An 855 can specify the status of the purchase order: accepted, rejected, or accepted with changes. In the event that it is accepted with changes, data such as item quantity, dates, or ship to information is modified. This transaction saves you time because it replaces the traditional confirmation by phone, fax, or email.
Some trading partners use this transaction in association with the EDI 852 (Product Activity Report). The customer sends an 852 to his supplier and the supplier returns an 855, putting in reference the order numbers listed in the 852. The 855 indicates to the customer that the inventory will be sent to the customer's warehouse by the supplier. With this transaction, the supplier can restock the warehouse.