EDI Resource Center

X12 EDI 856

What is an EDI 856 Advance Ship Notice?

An EDI 856 Advance Ship Notice is an electronic notification of an awaiting delivery, comparable to a packing list. The main goal of the EDI 856 ASN is to provide information about tracking and packing.

How is EDI 856 Used?

The EDI 856 is used to describe, in detail, the contents & configuration of a shipment and gives both suppliers and their partners the flexibility to transfer information.

EDI 856 Benefits

Both the purchaser and the supplier will benefit from implementing electronic trading of the ASN. To maximize these benefits, the document should be sent simultaneously with the physical shipment. Some of the benefits include:

  • Detailed cross-referencing for purchase orders against shipments
  • Partners know when orders have been shipped & what was in the shipment
  • More accurate shipments
  • Increased speed of fulfillment & lower safety stock needs for the retailer

Key Data Elements You'll Find in an Advance Ship Notice:

  • PO number
  • Ship & delivery date
  • Ship from/supplier
  • Ship notice number
  • Location where the product will be sent to
  • Product identifiers: UPC/EAN/GTIN with their respective quantities

Additional Data Also Included in the Advance Ship Notice:

  • Vendor number
  • Tracking numbers & service levels
  • Freight terms
  • Product description
  • Item identifiers including buyer item number & vendor part number

CData Arc - Easy X12 EDI 856 Mapping & Translation

CData Arc is a modern, end-to-end EDI solution complete with EDI mapping & translation, secure file exchange with EDI partners, and automated EDI-backend integration. CData Arc can translate any EDI document into XML, Excel, CSV and any other major business format. With built-in EDI document transformation flows, you can easily & automatically transform EDI documents at the click of a button.


Download Free Trial