Creating Load Tender Responses (EDI 990)

The Response to a Load Tender (EDI 990) is a critical transaction sent by a carrier to a shipper in response to a received Load Tender (EDI 204). It notifies the shipper whether the carrier accepts or rejects the proposed shipment.

This guide walks you through creating, validating, and sending an EDI 990 response.

Pre-populating from a Received Load Tender

If you have already received the Load Tender in the EDI Generator, you do not need to enter all the fields manually:

  1. Navigate to the received Load Tender in your Inbox or Tenders (or Shipping > Tenders) list.
  2. Open the Load Tender formatted view, or click the three-dot action menu (⋮) at the end of the Load Tender row.
  3. Click Accept Load Tender or Reject Load Tender.
  4. The system will load the EDI 990 editor pre-populated with details like the carrier SCAC, the Shipment ID (SID), stop references, and the correct Action Code.

For more details on the Load Tender flow, see Processing Load Tenders (EDI 204).

Creating an EDI 990 from Scratch

If you need to review or manually configure the fields in the EDI 990 editor, use the following scenario-based steps.

Scenario Context

  • Partner: C.H. Robinson
  • SCAC Code: RDWY (Roadway)
  • Shipment Identification Number (SID): SID-9954821
  • Transaction Reference Number: TN-552486
  • Response Action: Accept (A)

Start Response Creation

  1. In the side menu, navigate to Responses (or Shipping > Responses if nested).
  2. Click the Create button in the top-right corner.
  3. Select your partner (e.g., C.H. Robinson) from the dropdown.
  4. The EDI editor will load the structure for the 990 document.

For a detailed guide on how the EDI Editor interface works (including how to add segment iterations, use Basic or Advanced loop modes, and locate validation errors), see Create New EDI File.

Beginning Segment details (B1 Segment)

The B1 segment contains the primary identification details of the shipment and your response action. Click the B1 segment row to expand its fields:

  • Standard Carrier Alpha Code (B101): Mapped from the 204 carrier code (e.g., RDWY).
  • Shipment Identification Number (B102): The unique ID assigned to the shipment (e.g., SID-9954821).
  • Action Code (B104): Indicates your response:
    • Select A to Accept the shipment.
    • Select D to Decline (Reject) the shipment.

Reference Information (N9 Segment)

The N9 segment transmits reference numbers associated with the transaction.

  1. Expand the N9 segment.
  2. Select Reference Identification Qualifier (N901) as TN (Transaction Reference Number).
  3. Enter the reference number in Reference Identification (N902) (e.g., TN-552486).

Stop-off Details (S5 Loop)

Some shippers require carriers to reference the first stop or load event in the response:

  1. Locate the S5 Loop and expand it to create a block.
  2. Stop-off Details (S5 Segment):
    • Stop Sequence Number (S501): Enter 1.
    • Stop Reason Code (S502): Select LD (Load).
  3. Reference Information (N9 Segment under S5):
    • Reference Identification Qualifier (N901): Select IA (Internal Vendor Number).
    • Reference Identification (N902): Enter your carrier-specific vendor number.

The segments and element rules detailed above represent a sample C.H. Robinson 990 specification scenario. Depending on your partner, the required qualifiers, loops, pattern validations, and mandatory elements can vary. The EDI Generator automatically aligns the editor form fields and validation rules to match whichever partner definition you select.

Validate, Save, and Send

  1. Once the details are reviewed, click the Validate and Save button in the top-right corner.
  2. The EDI Generator will check the document against the CH Robinson 990 definition. If there are missing fields or incorrect qualifiers, correct the flagged segments.
  3. Once validation passes, click Send to transmit the 990 response.

After the 990 is successfully sent:

  • The status of the original Load Tender in your Tenders list will update to ACCEPTED (or REJECTED).
  • The outbound 990 transaction will be logged in the Responses list (or Shipping > Responses if nested).

Once you respond to the load tender, the next steps in the logistics lifecycle are sending status updates as the cargo moves, and requesting payment. See Creating Shipment Status Messages (EDI 214) for instructions on sending status updates, and Creating Freight Invoices (EDI 210) for requesting payment.