How to dispute Walmart deduction code 25 (No merchandise received against invoice).
A step-by-step guide for CPG operators: what triggers Walmart code 25, the exact evidence required, the filing window in APDP (Accounts Payable Disputes Portal), the typical success rate, and the SOP fix that prevents repeats.
- Walmart code 25 (No merchandise received against invoice) — DC has no record of receiving the PO that the invoice references. Often a routing or appointment mismatch — the merchandise arrived but was received under a different PO or appointment number.
- File in APDP (Accounts Payable Disputes Portal) within 30 days from deduction post date in apdp.
- Required evidence: POD with retailer DC stamp, BOL referencing the disputed PO, MABD appointment confirmation, and the original PO acknowledgement.
- Typical success rate when evidence is complete: 75–90% when DC-stamped POD is available.
- Prevent repeats by: Confirm PO number on every BOL and packing list; require carrier to capture stamped POD on delivery; reconcile PO acknowledgements weekly.
What Walmart code 25 actually means
DC has no record of receiving the PO that the invoice references. Often a routing or appointment mismatch — the merchandise arrived but was received under a different PO or appointment number. On the remittance it appears as code 25 — No merchandise received against invoice. Disputes are filed in APDP (Accounts Payable Disputes Portal), and the filing window is 30 days from deduction post date in apdp.
Source: Walmart Supplier Performance Standards; APDP reason-code dictionary. Last reviewed: 2026-04-17.
Step-by-step: how to dispute Walmart code 25
- 1
Confirm the deduction is in scope
Locate the deduction on your Walmart remittance and confirm the reason matches code 25 (No merchandise received against invoice). Note the deduction post date — your filing window starts there.
- 2
Pull the evidence packet
Gather: POD with retailer DC stamp, BOL referencing the disputed PO, MABD appointment confirmation, and the original PO acknowledgement.
- 3
File the dispute in APDP (Accounts Payable Disputes Portal)
Open APDP (Accounts Payable Disputes Portal), locate the deduction, and attach your evidence packet. Filing window: 30 days from deduction post date in APDP. Late filings are auto-denied — file as soon as the packet is complete.
- 4
Track the response
Most Walmart dispute responses land in 30–60 days. Approved disputes are credited on the next remittance cycle. Denied disputes can be re-filed once with additional evidence; track the re-file deadline.
- 5
Fix the root cause
Confirm PO number on every BOL and packing list; require carrier to capture stamped POD on delivery; reconcile PO acknowledgements weekly.
Required evidence
POD with retailer DC stamp, BOL referencing the disputed PO, MABD appointment confirmation, and the original PO acknowledgement.
Build the packet once — most Walmart disputes lose because the evidence arrives incomplete, not because the underlying dispute is weak.
Timeline & deadlines
- Filing window
- 30 days from deduction post date in APDP
- Response window
- Most Walmart responses land in 30–60 days from filing.
- Typical success rate
- 75–90% when DC-stamped POD is available
Why Walmart code 25 deductions happen
DC has no record of receiving the PO that the invoice references. Often a routing or appointment mismatch — the merchandise arrived but was received under a different PO or appointment number. In practice, this is rarely a single root cause. Walmart's receiving and audit systems flag no merchandise received against invoice the moment a discrepancy hits the threshold — so even a clean shipment can take a deduction if the paperwork or the EDI handshake doesn't reconcile cleanly on the retailer's side. That's why almost every code 25 packet hinges on documentation timing, not on whether the shipment was actually correct.
How to prevent Walmart code 25 going forward
Confirm PO number on every BOL and packing list; require carrier to capture stamped POD on delivery; reconcile PO acknowledgements weekly.
Filing wins back the dollars; the SOP fix is what stops you from filing the same dispute again next quarter.
Want this filed for you?
ClearChain runs Walmart dispute filing end-to-end. Flat $5,000/month, no percentage of recoveries. If we don't recover at least 3x your fee, you get your money back.
Flat $5,000/month, month-to-month. If we don't recover at least 3x your fee, you get your money back.
Typical response: same business day.