The X12 820 transaction set provides the EDI format for transmitting information relating to payments. It is typically used in conjunction with an electronic transfer of funds for payment of goods, insurance premiums or other transactions. The actual funds transfer is often coordinated through the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH) system, and an 820 may be effectively wrapped in an ACH banking transaction. The 820 transaction is used in a number of situations:

  • Used by companies to transmit instructions to banks for making a payment. (Example: Funds Transfer)
  • Used by companies to communicate the details of a pending payment, adjustments as well.
  • Used by companies to provide premium payment information to health insurance plans.

The details included in a 820 document would be;

  • Bank Account Number
  • Account ID
  • Payer Identification
  • Payee Identification
  • Billed Totals
  • Payment Totals

This information will give suppliers and health plans an opportunity to reconcile payments they receive against invoices if an issue comes forth. In healthcare, the 820 is similar to the EDI 835 transaction set. The 820 is specifically for plan sponsors, which would be companies that provide healthcare benefits to their employees. It also allows them to transmit information on premium payments to health plans. The 835 is used by health plans, used for transmitting information on payments to healthcare providers.

EDI 820 Format

ISA*01*0000000000*01*0000000000*ZZ*ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO*ZZ*123456789012345*101127*1719*U*00400*000003438*0*P*>
GS*RA*4405197800*999999999*20111219*1726*299*X*004060
ST*820*0289
BPR*I*4858.77*C*ACH*PBC
TRN*1*8888856834
CUR*BY*USD
REF*ZZ*8888856834
DTM*020*20111213
N1*PE*1 EDI SOURCE
REF*VR*999999
N1*PR*ABC CORP
ENT*1
RMR*IV*999742**631.55*644.44*12.89*PT*0
REF*PO*9995987985
DTM*999*20111206
RMR*IV*999734**489.81*499.81*10*PT*0
REF*PO*0007986970
DTM*999*20111206
RMR*IV*999740**882.51*900.52*18.01*PT*0
REF*PO*0007987985
DTM*999*20111206
RMR*IV*999735**1559.45*1591.28*31.83*PT*0
REF*PO*0008987657
DTM*999*20111206
RMR*IV*999736**7.78*7.94*0.16*PT*0
REF*PO*0005987886
DTM*999*20111206
RMR*IV*999744**342.17*349.15*6.98*PT*0
REF*PO*0009988315
DTM*999*20111206
RMR*IV*999741**946.68*966*19.32*PT*0
REF*PO*0008987985
DTM*999*20111206
RMR*OS*64024003**-1.18*-1.18*0*CM*0
REF*PO*990209
DTM*999*20111202
SE*35*0289
GE*1*299
IEA*1*000000299

EDI 820 Specification

This X12 Transaction Set contains the format and establishes the data contents of the Payment Order/Remittance Advice Transaction Set (820) for use within the context of an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) environment. The transaction set can be used to make a payment and/or send a remittance advice. This transaction set can be an order to a financial institution to make a payment to a payee. It can also be a remittance advice identifying the detail needed to perform cash application to the payee’s accounts receivable system. The remittance advice can go directly from payer to payee, through a financial institution, or through a third party agent.