How Do Carriers Set Up EDI With a Shipper?

The short answer

Get the shipper's EDI guide. Connect. Map. Test. Go live. Your shipper sends its EDI requirements. You agree on how files travel. You map each transaction set into your TMS. You test one file at a time with the shipper's EDI provider. Then you go live. Plan on weeks, not days.

Alvys has native EDI built into the TMS, so tenders, status updates, and invoices move in the same system you dispatch from.

For the story of how Alvys rebuilt its EDI to work this way, read How We Enhanced Alvys EDI, and Where It Stands Now.

What you need before you start

• The shipper's EDI implementation guide. Ask for it first. It lists the transaction sets and fields they expect.
• A connection method. Shippers connect in different ways. Some connect directly, over AS2, SFTP, or an API. Some require a value-added network (VAN).
• A TMS that reads and sends the files. Alvys has native EDI built in, so there's no separate EDI platform.

The EDI transactions you'll see

• 204, Load Tender. The shipper offers you a load.
• 990, Response to a Load Tender. You accept or reject it.
• 214, Shipment Status. You send pickups, arrivals, and departures.
• 210, Freight Invoice. You bill the load.
• 997, Functional Acknowledgment. Each side confirms a file arrived.

Alvys also supports 213 (Shipment Status Inquiry) and 824 (Application Advice).

How to set up EDI with a shipper, step by step

1. Agree to connect. The shipper asks you to go on EDI, or you ask them.
2. Get the implementation guide. Read which transactions and fields they require.
3. Exchange connection details. The shipper often hands you to its EDI provider. You trade endpoint information.
4. Map the transactions. Match each field in their files to the right field in your TMS. At Alvys, EDI managers make mapping changes in a configuration screen. No engineering ticket.
5. Test one file at a time. Send a test file. Wait for approval. Move to the next one.
6. Go live. Then watch your file acceptance rate.

How long does EDI setup take?

Three to six months is the industry baseline when nothing is automated. Alvys averages about 25 days for full onboarding. Some integrations go live in 3 days on the Alvys side.

Trading-partner testing is the variable. Each test step waits for the shipper's approval. Nobody on your side controls that clock. Plan on weeks. Some go faster.

What does EDI cost a carrier?

Ask about three costs before you sign:

• Software. Is EDI built into the TMS, or a second subscription?
• Setup fees. Do you pay to map each new trading partner?
• Chargebacks. Large shippers fine carriers for invalid files. Rejected files cost money.

99.3% of the files Alvys sends are accepted by the receiver.

Native EDI or a separate EDI provider?

Native EDI runs inside the TMS and can see the load. A separate provider moves files but cannot see your load. That gap decides what you can do.

• Tenders build loads. Accept a tender in the TMS and the load creates itself.
• Changes come in field by field. Accept the extra stop. Reject the address change your customer already fixed by phone.
• Status updates go out as you work the load. Nobody has to remember to send them.
• Late arrival times get flagged first. Alvys warns your team before a time that would mark the load late goes to the customer.
• One support team. No vendor triangle when a load is sitting.

What to ask any TMS about EDI

1. Is EDI built in, or a separate platform?
2. Who does the mapping, and how fast?
3. Can I see every file and its acknowledgment?
4. What is your file acceptance rate?
5. Who runs testing with my shipper?

What makes Alvys native EDI different?

Alvys EDI is built into the TMS. No second platform. No second login. Here's what that gets you on top of the basics above.

• See every file. One page lists every EDI file, inbound and outbound. It shows whether each file was delivered and whether your customer acknowledged it. Failed files retry on their own. Your team can resend any file by hand.
• Mapping changes the same day. Alvys EDI managers change mappings in a configuration screen. No engineering ticket. No waiting for the next sprint.
• More go-lives. Alvys went from 2 to 3 EDI go-lives a month to about 35.
• Volume and clean files. Alvys moved more than 2 million EDI transactions in August 2026. 99.3% of the files Alvys sends are accepted by the receiver.

“The biggest help with native EDI is that our tracking team's workflow is reduced by probably 50%.”

Filip Rakovski, COO, MDN Freight

One Alvys customer, Tribe, was named Carrier of the Year by Coca-Cola. Their EDI relationship with that shipper runs on Alvys.

FAQ

How do carriers set up EDI with a shipper?

Get the shipper's EDI implementation guide. Exchange connection details with their EDI provider. Map each transaction into your TMS. Test one file at a time until each is approved. Then go live.

Which TMS has EDI built in?

Alvys. Its native EDI runs inside the TMS, with no second platform or login.

How long does EDI setup take?

Three to six months is the industry baseline when nothing is automated. Alvys averages about 25 days. Trading-partner testing is the variable.

Do I need a VAN for EDI?

Not always. Some shippers connect directly over AS2, SFTP, or an API. Others require a VAN. Ask for the shipper's requirements first.

Which EDI transactions does a carrier need?

Most carriers start with the 204 load tender, 990 response, 214 status update, 210 invoice, and 997 acknowledgment.

How do I avoid EDI chargebacks?

Send clean files and track acceptance. Rejected files are what turn into chargebacks. 99.3% of the files Alvys sends are accepted by the receiver.

What makes Alvys native EDI different?

Alvys EDI runs inside the TMS. You can see every file and whether it was acknowledged. Mapping changes happen the same day in a configuration screen. Alvys averages about 35 EDI go-lives a month, and 99.3% of the files it sends are accepted.

See native EDI in action

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