Walgreens EDI Integration Guide: Requirements, Setup & Compliance

• June 18, 2025 • 8 min read

Walgreens EDI Integration Guide: Requirements, Setup & Compliance

Walgreens doesn’t accept paperwork, delays, or guesswork. If you want to sell into their system, EDI isn’t a suggestion—it’s the only way in.

But that doesn’t mean it has to be painful. Whether you’re new to retail compliance or already doing EDI with other major retailers, this guide breaks down exactly what Walgreens expects and how to deliver it—on time, in the right format, without triggering chargebacks.

Let’s get into it.

P.S. If you don’t want the hassle of managing your EDI and wish you had a reliable partner to handle this, schedule a free strategy call and let’s see if we’re a good fit.

What Walgreens Requires

text — Photo by Stephanie Rhee / Unsplash

Walgreens EDI isn’t complicated—but it’s strict. The documents are standard, but the timing rules are tighter than most.

Required Documents

You’ll need to exchange these five documents without fail:

850 – Purchase Order (Walgreens → You)
856 – Advance Ship Notice (You → Walgreens; must arrive before delivery)
810 – Invoice (You → Walgreens; must match PO)
997 – Functional Acknowledgment (Confirms receipt of docs)
820 – Remittance Advice (Walgreens → You; payment details)

If you’re missing one, you’re not compliant.

Critical Timing Rule

DC deliveries: ASN must arrive at least 4 hours before the truck does
Store deliveries: ASN must arrive at least 1 hour before arrival

Anything later and Walgreens may reject the shipment or fine you.

Supported Standards

ANSI X12: Default for U.S. suppliers
EDIFACT/UCS: Used only in rare, international or grocery-specific setups

If you’re selling into U.S. stores, assume X12 only.

Communication Protocols

Walgreens is flexible on the connection method:

AS2 – preferred for speed and security
VAN – works if it meets specs
FTP – legacy fallback, still allowed

No matter how you connect, the requirement is the same: documents must arrive correctly and on time.

Step by Step Setup

Getting approved to supply Walgreens is only the first step. EDI setup is where most suppliers stall—because missing details here cause cascading issues later.

Here’s how it actually works:

Step 1: Get Product & Vendor Approval

You don’t get EDI access until you’ve cleared Walgreens’ internal approvals. This includes item setup, signed vendor agreements, and backend registration. Once that’s done, the EDI process begins.

Step 2: Choose Your Integration Path

Walgreens gives you two options:

A. Full EDI Integration (AS2 or VAN)

You’ll exchange EDI IDs, configure your system, and go through a mandatory test cycle. At minimum, you must:

Receive and respond to a test 850 (PO)
Send a test 856 (ASN)
Send a test 810 (Invoice)

Once mapping is verified and documents flow correctly, Walgreens will move you into live production.

B. Web Portal Setup (For Low Volume)If you’re a smaller supplier, Walgreens may offer access to their SupplierNet or a third-party web EDI portal. You’ll log in, retrieve POs, and manually submit ASNs and invoices. The data still enters Walgreens’ systems electronically, but you handle it manually. No automation, no scaling, but it gets you through compliance.

Step 3: Fulfillment Program Variants

Different business models require different platforms:

Drop-ship Vendors: Onboard via Rithum
Marketplace Suppliers: Use LogicBroker
Direct Store Delivery (DSD): Often routed through SPS Commerce portals

These setups follow the same document rules but use separate onboarding flows. Don’t assume you’re exempt—just routed differently.

Fulfillment Model Determines Your EDI Path

Before you start testing, confirm your Walgreens fulfillment type. Each model has its own onboarding process:

Retail/DC Fulfillment → Standard EDI (X12 via AS2/VAN)
Drop-ship Orders (Walgreens.com) → Rithum
Marketplace Orders → LogicBroker
Direct Store Delivery (DSD) → SPS Commerce Web Portal

Your buyer or EDI coordinator will route you into the correct workflow. Start down the wrong path, and you’ll waste time remapping.

If you don’t want to deal with any of these 3rd party vendors, you can partner with CrossBridge and let us handle this for you.

Testing is Non-Negotiable

Every EDI document is tested for format, timing, and accuracy. Especially the ASN—Walgreens will verify you can send it 4 hours ahead of delivery, not just that your format is valid. Fail here, and you’re flagged before you go live.

Penalties & Compliance

Common Chargebacks

Late or missing ASN → Shipment rejected or fined
Invoice mismatch → Payment delays or expense offsets
Missing 997 → System flags you as unresponsive
Incorrect UCC128 labels → Receiving issues, more fines

Every one of these is preventable with proper setup and monitoring.

Don’t Forget the 997

This acknowledgment tells Walgreens you’ve received a document—usually a PO. If you skip it, they may assume you missed the order entirely. Miss enough and you’ll get flagged. Automate 997s to trigger automatically through your EDI platform—don’t leave them to manual steps.

How Walgreens Tracks You

Vendors are graded with performance scorecards. EDI compliance is a key metric. Frequent issues don’t just cost you money—they damage your relationship with buyers. Repeated problems can lead to delisting.

Supplier Size Fit

Walgreens doesn’t care how big you are. If you’re on their shelves—or shipping into their system—you follow the same rules.

Small Vendors

Use the web portal.
Manually retrieve POs and enter ASNs/invoices.
Ideal if you’re doing just a few orders per month.
No EDI software required, but no automation either.

Mid-Sized Vendors

Use cloud-based EDI platforms like TrueCommerce or SPS Commerce.
These solutions typically come pre-mapped to Walgreens’ specs.
You’ll be able to automate PO-to-invoice workflows and stay compliant without building everything from scratch.

Large Vendors

Fully automate through ERP-to-EDI integration.
Your ERP handles order creation, ASN generation, and invoicing—all tied to Walgreens’ schedule.
At this level, delays aren’t caused by oversight—they’re caused by weak integrations. That’s what you need to solve.

No Exemptions Based on Size

Regardless of how many POs you get, Walgreens expects full compliance. They offer tools that scale with you, but they won’t downgrade expectations just because your team is small.

Integration With 3PLs & ERPs

If you’re working with a third-party logistics provider or running an ERP system, Walgreens integration has to flow through them cleanly, or it breaks everything downstream.

3PL Coordination

Your 3PL needs to:

Generate GS1-128 labels per Walgreens spec
Provide carton-level data to populate the ASN
Hit the 4-hour window before DC delivery

You can either have the 3PL send the ASN directly or have them send you the data to transmit through your EDI system. Either way, someone owns that deadline.

ERP Integration

A well-integrated ERP should:

Ingest 850 POs and create sales orders
Trigger 856 ASNs when goods ship
Auto-generate 810 Invoices after fulfillment

This is where most suppliers gain efficiency, or lose control. Manual patches (like hand-entering ASN data) don’t scale and will eventually lead to missed windows or formatting errors.

Keep Your Specs Updated

Walgreens updates its EDI specs periodically—especially for the 856 ASN. These changes may include new segments or validation rules. If you’re using a third-party provider, confirm they implement changes automatically. If you’re managing in-house, your team needs to track updates or risk failed submissions and avoidable chargebacks.

Best Practice: Don’t treat Walgreens like a special case. If your ERP and 3PL are built for modern retail workflows, they should be EDI-ready. If they’re not, fix that first.

Walgreens EDI: Supplier FAQ

General EDI Requirements

Q: Is EDI required to do business with Walgreens?

Yes. Walgreens mandates EDI for all suppliers. You either need a full EDI integration or must use their web portal (for small-volume vendors).

Q: What if I don’t have EDI software?

You can use Walgreens’ SupplierNet portal or another approved web-based tool. It’s manual, but it meets compliance for low-volume suppliers.

Q: What documents do I need to send?

At minimum:

850 – Purchase Order
856 – Advance Ship Notice (ASN)
810 – Invoice
997 – Functional Acknowledgment
820 – Remittance Advice (you’ll receive this from Walgreens)

ASN and Labeling

Q: How early do I need to send the ASN?

Distribution Center delivery: At least 4 hours before arrival
Direct-to-store delivery: At least 1 hour before arrival

Miss this, and you risk chargebacks or rejected shipments.

Q: Who sends the ASN if I use a 3PL?

Either you or the 3PL can send it. But someone must send it on time. The data must also match Walgreens’ UCC128 label specs.

Q: What happens if my ASN data or labels are wrong?

You’ll receive chargebacks and possible shipment rejection. Walgreens uses ASN and label data to route and receive inventory—mistakes cause real operational delays.

Testing & Onboarding

Q: Is testing required for all vendors?

Yes. Whether you’re doing full EDI or using a web portal, Walgreens will test your document flow before going live.

Q: What does testing involve?

You’ll exchange test versions of 850 (PO), 856 (ASN), and 810 (invoice). Walgreens checks format, data accuracy, and whether your ASN arrives within the required timing window.

Q: How long does onboarding take?

Typically 2–6 weeks, depending on your responsiveness, EDI provider readiness, and whether your documents pass initial testing.

Q: Can I sell before onboarding is complete?

No. Walgreens won’t send live POs or accept shipments until EDI is approved and in production.

Fulfillment Models

Q: I’m a drop-ship vendor. Do I still need EDI?

Yes. Drop-ship vendors are onboarded via CommerceHub. It’s still EDI, just handled through a different platform.

Q: What about marketplace sellers?

Marketplace sellers go through LogicBroker. This is a separate setup from Walgreens’ standard EDI gateway but follows similar document rules.

Q: What if I’m delivering directly to stores (DSD)?

You’ll likely be routed through SPS Commerce’s DSD portal, especially if you’re a local or regional vendor.

EDI Providers & Connectivity

Q: Do I need to use a specific EDI provider?

No. Walgreens accepts any provider that supports their specs. Popular ones include SPS Commerce, TrueCommerce, and DiCentral.

Q: What protocols does Walgreens support?

AS2 – Preferred (secure, real-time)
VAN – Accepted
FTP – Allowed in legacy cases, but discouraged

Q: Can I use my existing EDI setup from another retailer?

Often yes, if your provider already supports Walgreens mappings. But Walgreens may still require you to test documents with them before approval.

Technical & Compliance Issues

Q: What’s a 997, and do I need to send it?

Yes. A 997 is a Functional Acknowledgment that confirms you received an EDI document. Walgreens requires it for all inbound documents—skipping it risks penalties.

Q: What triggers a chargeback?

Late or missing ASN
Mismatched invoice vs PO
Missing 997
Labeling errors
Format errors that require manual intervention

Q: Does Walgreens update its EDI specs?

Yes. Especially for ASNs. You or your provider must monitor and implement changes to remain compliant.

ERP and 3PL Integration

Q: Can my ERP handle Walgreens EDI?

If your ERP is integrated with EDI, yes. Most mid-market and enterprise ERPs (like NetSuite, Sage, Acumatica) support Walgreens via third-party mapping tools.

Q: Does Walgreens provide integration tools?

No. You’re expected to use your own EDI solution or their web portal. Walgreens doesn’t offer in-house software or APIs.

Q: How should I coordinate with my 3PL?

Ensure your 3PL can:

Print Walgreens-compliant GS1-128 labels
Transmit ASN data quickly
Meet delivery + ASN timing rules

Missed handoffs between your ERP, 3PL, and EDI tool are a common source of penalties.

Long-Term Maintenance

Q: Is EDI a one-time setup?

No. It’s an ongoing system. You’ll need to monitor compliance, adapt to spec changes, and maintain document flow with every PO.

Q: Will Walgreens notify me of issues?

Sometimes. But many errors surface as chargebacks or delayed payments. It’s your responsibility to monitor transaction success and acknowledgments.

Q: How do I know if my documents are accepted?

Use automated alerts from your EDI provider. Monitor for missing 997s, failed ASNs, and unmatched invoices. Walgreens won’t always alert you—silence often means failure.

6. Need a Partner Who’s Already Done This?

At CrossBridge, we don’t just “help with EDI.”

We handle the entire setup—communicating directly with EDI providers, managing testing, fixing failed ASNs, and making sure your labels pass the scan test the first time.

Behind that, we run a custom-built ERP system already configured to Kroger’s requirements. Most of our clients don’t need to build anything from scratch—we just plug them in.

And it doesn’t stop at EDI. We also manage:

We handle all the backend operations suppliers need to work reliably and compliantly with the biggest retailers, so your leadership can finally focus on the business itself, not get trapped inside the day-to-day grind.

If you want one team that understands Kroger’s system—and connects your operations to it without the usual chaos—schedule a strategy call.

We’ll walk you through the fastest, cleanest way to get compliant and stay that way.