---
title: Acknowledgment Messages
slug: electronic-prior-auth/guide/acknowledgment-messages
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-06-15T22:02:34.437Z
---

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note: **The terms "free standing" and "asynchronous" are interchangeable.
:::

| **Message Type** | **Code**                                                                                                 | **Meaning(s)**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | **As Sender**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | **As Receiver**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Status           | 000                                                                                                      | The transmission has been accepted for processing but has not yet reached its final status. There should be a final Verify (010) or Error forthcoming.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | Follow with an asynchronous (free standing) Verify or Error to complete the message flow.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | While an asynchronous Verify or Error is expected to follow a Status 000, if it is not received, no assumption should be made as to whether the original message has been received successfully or not.<br />The recommendation is to wait 24 hours before following a manual process or sending a duplicate message. |
| Status           | 010                                                                                                      | Confirms successful delivery and acceptance of a message to itsfinal destination.<br />The final acknowledgment message to close the transaction workflow.<br />No further acknowledgment message should follow.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | Synchronous response indicates that message processing is complete.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Subsequent acknowledgment message should not be expected.<br />                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| Verify           | 010                                                                                                      | Asynchronous message that confirms successful delivery and acceptance of a message to its final destination.<br />The final acknowledgment message to close the transaction workflow.<br />No further acknowledgment message should follow.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | Send only if the original message was responded to with a Status 000.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | Subsequent acknowledgment message should not be expected.<br />Do not respond to a free-standing Error or Verify with a new free-standing Error or Verify.                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Error**        | For a full list of NCPDP Error codes and their descriptions, see the NCPDP External Code List or schema. | Can be generated when there is a communication problem or when an error occurs during the processing of the message.<br />Closes the transaction workflow. Subsequent acknowledgment messages should not be expected.<br />Could be synchronous or asynchronous.<br />A synchronous error is sent in response to a message.<br />An asynchronous error (also called Free-Standing Error) is initiated as a new message after the Status (Code 000) is sent. | Send to acknowledge that the transaction failed.<br />Do not send if a transaction workflow has already been closed (Status/Verify Code 010).<br />Send as soon as possible after a Status (Code 000) has been sent.<br />Customers may create and return unique error descriptions which may further indicate why failure has occurred.<br /><br /> | After receiving an Error, do not expect subsequent acknowledgment messages.<br />Do not respond to a free-standing Error or Verify with a new free-standing Error or Verify.                                                                                                                                          |