What is an ANSI X12 EDI 832 Message?

An ANSI X12 EDI 832 (Price Sales Catalog) is a message used to distribute the goods and services catalog data between a supplier and its customers and update the prices of the goods and/or services they provide. This file replaces the need for a more traditional paper based catalog to be updated and sent to a supplier’s customer base. In theory, the paper based version of this file could be out of date the moment it is generated. An electronic replacement can be resent and updated as many times as the supplier requires. It follows the EDI message standard ANSI X12 and is a crucial message type for the retail industries' electronic purchasing process.

An EDI 832 message is generated by the supplier and sent to its customers electronically. Once received, this information can then be imported into their business software and instantly update their ERP and inform their purchasing departments. The 832 message defines a wide range of information about the supplier's services, along with item specifics and the future delivery of these goods. In addition to product descriptions and prices, this could also contain additional customer-specific data, which is uniquely agreed upon between the supplier and this specific customer.

When this data is received, the customer can then create an EDI 850 Order based on this information with greater accuracy.

An EDI 832 Price Sales Catalog would normally contain two sets of information. Product information, highlighting the specific details of their good and service, and then price information, including any recent changes.

In more detail, a typical ANSI X12 EDI 832 message contains:

• The supplier’s name, address and contact details
• Item details, description, specification and UOM
• Packaging information
• Current and future price
• Minimum order quantity’s
• Terms of sale and
• Promotional discounts

Within the EDIFACT format of messages, the equivalent to the 832 Price Sales Catalog message would be the PRICAT (Price Catalog) message. The UN/EDIFACT format is commonly used throughout both Europe and Asia.

Typical problems that appear with exchanging EDI files come from incorrect or unknown master data. For example, if a specific item’s product ID is updated, a reference to the old one would need to be made so that the customer system knows precisely what is being amended. Also, if an 832 Price Sales Catalog message is received but not expected in a customer’s ERP system, this may result in an issue that needs manual correction.