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Data Format and Version Mismatch Errors — How to Fix X12/JSON Compatibility Issues

Why am I getting 'data format and version do not match the relationship configuration' errors?

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Written by Ashwath Kirthyvasan
Updated over a month ago

Audience: EDI developers, B2B integration teams, trading partner technical contacts

What These Errors Mean

Orderful validates that every incoming transaction matches the exact data format and version configured on the trading relationship. When there is a mismatch, no transaction is created — the submission is rejected before processing.

This happens for three reasons:

  • Format mismatch — The transaction was submitted as X12 but the relationship expects JSON, or vice versa

  • X12 version mismatch — The trading partner is sending a different X12 version than what is configured on the relationship (e.g., they send 004010 but the relationship expects 005010)

  • Variant suffix mismatch — The base X12 version is correct but the variant suffix does not match (e.g., they send 005010VICS but the relationship expects 005010, or vice versa)

Where the Error Appears

Where you find the error depends on how the transaction was submitted.

JSON submitted via API — The error is returned in the HTTP response body at submission time. No transaction or EDI Job is created in Orderful.

X12 submitted via SFTP or AS2 — The error is delivered via email notification. In Orderful, open the EDI Job and go to the Content tab to view the original X12 file that was submitted. No transaction record is created.

Diagnosing the Mismatch

The error message always shows exactly what was received versus what the relationship expects. Below are the exact error shapes for each scenario.

Format mismatch — JSON submitted, relationship expects X12

This error is returned in the API response:

json

{     "type": "unprocessableEntity",     "ref": "dataTypeMismatch",     "message": "Data type mismatch(es) detected: incoming transaction data format JSON does not match the sender relationship data format X12" }

Format mismatch — X12 submitted, relationship expects JSON

This error is delivered via email notification:

The transaction could not be created because the transaction's data format and version do not match the data format and version configured on the relationship. Data Format of Transaction: X12 Data Version of Transaction: 005010 Data Format of Relationship: JSON Data Version of Relationship: 1

X12 version mismatch

This error is delivered via email notification:

The transaction could not be created because the transaction's data format and version do not match the data format and version configured on the relationship. Data Format of Transaction: X12 Data Version of Transaction: 004010 Data Format of Relationship: X12 Data Version of Relationship: 005010

Both formats are X12 but the version numbers differ. You can verify by checking GS08 in the original X12 payload — open the EDI Job, go to the Content tab, and find the GS segment. The 8th element (GS08) contains the version identifier Orderful compares against the relationship configuration.

Variant suffix mismatch

This error is delivered via email notification:

The transaction could not be created because the transaction's data format and version do not match the data format and version configured on the relationship. Data Format of Transaction: X12 Data Version of Transaction: 005010VICS Data Format of Relationship: X12 Data Version of Relationship: 005010

The base version matches but one side carries a variant suffix and the other does not. This error appears in both directions — the relationship may expect a suffix the partner is not sending, or the partner may be sending a suffix the relationship does not expect. Common suffixes: UCS (Uniform Communication Standard), VICS (Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Solutions).

How to Fix It

The fix depends on who is the sender.
After the fix, you or your partner can resend transactions.

If you are the sender

You have two options:

  • Update your relationship configuration — In Orderful, update the data format and version on your side of the relationship to match what you are actually sending. This is a self-service change.

  • Update your transaction data format and version — Update your integration or source system to submit the data format and version your relationship is configured to expect, then resend.

If your trading partner is the sender

First, confirm what the correct data format and version should be for the relationship. Then choose one of:

  • Ask your trading partner to update their data format and version — Share the full error message with them so they can see exactly what Orderful expects. Ask them to update their system and resend.

  • Request Orderful Support to update the relationship on your partner's behalf — Contact [email protected] and Orderful Support will update the data format and version on the sender side of the relationship. Ask your trading partner to resend after the change is made.

What to Send Orderful Support

When contacting [email protected], include:

  • Trading partner name and your organization name

  • Transaction type (850, 810, 856, etc.)

  • Complete error message as displayed

  • Desired configuration — exact data format and version you want the relationship set to

  • Transaction ID or EDI Job ID (if available)

  • Urgency level — include #Urgent in your subject line if this is blocking critical business operations

Frequently Asked Questions

No transaction was created — how do I find the error in Orderful?
For X12 submissions, look in EDI Jobs rather than Transactions — the error appears on the job. For JSON API submissions, the error is in the API response body at the time of submission. No record is created in Orderful in either case until the mismatch is resolved.

My trading partner says they are sending the correct version — why is Orderful rejecting it?
Orderful validates against the exact configuration on your relationship, not against general X12 standards. A file can be valid X12 and still be rejected if it does not match your relationship settings. Share the full error message with your trading partner so they can see exactly what Orderful expects.

Will changing the relationship version affect transactions I am sending to this partner?
No. Inbound and outbound relationship configurations are separate. However, if you have a bidirectional relationship, ask Support to check both directions when making the change.

Can Orderful automatically convert between X12 versions or translate X12 to JSON?
No. Orderful cannot modify incoming transactions to fix version or format mismatches. The fix must be made either in the relationship configuration or at the source.

This error is happening on every transaction from one trading partner — what should I do?
This indicates a systematic configuration issue. Contact [email protected] with systematic version mismatch with [partner name] in your subject line, include one example transaction or job ID, and request a priority relationship configuration review.

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