EDI 856 Advance Shipping Notice

The most common rejection reasons are: incorrect or missing SSCC-18 barcode numbers in the MAN segment, item quantities in the ASN not matching what was physically shipped, wrong purchase order reference number, late transmission (ASN arrived after the shipment), incorrect HL hierarchy structure, and UPC or GTIN codes that do not match the buyer’s item master. Each retailer has their own validation rules. For example: what passes at Walmart may still fail at Target.

An EDI 856 chargeback is a financial penalty applied by a retailer when your ASN is missing, late, inaccurate, or non-compliant with their specific requirements. To avoid chargebacks: send the ASN during shipment (not before, not after), ensure SSCC-18 labels on cartons exactly match what is in the ASN, validate quantities against the physical pack before transmitting, and review each trading partner’s implementation guide regularly since requirements change. Automated ASN generation directly from your WMS or EDI platform eliminates most manual errors.

Most major retailers require EDI 856 as a mandatory compliance document. These include Walmart, Target, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco, Chewy, Kroger, Wayfair, Tractor Supply, Albertsons, and C&S Wholesale Grocers. Requirements vary significantly by every retailer. For example, Walmart requires SSCC-18 on every carton and pallet, Amazon requires the ASN within 30 minutes of ship confirmation, and Target enforces strict item attribute matching including case pack and barcode accuracy.

Yes. Walmart requires an EDI 856 ASN for all shipments to their distribution centers. Walmart’s ASN requirements include SSCC-18 barcodes on all cartons and pallets, a specific HL hierarchy structure, GS1-128 compliant labels, and PRO numbers for LTL shipments. Walmart validates ASNs through their Retail Link portal and applies chargebacks for missing, late, or inaccurate ASNs. Their specific requirements are detailed in the Walmart Supplier EDI Implementation Guide.

Yes. Amazon requires an EDI 856 ASN for vendors shipping to their fulfillment centers. Amazon’s requirements are among the strictest — the ASN must be transmitted within 30 minutes of carrier pickup confirmation, must include carton-level detail with SSCC-18 barcodes, and UPC/ASIN codes must match Amazon’s item master exactly. Late or missing ASNs with Amazon result in automated chargebacks through Vendor Central.

The EDI 856 should be sent at the time of physical shipment — typically when the carrier scans the pickup or when the shipment leaves the warehouse dock. Some retailers have stricter windows: Amazon requires ASN within 30 minutes of ship confirmation. Sending too early (before the shipment is actually packed) or too late (after the goods have already arrived) both cause problems and can trigger chargebacks.

An EDI 856 is triggered by the physical act of shipping specifically when a purchase order (EDI 850) has been received, goods have been picked and packed, GS1-128 labels have been applied to cartons and pallets, and the carrier has confirmed pickup. In automated systems, the ASN is generated and transmitted automatically when the warehouse management system (WMS) records a confirmed shipment.

After the buyer receives the EDI 856, they send back an EDI 997 Functional Acknowledgement confirming receipt. The buyer’s warehouse management system then uses the ASN data to pre-stage inventory, schedule dock labor, and prepare receiving workflows. When the shipment physically arrives, warehouse staff scan SSCC-18 barcodes on cartons to verify against the ASN instead of manually counting items. Inventory is updated automatically.

Yes. If you are unable to fulfill a complete purchase order in one shipment, you send a separate EDI 856 for each physical shipment. Each ASN covers only what is on that specific truck. Make sure each ASN references the correct purchase order line items and quantities for that partial fulfillment mismatches between the ASN and the physical shipment are one of the most common chargeback triggers.

Yes. If a shipment is modified after the ASN has been sent. For example, when a quantity changes or a carton is added, you need to send a corrected or replacement ASN before the shipment arrives. The process for correcting an ASN varies by trading partner; some require a voided ASN followed by a new one, others accept an updated transmission. Always check your trading partner’s implementation guide for their specific correction process.

An EDI 856, also called Advance Ship Notice or ASN, is an electronic document sent by a supplier to a buyer before a shipment physically arrives. It tells the buyer exactly what is being shipped, how it is packed, which carrier is moving it, and when it will arrive. It is the electronic equivalent of a packing slip except it travels ahead of the truck so the buyer can prepare for receiving before the goods show up.

ASN stands for Advance Ship Notice. In EDI, an ASN is transmitted using the EDI 856 transaction set under the ANSI X12 standard. Some companies also refer to it as an Advance Shipping Notification or Ship Notice/Manifest. All three terms refer to the same document.

A packing slip is a paper document physically included inside or attached to a shipment. An EDI 856 is sent electronically before the shipment arrives, sometimes hours in advance. This allows the buyer’s warehouse system to automatically prepare receiving workflows, allocate dock doors, and pre-stage inventory locations before the truck pulls in. The EDI 856 replaces the manual packing slip process entirely.

EDI 856 is sent by the supplier or vendor, typically when the shipment leaves the warehouse or when the carrier scans the pickup. It is received by the buyer, retailer, or distributor, whichever party is expecting the goods.

No. The EDI 856 (ASN) describes what is being shipped and how. EDI 810 is an invoice; it requests payment for what was shipped. The 856 is sent at ship time; the 810 is sent after delivery or per payment terms. Many buyers perform three-way matching by comparing the EDI 850 (purchase order), EDI 856 (what was shipped), and EDI 810 (invoice) to confirm everything aligns before releasing payment.

Setting up an EDI 856 with a new trading partner involves four steps:
(1) Obtain the trading partner’s EDI implementation guide, which specifies their exact requirements for the ASN including required segments, HL hierarchy, timing, and labeling.
(2) Set up the communication method — AS2, SFTP, or VAN as specified by the trading partner.
(3) Build or configure the EDI 856 map in your EDI system to match their requirements.
(4) Complete testing in your trading partner’s test environment and get sign-off before going live. 

A managed EDI provider like Elevate handles all four steps on your behalf while you run your business.

You have three options: 

1. build and manage EDI in-house using EDI software (requires technical expertise and ongoing maintenance)
2. use a managed cloud EDI software like Elevate that handles everything for you like an outsourced EDI department (fastest and lowest internal resource requirement)
3. or use a web EDI portal provided by your trading partner for very low transaction volumes (manual but no software needed). 

For most small and mid-sized suppliers, a fully managed provider is the most practical choice as they handle mapping, trading partner communication, testing, and ongoing compliance updates.

For a straightforward setup with no ERP integration, expect 2-4 weeks from kickoff to go-live with most trading partners. If you need ERP integration (connecting your NetSuite, SAP, Acumatica, or other system to generate ASN data automatically), the timeline extends to 6-12 weeks depending on complexity. The longest delays typically come from waiting on trading partner test response times not the technical build itself.

To generate an EDI 856 you need: the purchase order number(s) being fulfilled, item details (UPC/GTIN, SKUs, quantities), packaging structure (how items are packed into cartons, how cartons are stacked on pallets), SSCC-18 numbers for each carton and pallet, ship date and estimated delivery date, carrier name and SCAC code, tracking number or BOL number, and ship-from and ship-to addresses. Most of this data comes from your warehouse management system at the point of packing and shipping.

The HL (Hierarchical Level) segment is what makes the EDI 856 unique among EDI documents. It defines the physical packing structure of a shipment in a nested hierarchy.

 The standard hierarchy goes: Shipment (S) → Order (O) → Pack/Pallet (P) → Item (I). Each HL level references its parent, which tells the receiving system how items are physically organized like which items are in which carton, which cartons are on which pallet. Getting the HL structure wrong is one of the most common technical rejection causes.

SSCC-18 (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit globally unique identifier assigned to a logistics unit — a carton, pallet, or any shipping container. It is encoded in a GS1-128 barcode label applied to the outside of each carton and pallet. In the EDI 856, the SSCC-18 appears in the MAN segment and links the physical label to the electronic ASN data. When the buyer’s warehouse scans the barcode on arrival, their system automatically matches it to the ASN and confirms contents without opening the carton. If the SSCC-18 in the ASN does not match the label on the box, receiving breaks down.

The EDI 856 is sent by a supplier directly to a buyer when the supplier controls the shipment. The EDI 945 (Warehouse Shipping Advice) is sent by a third-party logistics provider (3PL) or warehouse to the supplier/depositor to confirm that a shipment has gone out on their behalf. In a 3PL scenario, the sequence is: buyer sends EDI 940 (Warehouse Shipping Order) to the 3PL, the 3PL ships the goods and sends an EDI 945 back to the supplier, and the supplier then generates and sends the EDI 856 to the buyer based on the 945 data.

Yes. A single EDI 856 can reference multiple purchase orders in the same shipment. Each purchase order gets its own HL Order level loop (HL*O) within the ASN hierarchy. This is common when a supplier consolidates multiple smaller orders onto one truck for a single delivery. However, each trading partner’s implementation guide may have specific rules about multi-PO ASNs, some retailers prefer one ASN per PO.

Most retailers in the US use ANSI X12 version 004010 for EDI 856. Some larger retailers have moved to 005010. Amazon uses 004010. Always confirm the required version with your trading partner’s implementation guide before building your map using the wrong version will cause transmission failures. For European trading partners, the EDIFACT equivalent of the EDI 856 is the DESADV (Dispatch Advice Message).