X12 810 Invoice Explained

The X12 810 is the electronic equivalent of a paper invoice — sent by a supplier to a buyer to request payment for goods or services already delivered. It's typically the closing document in a purchase cycle that began with an 850 Purchase Order. This guide explains its structure and how to read one.

What Is an X12 810 File?

The 810 Invoice transaction set communicates billing details for goods shipped or services rendered: what was delivered, at what price, any applicable allowances or charges, and the total amount due. It usually references the original 850 Purchase Order by PO number so the buyer's accounts-payable system can match invoice to order automatically (a process called "three-way matching" when the 856 Advance Ship Notice is also involved).

Key Segments in an 810

• BIG (Beginning Segment for Invoice) — invoice number, invoice date, and the referenced purchase order number.
• N1 (Name) loop — the billed-to and remit-to parties.
• IT1 (Baseline Item Data for Invoice) — one per line item: quantity billed, unit price, and product identifiers.
• TDS (Total Monetary Value Summary) — the total invoice amount.
• SAC (Service, Promotion, Allowance, or Charge) — discounts, freight charges, or other adjustments to the total.

A Worked Example

BIG*20240201*INV-55021*20240115*PO-2024-8891~
N1*RE*ACME SUPPLIER CORP*92*SUP-01~
IT1*1*100*EA*4.50**VP*SKU-45501~
SAC*C*A800**0**-15.00~
TDS*43500~

Read left to right: invoice INV-55021 dated February 1, 2024, referencing PO PO-2024-8891, billing 100 units of SKU-45501 at $4.50 each, with a $15.00 allowance applied, for a total of $435.00 (TDS values are typically expressed in cents in real files).

The EDIFACT Equivalent

Outside North America, the equivalent document is the EDIFACT INVOIC message. See X12 vs EDIFACT for the full comparison, or convert an INVOIC file directly on Convert EDIFACT INVOIC to CSV.

Converting an 810 to a Spreadsheet

To turn an 810 file into a readable table, use Convert X12 810 to CSV — every BIG, N1, IT1, SAC, and TDS segment is labeled automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions