What Is the CDW EDI Workflow? 7 Proven Steps from Purchase Order to Invoice

The CDW EDI workflow is the electronic process suppliers use to receive purchase orders, acknowledge orders, send shipment information, and submit invoices without manually re-entering the same data. A typical workflow moves through EDI 850, 855, 856, and 810 transactions, connecting ordering, fulfillment, shipping, and billing into one structured process.

For CDW suppliers, understanding this workflow before implementation can make testing easier, reduce operational mistakes, and help teams identify where automation should connect with their ERP, warehouse, and billing systems.

How Does the CDW EDI Workflow Work?

A CDW EDI workflow is more than simply sending electronic documents. Each transaction represents a specific operational event.

The basic process looks like this:

• EDI 850: CDW sends a purchase order.
• EDI 855: The supplier acknowledges the order.
• Fulfillment: The warehouse picks, packs, and prepares the shipment.
• EDI 856: The supplier sends shipment and ASN information.
• EDI 810: The supplier sends the invoice.
• Validation: Transaction data is checked for errors and mismatches.
• Monitoring: Teams track exceptions and confirm documents are processed successfully.

If you are new to this process, read our CDW EDI guide for a broader explanation of how suppliers communicate electronically with CDW.

What Are the 7 Steps in a CDW EDI Workflow?

1. Receive the EDI 850 Purchase Order

The workflow normally begins when a supplier receives an EDI 850 Purchase Order.

The 850 can contain important order information such as products, quantities, purchase order references, shipping details, and other information required to process the order.

Instead of requiring an employee to open an email or portal and re-enter the order, an integrated EDI platform can translate the incoming transaction into information the supplier’s business system can use.

This is one of the biggest operational advantages of a connected CDW EDI workflow: the order can begin moving through fulfillment without repeatedly entering the same information.

2. Validate the Purchase Order

Receiving the purchase order is only the beginning.

The transaction should also be validated before fulfillment starts. Depending on the supplier’s workflow, validation may check information such as:

• Purchase order number
• Supplier and customer identifiers
• Product or SKU information
• Ordered quantity
• Shipping information
• Required transaction fields

Finding problems early is important because an incorrect value can create additional problems later in the ASN or invoice.

A modern EDI workflow should make exceptions visible instead of allowing bad data to continue through the process unnoticed.

3. Send the EDI 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment

After reviewing the order, the supplier can respond with an EDI 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment.

The 855 communicates that the order has been received and provides information about whether it can be fulfilled as expected.

This creates a structured response instead of relying on disconnected emails, spreadsheets, or manual status updates.

The result is a cleaner connection between the customer’s purchase order and the supplier’s fulfillment operation.

4. Move the Order into Warehouse Fulfillment

Once the order is ready for fulfillment, the warehouse can begin picking, packing, and preparing the shipment.

This is an important part of the CDW EDI workflow because operational data must stay aligned with the electronic documents being transmitted.

For example, changes in shipped quantity, package configuration, tracking information, or fulfillment status may affect the information required in the shipment transaction.

Your EDI platform should therefore connect electronic documents to what is actually happening in the warehouse rather than operating as a completely separate process.

5. Create and Send the EDI 856 ASN

Before or around shipment, the supplier sends the EDI 856 Advance Ship Notice.

The ASN provides structured shipment information so the receiving organization knows what is being shipped.

Depending on the supplier’s requirements, the shipping workflow may also involve carton, tracking, packaging, or GS1-128 label information.

This step is especially important because the order data, physical shipment, ASN, and shipping labels need to remain consistent.

ActionEDI supports automated PO-to-invoice workflows and GS1-compliant shipping label generation, helping suppliers keep electronic and warehouse processes connected.

6. Generate the EDI 810 Invoice

After fulfillment and shipment, the supplier sends the EDI 810 Invoice.

The invoice should correspond with the original order and the products that were actually shipped.

This is why connected workflows matter.

When purchase order, shipment, and billing data live in separate manual processes, teams may need to compare information repeatedly before invoicing.

With an integrated workflow, the goal is to maintain consistent transaction data from the original 850 through the final 810.

7. Monitor Transactions and Resolve Exceptions

Automation does not mean ignoring the workflow after documents are transmitted.

A strong CDW EDI workflow should also provide visibility into document processing and exceptions.

Teams should be able to answer questions such as:

• Was the transaction sent successfully?
• Did validation identify missing information?
• Does the shipment match the original order?
• Is an invoice waiting for correction?
• Which transaction needs human attention?

The goal is not to eliminate people from the process. It is to let people focus on exceptions instead of repetitive data entry.

What Does a Manual CDW EDI Workflow Look Like?

Consider a supplier receiving dozens of purchase orders.

Without an integrated workflow, the process could involve:

• Opening purchase orders manually
• Entering information into an ERP
• Updating a spreadsheet
• Sending information to the warehouse
• Re-entering shipment information
• Creating an ASN separately
• Entering invoice information again

Every additional manual touch creates another opportunity for incorrect quantities, numbers, shipping details, or invoice information.

Our guide to the real cost of manual order processing explains why these repetitive steps can become increasingly difficult as transaction volume grows.

How Can Suppliers Simplify the CDW EDI Workflow?

The first step is not necessarily adding more software. Start by mapping the workflow from beginning to end.

Identify:

• Where the 850 enters your operation
• Which system becomes the source of order information
• Who manages order exceptions
• How the 855 is generated
• Where warehouse and tracking information comes from
• How the 856 ASN is created
• How invoice information reaches the 810
• How failed or incomplete transactions are identified

Then look for points where employees copy the same information between systems.

Those manual handoffs are usually strong candidates for integration and automation.

You can also review our CDW supplier integration guide for more information about simplifying implementation.

What Should You Look for in a CDW EDI Platform?

A useful EDI platform should support the workflow your business actually uses instead of forcing your team to build more manual work around the platform.

Consider whether the solution provides:

• Support for required X12 transactions
• EDI mapping and validation
• Integration with your existing business systems
• Shipment and ASN workflow support
• GS1-128 label capabilities where required
• Transaction visibility
• Clear exception management
• Responsive EDI support
• Pricing that is understandable as transaction volume grows

ActionEDI is designed as a modern cloud EDI platform with automated PO-to-invoice workflows, integration options, EDI mapping, shipping label generation, and human support.

Ready to Improve Your CDW EDI Workflow?

Your EDI workflow should connect orders, fulfillment, shipments, and invoices rather than creating another layer of manual work.

If your team is preparing for CDW EDI, replacing an existing provider, or trying to remove manual steps from an existing integration, reviewing the complete workflow is a practical place to start.

Check if ActionEDI fits your CDW workflow →

Want to understand pricing before making a decision? Review ActionEDI pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions About the CDW EDI Workflow

What is a CDW EDI workflow?

A CDW EDI workflow is the electronic process used to move structured business documents between CDW and a supplier. It commonly connects purchase orders, acknowledgments, shipment information, and invoices.

Which EDI documents are commonly used in the CDW workflow?

Core transactions commonly discussed for CDW suppliers include the EDI 850 Purchase Order, EDI 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment, EDI 856 Advance Ship Notice, and EDI 810 Invoice. Additional transactions may apply depending on the supplier relationship.

What happens after a supplier receives an EDI 850?

The supplier validates and processes the purchase order, acknowledges it using the appropriate workflow, fulfills the order, sends shipment information, and ultimately sends the invoice.

Why is the EDI 856 important?

The EDI 856 communicates shipment information before or around delivery. It helps connect the electronic purchase order with the physical shipment and receiving process.

Can the CDW EDI workflow connect with an ERP?

Yes. EDI platforms can integrate transactions with ERP, accounting, warehouse, and other business systems so employees do not need to repeatedly enter the same information manually.

How can a supplier reduce manual work in its CDW EDI process?

Map the complete order-to-invoice process, identify repeated data entry and disconnected systems, then automate the handoffs between EDI, ERP, warehouse, shipping, and billing workflows.