EDI Line Item Data
What is a line item?
A line item is a group of data and its structure that is or can be repeated multiple times in its document. It holds the data that is the focus of the document, and a part of a document or transaction that contains distinct part that can stand alone. For instance, an order that has two line items could be split into two orders that would be able to be filled separately. It does not necessarily contain information that can be applied to a group of items, although sometimes this information is included. This feeds into what type of data that a line item contains.
What type of data does a line item contain contain?
In a purchase order, or other commerce related document these pieces of data will be found in the line item:
- Purpose of line
- Product or Service ID
- Quantity
- Unit of Measure
- Price or Fee
- Taxes
- Special Handling
- Descriptions
Some additional data can be aggregated to the document level or published at the line item level;
- Ship to or Deliver to data.
- Discounts
- Shipping methods or tracking information
Where in EDI does this data go?
For the most part, the PO1 segment and group contain the line item data. There are a few transactions that use another segment. The invoice for instance uses the IT1 segment. Depending on the scope of our definition, an HL group could be a line item in some documents.
Line items are at the center of our transactions. Purchase Orders, Invoices, and Catalogs would not be worth creating without the line items they contain.
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