Lowe's EDI Integration for Home Improvement Suppliers

Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world — 1,700+ stores and a growing e-commerce and drop ship platform. SBSA Technology handles full EDI compliance for all Lowe's fulfillment paths: RDC, Flatbed DC, drop ship, and special orders.

Your Lowe's Fulfillment Path

Select your ship-to destination to see requirements

1
Receive EDI 850 Purchase Order

Lowe's RDC and FDC POs specify the distribution center as the ship-to location. Flatbed DCs handle large, oversized, or heavy items.

2
Send 855 acknowledgment within 24 hours

Acknowledge within 24 hours of PO issuance. Late acknowledgments are recorded as compliance violations and impact your scorecard.

3
Ship complete with GS1-128 carton labels

All cartons must carry compliant GS1-128 labels. Partial shipments require prior authorization from your Lowe's buyer.

4
Send 856 ASN before shipment arrives

ASN must be transmitted and received by Lowe's before physical goods arrive at the DC. Late or missing ASNs trigger chargebacks.

5
Invoice via EDI 810 — one per PO

One invoice per PO. Submit within Lowe's invoice window to avoid payment delays or deductions.

1
850 contains the end customer's address

Drop ship POs include consumer delivery details. You ship directly to the customer — not to a Lowe's DC or store.

2
Lowe's-branded packing slip is mandatory

All drop ship packages must include a Lowe's-branded packing slip. Your brand must not appear on any external packaging.

3
Tracking number required in the ASN

A valid carrier tracking number must be embedded in the 856 ASN. No tracking number means non-compliant ASN.

4
Order volume requires automation

Drop ship programs can generate high PO volumes quickly. Manual processing creates delays — SBSA automates the full loop.

1
Special orders originate at Lowe's stores

Store associates place special orders on behalf of customers. These POs are routed to you via EDI 850 with specific delivery or installation deadlines.

2
Expedited 855 acknowledgment required

Special orders often carry committed delivery dates made to the end customer — acknowledge quickly to protect that promise.

3
Ship date confirmation at line level

Lowe's requires confirmed ship dates per SKU for special orders. A single delayed item can impact the customer's entire project timeline.

4
ASN with install-ready documentation

For installed products, the ASN may need to include installation scheduling references. SBSA handles the documentation flow.

5
Chargebacks apply for missed dates

Special order late deliveries are among the most penalized compliance failures. SBSA monitors deadlines and alerts your team proactively.

Which Type of Lowe's Supplier Are You?

Lowe's works with several distinct supplier categories, each with different EDI requirements, routing guides, and compliance expectations. Understanding your supplier type determines your EDI setup scope.

Domestic Stock Supplier

Suppliers shipping stocked merchandise to Lowe's RDCs or FDCs for retail floor placement. This is the most common supplier category and requires the full EDI transaction set (850, 855, 856, 810).

Domestic Vendor

Direct Import Vendor

Suppliers shipping goods internationally to Lowe's import facilities. Direct import vendors typically interact with Lowe's Global Sourcing team and have additional customs documentation requirements alongside EDI.

Direct Import

Drop Ship / Endless Aisle

Suppliers participating in Lowe's drop ship or "endless aisle" programs ship directly to consumers who ordered on Lowes.com or in-store. High PO volume and fast acknowledgment windows are the key operational challenges.

Drop Ship Vendor

Pro / Special Order Supplier

Suppliers serving Lowe's Pro customers or special order programs handle committed-date POs with heightened accuracy requirements. Missed delivery dates for special orders directly affect the end customer experience.

Pro & Special Order
24h 855 Acknowledgment Window from PO issuance
98% Target OTIF Score Lowe's supplier expectation
1,700+ Lowe's Stores US and Canada
20M+ Weekly Customers served by Lowe's

How to Connect to Lowe's EDI

Lowe's supports three EDI transmission protocols. SBSA Technology handles the full setup, certificate management, and ongoing monitoring for every connection type so your data flows without interruption.

SFTP

Secure File Transfer Protocol

SFTP provides a straightforward file-based EDI exchange using encrypted folder drop and pickup. Lowe's maintains SFTP endpoints for suppliers whose systems or volume better suit a polling-based transmission model.

  • Transport: Encrypted SSH file transfer
  • Workflow: Outbound pickup / inbound delivery folders
  • SBSA setup: Key management and folder mapping handled
  • Best for: Lower-volume or batch-oriented suppliers

VAN

Value-Added Network

VAN connections route EDI data through a third-party network hub. Lowe's supports several VANs including Sterling Commerce and SPS Commerce. SBSA can connect to any VAN Lowe's requires on your behalf.

  • Networks: Sterling, SPS, OpenText, and others
  • Onboarding: SBSA coordinates VAN enrollment
  • Monitoring: Transmission receipts and error alerts
  • Best for: Suppliers already on a VAN network

Lowe's EDI Integration EDI Transaction Set

SBSA Technology supports core and supplemental Lowe's EDI Integration EDI documents. Critical transactions are highlighted because they carry the highest compliance risk when transmitted incorrectly or late.

850

Purchase Order

Lowe's sends POs electronically. The 850 contains all order details including item, quantity, pricing, routing, and ship-to destination (DC, store, or consumer).

Inbound
855

PO Acknowledgment

Must be sent within 24 hours of PO receipt. Confirms acceptance, updates quantities, or flags availability issues at the line level. Never use a zero quantity on a line — remove the line instead.

Outbound 24-hour window — missing this triggers a compliance violation
856

Advance Ship Notice

Must be transmitted before physical goods arrive. Includes shipment, carton, and item hierarchy with GS1-128 label data. Drop ship ASNs must include carrier tracking numbers.

Outbound Shipment without ASN can be refused and charged back
810

Invoice

One EDI invoice per PO. Invoice must be submitted within Lowe's payment terms window. Mismatches between the 810 and 856 ASN are a common source of deductions.

Outbound
997

Functional Acknowledgment

A machine-level confirmation that each EDI envelope was received and parseable. Both parties exchange 997s to confirm technical receipt of every transaction — not to be confused with the business-level 855.

Outbound
860

PO Change Request

Lowe's may send a Purchase Order Change to modify quantities, dates, or routing after PO issuance. Your system must be able to receive and apply 860 changes against open orders.

Inbound
846

Inventory Inquiry / Advice

Used by some Lowe's vendor-managed inventory (VMI) programs to share on-hand inventory levels. Suppliers in VMI programs may be required to send 846 updates on a scheduled basis.

Outbound
824

Application Advice

Lowe's may send an 824 to report errors or exceptions with a previously received EDI document. SBSA monitors 824s and routes alerts to your team for immediate correction.

Inbound

Connect Lowe's EDI to Your Business Systems

SBSA Technology integrates Lowe's EDI directly with your ERP, accounting, or inventory platform — eliminating manual data entry and ensuring your internal systems stay in sync with every PO, shipment, and invoice.

QuickBooks Online – Intuit Silver Partner

SBSA Technology is an Intuit Silver Partner. Lowe's EDI purchase orders flow into QuickBooks Online as sales orders or invoices automatically. Inventory adjustments, fulfillment confirmations, and payment records sync back to Lowe's EDI without any manual re-entry.

QuickBooks Enterprise - Intuit Silver Partner

For larger suppliers running QuickBooks Enterprise, SBSA provides a deeper integration layer that handles high-volume POs, multi-location inventory, and advanced order management — all connected directly to Lowe's EDI trading partner requirements.

NetSuite

Bidirectional integration: 850 POs create sales orders in NetSuite automatically; ship confirmations and invoices flow back to Lowes as EDI 856 and 810.

SAP

Full SAP integration via IDocs or direct API. Maps Lowe's EDI segments to SAP order management, warehouse management, and FI invoice processing.

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Native D365 integration for purchase order receipt, warehouse pick and ship confirmation, and automated invoice creation from confirmed shipments.

Oracle ERP Cloud

Integration with Oracle Fusion Order Management and Inventory. SBSA maps Lowe's 850s to Oracle sales orders and returns 856/810 from Oracle confirmations.

Shopify / WMS Platforms

For brands using Shopify as their OMS or third-party WMS platforms (ShipBob, 3PL Central, Logiwa, etc.), SBSA provides API-based integrations that route Lowe's orders into your fulfillment workflow.

Custom & Legacy Systems

If your ERP or WMS isn't listed, SBSA builds a custom integration. We've connected EDI to hundreds of systems — flat-file imports, AS/400 mainframes, proprietary ERPs, and everything in between.

What SBSA Automates in Your Lowe's Integration

Manual EDI processing is the leading cause of Lowe's chargebacks. SBSA Technology automates every touchpoint in the Lowe's order cycle — from PO receipt to invoice — so your team focuses on the business, not the compliance paperwork.

Automatic 855 acknowledgment generated and transmitted within minutes of PO receipt — well inside the 24-hour window

856 ASN created and sent automatically at the moment your carrier picks up or your WMS confirms shipment

GS1-128 carton and pallet labels generated from order data — no manual label creation

Lowe's-branded packing slips auto-generated for every DC, store, and drop ship order

EDI 810 invoices created automatically from your shipment confirmation data and transmitted on schedule

860 PO changes applied to open orders in your ERP without manual intervention

824 Application Advice errors caught, interpreted, and routed to your team with corrective action guidance

OTIF performance tracked daily with proactive alerts before a missed deadline becomes a chargeback

Lowe's EDI FAQ

Common questions from suppliers beginning their Lowe's EDI compliance journey.

Lowe's suppliers ship to one of four destinations specified in the EDI 850: (1) a Regional Distribution Center (RDC) for standard merchandise; (2) a Flatbed Distribution Center (FDC) for oversized or heavy items like lumber, building materials, or large appliances; (3) directly to a Lowe's store for special orders placed by associates; or (4) directly to the end consumer as part of Lowe's drop ship / endless aisle program. SBSA handles all four paths with destination-aware automation and packing slip generation.

Lowe's requires the Purchase Order Acknowledgment (EDI 855) to be transmitted within 24 hours of PO issuance. Every late or missing acknowledgment is recorded as a compliance violation against your supplier scorecard. SBSA generates and transmits your 855 automatically within minutes of PO receipt, keeping your acknowledgment rate at 100%.

Lowe's enforces strict ASN-before-delivery compliance. A shipment received at any Lowe's DC or distribution facility without a valid EDI 856 ASN is subject to a chargeback fine — or the shipment may be refused entirely, with return freight costs borne by the supplier. SBSA transmits the 856 ASN automatically at the point your shipment departs your facility, ensuring it is always received by Lowe's before the physical goods.

Yes. All products sold through Lowe's must carry UPC or EAN barcodes at the individual unit level. Shipping cartons must bear GS1-128 (UCC-128) compliance labels whose data exactly matches the contents declared in your EDI 856 ASN. Any discrepancy between the label and the ASN — including incorrect quantities or item numbers — can trigger receiving chargebacks or delays. SBSA generates GS1-128 labels directly from your ASN data to eliminate this risk.

Lowe's generally expects orders to be shipped complete. Partial shipments require prior authorization from your Lowe's buyer and must be accurately reflected in your 855 acknowledgment — updating quantities or providing revised ship dates at the item level. Critically, never include a zero-quantity line in an ASN for an unfulfillable item — remove that line from the ASN entirely, as a zero-quantity ASN line is a non-compliant data field that can trigger a chargeback.

Yes. Lowe's Canada — operating under the Lowe's Canada, RONA, and Reno-Depot banners — is a separate EDI trading partner from Lowe's US with its own ISA/GS qualifiers, compliance requirements, and routing guides. SBSA supports both entities simultaneously from a single integration platform, with separate compliance monitoring, ASN routing, and packing slip generation for each trading partner. Both are managed through SBSA's unified platform to minimize your operational overhead.

Yes. SBSA is an Intuit Silver Partner and provides certified integrations with both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Enterprise. Lowe's purchase orders flow into QuickBooks as sales orders automatically. Inventory updates, shipment confirmations, and invoice data sync back to the EDI platform, eliminating all manual data entry between your accounting system and your Lowe's trading partner connection.

In Lowe's drop ship programs, the EDI 850 PO contains the end consumer's delivery address rather than a Lowe's DC or store address. You ship directly to the customer and must send an 856 ASN with a valid carrier tracking number. A Lowe's-branded packing slip is required in every drop ship package — your company's brand must not appear on any external packaging or documentation. SBSA automates the full drop ship loop: PO routing to your fulfillment system, branded packing slip generation, ASN transmission with tracking number, and invoice creation.

Ready to Become Lowe's EDI Compliant?

Tell us your supplier type and fulfillment path — RDC, FDC, drop ship, or special order — and we'll build a complete integration plan for you.