Typical Document Flow

Lowe’s will initiate the process with an electronic transmission of the Purchase Order (an EDI PO). You receive the order, case it and print UCC-128 labels (if required) . The order is packed. The cartons are then shipped to Lowe’s and you transmit an Advanced Ship Notice electronically. After the shipment has been sent, you transmit an electronic Invoice for the goods. These electronic documents are sent in a standard Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) format.

 
Lowe’s Transactions

Required Inbound Transactions (Lowe’s sends to You, the Vendor)

Purchase Order (850)
Rather than the old method of paper Purchase Orders, Lowe’s sends Purchase Orders via EDI. EDI Purchase Orders increase accuracy on the orders and speeds up the time it takes a product to reach the market. Purchase Orders provide you with Ship Dates, Cancel Dates, Ship To locations, Item information and quantities requested.

Required Outbound Transactions (You, the Vendor sends to Lowe’s)

Advanced Ship Notice (856)
The Advanced Ship Notice is an EDI document transmitted to Lowe’s to let Lowe’s know when a shipment is coming and enable them to scan the barcode to obtain a list of what is contained in the carton. It is imperative that this document is received by Lowe’s prior to their receipt of the shipment and it is imperative that the information on the Advanced Ship Notice is accurate. Rite Ad does not require the ASN for Direct Store Deliveries (DSD); however, it is mandatory for Distribution Center (DC) deliveries.
 
Invoice (810)
Lowe’s no longer uses the paper invoice. Invoice information is now sent electronically through the EDI 810 (invoice) document. This document is imported automatically into Lowe’s accounting system—this improved method of submitting invoices enhances accuracy and cuts down the amount of time it takes for a vendor to receive payment.

Other Transactions (not required of all vendors)

UCC-128 Labels
UCC-128 Labels are 4 x 6 shipping labels that must be placed on the outside of your box. These labels have information necessary for the Lowe’s Cross Dock to process the shipment, such as Ship To, Mark For, PO number, etc. Also on a UCC-128 label, you will find a large barcode with an 18-digit serial number above it. This serial number identifies the specific carton and enables Lowe’s to scan the barcode to obtain a list of what is contained in the carton (information is sent on the Advanced Ship Notice).

Order Status Report (870)
Order Status report is used by the supplier to update the retailer on the status of particular orders and items. It can result from an inquiry or a prearranged schedule previously agreed to by the partners.

Reverse Purchase Order (855)
The transaction set is used by a vendor to acknowledge a Lowe’s purchase order. It can also be used to notify the retailer of a vendor generated order, as previously agreed upon by the trading partners.

Product Activity Data (852)
Lowe’s can send this report to vendors who wish to be updated on a regular basis regarding how well their products are selling once they reach the retail market. Many vendors find this report useful in understanding sales trends and forecasting future revenue.

Upcoming Requirements

Global Data Synchronization
Data Synchronization is the transfer of product and location information electronically. The data is continually synchronized. Data Synchronization requires a continual exchange of information between Lowe’s and their vendors. The Product Information sent in data sync is controlled by the vendor and includes item attributes (i.e., size, height, and weight) as well as price and promotion data. The Location Information contains information involved in trade (i.e., headquarters, billing locations, and ship to locations). For more information on EasyLink’s Data Synchronization product, Rapid Data Sync, click here .

How can EasyLink simplify these requirements for you?

For more information, send us a request from here, or call (800) 787-4037.