Nordstrom's Accounts Payable Codes

By Bekah Tatem, Content Writer

Last Updated April 9, 2025

6 min read

In this article, learn about:

Nordstrom’s invoice inquiry and dispute timelines
Nordstrom’s accounts payable codes
Definitions for allowance, chargeback, freight, invoice, return, and non-compliance codes

Nordstrom suppliers may encounter deductions, adjustments, and other charges and credits on their invoices. These charges come with a set of Accounts Payable (AP) codes that identify the reason for the adjustment. Understanding these codes can help suppliers dispute invalid deductions and manage their accounts more effectively.

Nordstrom Invoice Inquiry Timeline

It should be noted that Nordstrom has a fairly tight window for invoice inquiries. Suppliers have 12 months from the invoice date to dispute open invoices, and 12 months from the check date to dispute claims or chargebacks. After this period, disputes are typically no longer accepted.

For Expense Offset Fees (fees relating to non-compliance), the window for inquiry is even shorter—just 60 days from the document date (not the check date). This limited timeframe is due to how long the related information remains available to Nordstrom. To stay on top of potential issues, it’s highly recommended that suppliers regularly review the AP Vendor Inquiry site. Keep in mind that Nordstrom does not provide images or documentation for non-compliance issues, so proactive monitoring is key.

Allowance Codes

Code on AP Site	Document Type	Document Definition
AA-AE, AM-AT, AV, A1-A9, S1-S9	ADV CO-OP	Deduction, Adjustment, Reinstatement, or Cancelation of Advertising Co-Op charges.
AZ	NMN	Deduction, Adjustment, Reinstatement, or Cancelation of Norstrom Media Network Charges.
AF-AL	APA	Deduction or Adjustment of Additional Payment Agreement (APA) Co-Op.
CA	EXPENSE OFFSET	Allowance agreement for miscellaneous expenses (travel, style shows, fixtures, etc.).
BC, CA	CLAIM ALLOWANCE	Allowance agreement for additional discount or lower pricing.
CA	VFMD	Vendor Funded Markdowns or other allowances, per signed vendor agreement.
CP	VENDOR CONTEST	Vendor sponsored contest, per signed vendor agreement.
UC, UH, UI, UM, UO, US, UT, UW, U1-U9	COSM REBATE	Deduction, Adjustment, Reinstatement, Credit, or Cancelation of Cosmetic Rebate charges.

Chargeback Codes

Code on AP Site	Document Type	Document Type Definition
QT, W	187 QUALITY CEN	Nordstrom Quality Center—defective product claim (customer returns).
CE	Alterations	Charges incurred by Nordstrom to alter or hem garments for sale to customer.
M9	AUDIT COST ADJS	Post Payment Audit—price discrepancies found on 'CHRGBACK' transactions.
CR	COST DIFFERENCE	Price discrepancy—invoiced price is greater than PO price.
CU, C1-C6	COST/DISC ADJST	Chargeback corrections and adjustments.
MO	CREDIT MEMO	Deduction taken per Vendor's credit memo or statement credit.
QF	DESTROY IN FIELD	Defective product—Destroyed in Field per agreement (vs. returning to vendor).
CW	GRATIS MERCHAND	RTV for COST of product pulled per Gratis agreement (Cosmetics).
CM	INTL CREDIT MEMO	Deduction taken per Vendor's credit memo or statement credit.
CS	QUANTITY SHORT	Quantity discrepancy—Invoiced for more items than received.
Q5	QUANTITY SHORT	Quantity Discrepancy—Style Sub.
MJ	STATEMENT CREDIT	Credit issued by vendor, on monthly statement.
CX	TESTER STOCK	Claim for product pulled for in-store testers.
NW	TOOLKIT SUBSCRIBE	Annual subscription fee to access Portal reporting tool for Sales and Stock-on-hand reports (Supplier Toolkit). Document number is the Supplier number and the 2-digit year added to the end.

Freight Chargeback Codes

Code on AP Site	Document Type	Document Type Definition
FD	ADJUSTMENT	Adjustment to a freight chargeback.
FC	AGREEMENT	Chargeback for freight cost per PO agreement.
FI	MERCH INVOICE	Freight chargeback for freight included on merchandise invoice in error.
FC	PO TERMS	Chargeback for freight cost per PO terms.
FC	PO VIOLATION	Chargeback for in-bound freight cost for merchandise not ordered (PO Violation).
FC	ROUTING VIOLATION	Chargeback for freight routing violation.
CK. F1-F9	CANCEL	Cancellation of outbound freight/handling on RTVs if product returned or Nordstrom error.

Invoice Codes

Code on AP Site	Document Type	Document Type Definition
M9	AUDIT COST ADJS	Post Payment Audit—deduction for price discrepancy found on ‘INVOICE’ transactions.
IU, I1-I9	COST ADJSTMNT	Merchandise invoice payment adjustment.
	DEBIT BALANCE M	Debit balance move from AP to AR
DP, DA-DC	DISC ADJSTMNT	Discount reimbursement for discount (DQ) taken in error.
SM	DROP SHIP FREIGHT	Automated Freight reimbursement for Drop Ship vendors.
FB, FL, FP	FREIGHT BILL	Freight bill payment to carrier.
IM	LAST CHANCE	Invoice payment for merchandise sold to Last Chance store(s).
IM, IO	MERCHANDISE	Merchandise invoice payment or adjustment.
IM	SAMPLE	Invoice payment for sample merchandise.

Merchandise Return Codes

Code on AP Site	Document Type	Document Type Definition
QX	ACCOMMODATION	Return to Vendor—overstock/slow selling merchandise—per vendor agreement.
M9	AUDIT COST ADJS	Post Payment Audit—deduction for cost/pricing or discount correction on 'MRCH RTN' claim.
CU	COST/DISC ADJST	RTV claim adjustment for cost variance—vendor reimbursement.
DU	DEFECTIVE	Defective product returns—unsellable product.
EX	DAMAGED	Merchandise return due to damages on an inbound shipment.
QV	DC CONSOLIDATION	Distribution Center return for multiple stores (consolidated) per agreement.
CD, QQ	DEFECTIVE	Defective product returns (or Destroy in Field for specific Cosmetic vendors) or Quality inspection at FC or DC finds product defect or product that was not ordered in shipment.
QI	DISCONTINUED	Cosmetics that have been discontinued from product line.
ER, QL	EARLY SHIP/PST CAN	Merchandise return due to inbound shipment sent outside ship window.
CF	FREIGHT CHRGS	Outbound Freight charges, primarily associated to returned PO violation merchandise.
QG, QW	GWP/PWP OVERSTO	Overstock returns per agreement for Cosmetic Gift With Purchase or Cosmetic Purchase With Purchase.
SK	INTERNET	Merchandise return from Direct division.
ET	INVALID PO	Merchandise return due to invalid PO number.
E1-E9	MRCH RTN ADJUSTMENT	Claim adjustment for Merch Returns.
CG, CL, CO, CQ	NOT ORDERED	RTV for PO violations—merchandise not on PO or violations outside of the shipping window.
CJ	OVERSTOCK	RTV direct from store per Return Authorization (RA) agreement.
EI	PO CLOSED/CANCLD	Merchandise return due to closed or canceled PO.
QS	RESTOCKING FEE	Claim payment/adjustment for restocking fees on sellable goods (per merchant agreement).
EW	STORE NOT ON PO	Merchandise returns for stores not allocated for the PO.
QR	VENDOR RECALL	Return to vendor—recalled product.

Non-Compliance Codes

Code on AP Site	Document Type	Document Type Definition
NL	128 LBL MISSING	Missing GS1-128 carton label.
NG	128 UNSCANNABLE	Unusable GS1-128 carton label.
NP	EDI PO (850)	Expense offset fee when vendor is not able to receive an electronic PO (EDI 850)—as of 10/1/09, Nordstrom no longer issues this deduction.
SV	FLAT SHIPD HANG	Merchandise ordered to ship flat but merchandise was received hanging.
NN	INACCURATE ASN	Quantities received do not match ASN quantities (this is for differences between ASN and what was shipped; not ASN and what was on the PO).
NH	INCORRCT HANGER	Merchandise not on correct VICS hanger.
NE	INVOICE CORRECT	Correcting vendor invoice errors in AP system.
NA	UNUSABLE ASN	ASN Unusable or Missing at time shipment is received at DC/FC. Unusable or late ASNs will receive a functional acknowledgement (EDI 997), but please note that while the data was received in Nordstrom's system, it does not mean that it was useable.
ND	MISSING BARCODE	Barcode missing from hangtag (ticket).
NM	NO VICS HANGER	Merchandise not on VICS hanger.
NI, NY, NZ	NON-CONSOL INVO	Expense offset for non-consolidation of invoice—require one invoice per PO, per shipment, per destination.
SB	QUALITY ASSURAN	Merchandise does not meet Quality Standards.
SC	MISSHIP	Merchandise Marked for Wrong DC.
IE	NON-EDI INVOICE	Expense offset fee for failure to transmit EDI 810 Invoice—paper copy received.
SN	PBAG SEALD INCR	Polybag sealed incorrectly.
SS	PLYBG NOT SEALD	Polybag not sealed.
NQ	PO VIOLATION	Merch Not Ordered—overage or misallocation.
SX	POLYBAG MISSING	Polybag missing (where required).
NB	UNSCANNABLE BAR	Barcode on hangtag (ticket) was unscannable.
NC	RETAIL PRICE TICKET	Retail Missing or Incorrect on Ticket.
NU	UPC CATALOG	UPC Catalog data not loaded at time of item setup.

Other Codes

Code on AP Site	Document Type	Document Type Definition
N1	HANGER VIOLATION	Missing or incorrect hanger.
N2	FLAT SHIPPED HANGING	Flat item shipping hanging.
N3	UPC BARCODE VIOLATION	Missing or incorrect barcode.
N4	RETAIL PRICE TICKET	Missing or incorrect retail.
N5	SHOEBOX VIOLATION	Missing rubber band.
N6	POLYBAG VIOLATION	Missing, incorrect, or unsealed polybag.

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