EDI 856 Advance Shipping Notice (ASN)

What is the EDI 856 Advance Shipping Notice (ASN) transaction set?

The X12 EDI 856 Advance Shipping Notice (ASN) provides detailed information suppliers send buyers about an order’s pending shipment and expected delivery. While an ASN message uses segments and elements defined by the ANSI X12 EDI 856 guideline, the specific order, content, and shipping details required in ASNs also differ by trading partner.

Associated with an EDI 850 Purchase Order, the EDI 856 or ASN delineates precisely what’s being shipped and how in advance of delivery. EDI 856 is generally required by purchasers of any size, making ASNs one of the most frequent EDI transactions.

EDI 856 is one of the most complicated transaction codes to implement. First, trading partners can customize requirements. Additionally, ASNs contain multiple levels of hierarchical information and source a massive volume of data.

Regulations may also apply to specific information required. For example, FDA regulation on traceability affects ASNs sent by perishable food shippers.

EDI 856 Data Elements

In addition to listing the contents of a shipment, the EDI 856 transaction includes order specifics, product descriptions, types of packaging used, carrier information and more. Components include:

• Purchase order number and details
• Item details and quantities
• Ship date and expected delivery date
• Shipment tracking information
• Item tracking where applicable
• Packaging type(s)
• Packaging configuration in transport equipment
• UCC128/GS1 Numbers

International shipments may have additional reporting requirements.

An EDI 997 Acknowledgement may be sent in response to receipt of an ASN.

Example of EDI 856 Transaction in PilotFish Data Mapper

EDI 856 is used in concert with EDI 850 Purchase Order, EDI 855 Purchase Order Acknowledgement, EDI 810 Invoice, and EDI 820 Remittance Advice. Electronic documents and automation allow shipping, purchase order, and invoice processes to be more efficiently audited and reconciled. Modern supply chain management relies on EDI Integration of these key transactions for planning, analysis, and improved financial performance.

For more on PilotFish’s EDI tools and resources, go to X12 EDI Data Mapping, X12 EDI Parsing, and X12 EDI Transaction Summary.

We invite you to take advantage of PilotFish’s eiConsole for X12 EDI by downloading our software’s full, FREE 90-day Trial Version. Users can try out our new EDI Transformation Module and Format Builder. With the eiConsole X12 EDI Quick Start Tutorial, users can complete an end-to-end interface in less than 20 minutes and get a real sense of the ease of use of PilotFish’s Interface Engine solutions.

Product Note: The eiConsole may be purchased with X12 artifacts, or X12 artifacts may be licensed directly from X12.

EDI 856 Frequently Asked Questions

For EDI 856 (ASN) transactions, can PilotFish’s tools handle both data conversion to EDI 856 (ASN) from CSV, XLS/Excel, or TXT and the reverse process, i.e., from EDI 856 to CSV or XLS/Excel?

After successful EDI 856 (ASN) validation, can I forward the original EDI 856 document without converting it back into XML?

Which EDI transactions are needed for FSMA 204 compliance?

What is the role of EDI 856 Advanced Shipping Notice (ASN) in the FSMA 204 Shipping CTE (Critical Tracking Event)?

Check out our FAQ pages for more.

X12, chartered by the American National Standards Institute for more than 35 years, develops and maintains EDI standards and XML schemas.