EDI 214, Explained in Plain English: Status Codes, Examples, and When to Send Them

You're probably here because you want less chaos in your transportation updates and more clarity, especially if you’ve felt the frustration of constant phone calls, emails, or worse, paying mailbox and message fees that add zero value to your bottom line. Whether you’re a CFO fighting for predictable costs, an EDI coordinator chasing down status updates, or an IT director looking to futureproof your supply chain, this guide unpacks EDI 214 in plain English. This isn’t just for rookies—if you’ve been in the EDI game for years, you’ve probably endured clunky interfaces, cryptic codes, and VAN setup fees for every tiny tweak. Let’s make status visibility painless, actionable, and affordable.

What Is EDI 214 and Why Should You Care?

EDI 214 is your digital tracking slip, not just a fancy replacement for endless email chains or voicemail relays. It’s the Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message. You use it to get shipment updates directly from carriers—think real-time checkpoints for every step your cargo takes, whether it’s leaving the factory, stuck at a port for customs, or hitting your distributor’s dock. The days of vague "in transit" emails are over; you can demand precision.

Key Components: What You Actually See in EDI 214

Instead of guessing which shipment is where, your EDI 214 consists of several clear data points that keep your team and your trading partners in sync. Here’s what shows up every time:

• Shipment ID and Purchase Order (PO) number: So you always tie updates to the right order without playing detective.
• Carrier info, Shipper, and Receiver details: Including those SCAC codes EDI veterans love (and newcomers eventually learn).
• Key dates and times: Actual pickup, estimated and revised arrivals, layovers or holds all spelled out to the hour.
• Location updates: Such as "Departed Warehouse A," "Arrived at Port B," or “Held at Inspection.”
• Status Codes: The heart of the update, these tell you what's happening in real time.
• Exceptions and reasons: Sudden reroutes, weather delays, customs holds and more. Because things go off-script in the real world.

You may already know: without this level of granularity, confirming performance or tracking compliance can feel impossible. With EDI 214, you’re in control.

Status Codes Decoded: What You Need to Know (and When to Worry)

Status codes are the secret handshake of EDI 214. You don’t have to memorize the entire codebook, but knowing the essentials saves you headaches, especially during frantic customer calls or quarterly supply chain reviews. Here’s your cheat sheet:

• PU (Pickup): Your cargo has left the building. Example: "PU at 08:00 from Factory X."
• DE (Departed): It’s rolling out from a hub or checkpoint. Example: "DE Terminal Y at 14:30."
• AR (Arrived): It reached a terminal, port, or checkpoint. Example: "AR Warehouse Z at 16:45."
• DL (Delivered): End of journey; proof of delivery logged. (If you’re approving invoices, this one really matters.)
• RT (Return): Your goods are headed back, often for a problem like damages.
• HE (Held): Something’s pausing the journeysuch as customs or inspection.
• AD (Advance Date): ETA just improved (those rare, happy surprises!).
• XL (Explain Late): Expect a delay and here’s why. Example: “XL Traffic jam, ETA +4 hours.”

Every veteran will remember hunts for shipment updates that led to costly overtime and inventory confusion. Status codes like these bring context up front so you can respond, adjust production, and keep partners updated in minutes not days.

Example: What Does an EDI 214 Update Actually Look Like?

Instead of theory, let’s see an everyday scenario. Imagine you’re shipping a batch of HVAC parts—the real lifeblood of your clients’ operations:

• 7 AM – Pickup: Carrier sends a "PU" code: "Picked up PO#4567 at Factory Site, SCAC:TRUK. ETA 12/13 2 PM."
• Noon – On the Move: You receive "DE": "Departed terminal, I-95 route confirmed."
• 2 PM – Delay: “XL”: 3-hour accident delay, revised ETA sent so the warehouse crew isn’t left wondering.
• 4 PM – Arrival and Delivery: "AR" then "DL": Arrived at your distributor’s DC, proof of delivery included so finance can approve payment fast.

Even in air freight, a hold like "HE at airport—awaiting customs docs until 6 PM UTC" means you forecast inventory with less guesswork. This translates into real savings and smoother fulfillment.

Timing: When Should EDI 214 Be Sent?

It’s not about spamming partners or clogging inboxes. Strategic updates make all the difference for you, your carriers, and your customers. Here are the five critical moments you should send an EDI 214:

1. After pickup: Send the baseline ETA so everyone’s aligned on the shipment’s journey.
2. At key checkpoints: Departures or arrivals at major terminals, ports, or cross-docks. For long hauls, major highway splits or border crossings often trigger an update.
3. When there are delays (over an hour): Use codes like "XL" or "AD" with reasons to keep partners pro-active, not reactive.
4. Exceptions such as returns, holds, damages, or reroutes: These happen, and your partners want to know ASAP.
5. Final delivery: Confirm it all the way down to signature, timestamp, and a note for finance to approve the EDI 210 invoice.

Sending EDI 214 at these moments not only shows professionalism but also tightens your relationships with trading partners. If you’re seeing the same carrier delay over and over, you’ve got data in hand to drive change.

How EDI 214 Makes Your Supply Chain Better

When you implement EDI 214 correctly, you cut manual shipment tracking by as much as 70–80%. Essentailly, you’re freeing your team for better forecasting and tighter production control. Invoice approvals speed up, you lose fewer shipments to mystery delays, and your CFO finally breathes, knowing inventory isn’t piling up (or running dangerously low). For those used to big-box VANs, you know the pain: mailbox fees, nickel-and-dime charges, and per-setup costs that add nothing but headaches. At BOLD VAN, none of those apply. You can process unlimited EDI 214 messages without getting penalized for success.

EDI 214 With BOLD VAN: Less Friction, More Clarity

Why does it matter who manages your EDI 214 traffic? With the wrong VAN, every partner requires a new setup, every status message seems to cost extra, and onboarding delays can stall your entire supply chain. BOLD VAN eliminates that frustration. You get integrations for NetSuite, SAP, Infor VISUAL and other major ERPs, plus seamless migration from legacy platforms without needing to call or re-certify your existing trading partners. You gain access to a real-time AI-enhanced portal (BOLD Manager) with 90 days of searchable EDI history and seven years archived, so you never scramble for an audit again.

Want more details on setting up your EDI onboarding? Check out our manufacturer’s guide to trading partner onboarding in EDI for a step-by-step resource.

Streamline Your Shipment Status Operations

If you’re ready to simplify life and cut costs without the usual migration headaches or hidden surcharges, BOLD VAN has you covered. You can even upload your existing VAN bill for a guaranteed price beat comparison or get a free demo(and yes, your first three months can be on us). Our Essentials plan starts at $99/month for unlimited transactions, with full compliance and bulletproof reliability, as well as no mailbox, message, or setup fees ever. Save time, money, and friction so you can keep your focus on growing your business.