the classic wholesale order. A retailer buys cartons of your styles for its stores, and you ship them to a distribution center or straight to the stores. This page walks the whole bulk flow in AIMS360, from the 850 to the 810, and shows where drop ship is different.
A bulk EDI order is a retailer's wholesale purchase order for cartons of your product. It arrives as an EDI 850 and ships to the retailer's distribution center or stores, not to a shopper. You pack it in cartons with GS1-128 labels, send an 856 advance ship notice when it leaves, and bill it with an 810 invoice.
In AIMS360 the whole bulk flow runs inside the ERP. The 850 imports as a sales order by style, color and size, packing rules build the cartons, and the ASN and invoice come from the same shipment. Drop ship orders use the same documents but send one parcel to one shopper, which is why retailers run them as a separate program.
The retailer's routing guide and the 850 decide this, not you. Each one packs differently, so check before you pick.
| Bulk to DC | Cross dock (pack by store, ship to DC) | Store direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pack | Cartons for the DC, not for any store. Usually one SKU per carton, or a set prepack or case pack. | Cartons for each store on the PO. | Cartons for one store. |
| Where the truck goes | One distribution center | One or more DCs, following the retailer's store to DC list | The store |
| What the carton label shows | The DC | The DC, plus the store the carton is for | The store |
| In AIMS360 | Usually one line in the 850 module: one order, one place | A line per store; same-day pick tickets on one carrier consolidate by DC | Orders with no DC ship to the store |
From a new purchase order to a matched payment. Steps two and six apply only when the retailer uses those documents.
EDI sync pulls new POs in on a schedule or on demand, with an email and PDF of each. Import it in the 850 module and it becomes a sales order by style, color and size, with the ship window, store and DC. See the EDI 850 purchase order.
Some retailers want an 855 acknowledgment to confirm or change lines, or flag a short or late shipment. Your vendor guide says.
Batch picking creates pick tickets for the day's EDI orders. Intelligent allocation helps when stock is tight.
Auto Pack builds cartons from your packing rules, or you scan items into cartons by hand.
Print GS1-128 labels by carton or in a batch. The ship to, store and DC come from your store and DC setup. See UCC-128 label printing.
Send a 753 routing request with the ready date and time, weight and cube, then import the 754 routing instructions that come back.
Finalize the shipment, enter the freight terms and FOB point, print the VICS bill of lading, and send the 856 advance ship notice.
Batch invoicing turns shipped pick tickets into invoices, and the 810 invoice goes out on the next EDI sync.
When the retailer pays, the 820 remittance shows what was paid and what was deducted, so you can match deductions to chargebacks.
Five things on the purchase order change how you pack and ship it.
| On the 850 | What it tells you | Where it lands in AIMS360 |
|---|---|---|
| Ship to and store numbers | The DC, the stores, or both. Retailers often send the store breakdown in the SDQ (destination quantity) segment. | Store and DC codes have to match your store setup exactly, or the order won't land in the right place. |
| Ship window | The first and last day you may ship. Shipping outside it is a common reason for chargebacks. | Start and cancel dates on the order. An 860 change can move them. |
| Pack code or prepack | How the retailer wants units grouped, such as a set size ratio per carton. | A packing rule for that customer and size scale, then Auto Pack by Prepack. |
| Ship via and routing | Whether you book the freight or the retailer routes it. | Ship via on the customer, and the 753 and 754 when the retailer routes. |
| Notes and value added services | Ticketing, gift or other handling instructions. | Imported into the VAS notes on the order. |
The DC scans your carton labels and checks them against your ASN. When the two don't agree, it shows up at receiving.
Set rules for the system, a customer, a style, or a customer and style. Customer rules apply first. At 24 per carton, a 68 piece pick ticket packs as 24, 24 and 20.
For a retailer pack code, set a packing rule for that code and size scale and pack by prepack. Test with a case pack 850, since case packs process differently from single units. More on case packs and prepacks.
Each carton label carries an 18 digit SSCC, the number that ties the carton to the ASN and the bill of lading. AIMS360 picks the label format by customer, then trading partner, then a default, and builds a new format from the retailer's spec in about 3 business days.
Retailers ask for one of two ASN layouts. Standard pack lists each item and then the cartons holding only that SKU. Pick and pack lists each carton and then the mixed items inside it. The retailer's map decides which, and AIMS360 builds the ASN from the cartons as packed.
Some retailers send the total first and the store orders later, so you can produce ahead. AIMS360 keeps the two tied together.
Some retailers commit to a total before the store breakdown is ready. Enter it as a bulk order for that retailer so production can plan against it.
Link release POs to the bulk in the 850 module, or use the order distribution utility for orders already imported. Each store order draws the bulk down.
Once releases use every unit, the bulk closes. If they come in short, it stays open with the balance.
Cancel units on a store order after the bulk closed and it reopens, so the account manager can decide on the rest.
Global Changes updates start and cancel dates, departments, prices or the DC on the orders you pick in the distribution, including switching them to store direct.
Bulk orders change after they land. Here is what carries the change.
| What happens | Document | What AIMS360 does |
|---|---|---|
| The buyer changes quantities, prices or dates | 860 | Applied by hand from a readable report, or automatically once AIMS360 turns on 860 automation for that retailer. Shipped lines can't change; a line with a pick ticket may need it voided first. |
| The retailer wants the change confirmed | 865 | Sent back when the retailer's guide calls for it. |
| The retailer reroutes a packed shipment | 754 | Importing the 754 updates the orders and takes the affected stores out of the packed shipment, so you repack to the new routing. If cartons change, void the shipment and send a revised 753. |
| You can't ship it all on time | 855 | Tells the retailer an order will ship short or late, for retailers that use the 855 for it. |
| The retailer wants one invoice per DC | 810 | Bulk invoice combines invoices into one for each PO, DC and factor combination. |
Same EDI documents, different job.
| Bulk | Drop ship | |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets the goods | The retailer's DC or stores | The shopper, in the retailer's name |
| Order size | Cartons, often prepacks | Usually one or two units |
| Paperwork | GS1-128 carton labels and a VICS bill of lading | A parcel label and the retailer's packing slip |
| Inventory feed | Not usually required | An 846 on a schedule, so the retailer doesn't oversell |
| Automation in AIMS360 | Files sync on a schedule; your team picks, packs and finalizes in batches | Workflows can run from order import to the 856 and 810 |
Running both with one retailer: Nordstrom, Kohl's, Macy's and Belk run both programs, and approval for one doesn't cover the other. In AIMS360 both work from the same inventory. The drop ship side is covered in EDI drop ship for apparel brands and the longer guide to EDI dropshipping.
Most first-order problems trace back to one of these. Shipping through a 3PL? Pick tickets go out as a 940, the 945 comes back, and AIMS360 still sends the ASN and invoice. See 3PL integrations.
| Set up | Why it matters for bulk |
|---|---|
| The retailer's documents | The 850, 856 and 810 mapping guides, the label spec and the routing guide. The AIMS360 EDI team maps from these. |
| UPCs and NRF codes | A UPC for every style, color and size, generated from your GS1 prefix, plus NRF color and size codes. See barcodes and RFID. |
| Your UPC catalog | Retailers read your UPCs from a catalog such as GXS, updated with an 832. |
| The customer account | Vendor number, ship via, terms, FOB and the EDI documents this retailer uses. |
| Stores and DCs | Every store tied to its DC, numbered exactly as the retailer numbers them. Labels print from this. |
| Packing rules | A system default, plus customer or prepack rules. |
| A test PO and label approval | A test 850 run through to the 810, and a printed label sent for approval. No live orders until testing passes. |
A retailer's wholesale purchase order for cartons of product, sent as an EDI 850 and shipped to its DC or stores. You ship labeled cartons, send an 856 ASN and bill with an 810.
Bulk ships cartons to the retailer's DC or stores. Drop ship sends one parcel to one shopper for the retailer, usually with an 846 inventory feed. Retailers run them as separate programs. See EDI drop ship.
You pack cartons for each store and ship them all to a distribution center, which sends them on to the stores without storing them. It's also called pack by store, ship to DC.
Usually in the SDQ (destination quantity) segment, which lists each store and its quantity. In AIMS360 the store and DC codes must match your store setup.
Standard pack lists each item, then the cartons holding only that SKU. Pick and pack lists each carton, then the mixed items inside. The retailer's 856 map decides.
Yes. Set up a packing rule for the retailer's pack code and size scale, and Auto Pack by Prepack builds cartons to it. Test with a case pack 850 first.
The 754 updates the orders and pulls the affected stores out of the packed shipment so you can repack. If cartons change, void the shipment and send a revised 753.
Yes, once AIMS360 turns it on for that retailer. Changes apply to the matching orders, with a validation report and an email. Shipped lines can't change.
Yes. Bulk invoice combines invoices into one per PO, DC and factor combination. Voiding it brings the originals back.
Yes. Both run on the same EDI and inventory in AIMS360. Drop ship can run on automated workflows; bulk is picked, packed and finalized in batches.
Yes. Pick tickets go to the 3PL as a 940, the 945 comes back, and AIMS360 sends the 856 and 810. See 3PL integrations.
No. There are no per-document, VAN or kilocharacter fees. See EDI provider vs built-in EDI.
350+, on EDI built into the ERP. See the EDI retailers page.
See a retailer 850 become cartons, GS1-128 labels, an ASN and an invoice, on a demo built around your styles and your retailers.
