What Is an Advanced Shipping Notice (ASN)? Meaning, Example & How It Works

An advanced shipping notice (ASN) is an electronic message a supplier or third-party logistics (3PL) provider sends to a buyer before a shipment arrives.

It tells you what's in the delivery, how it's packed and when it'll show up, so you can prep the dock and receive fast. In electronic data interchange (EDI), it's the X12 856 Ship Notice/Manifest.

Key Takeaways

• An advanced shipping notice (also called an advanced shipping notification) is a digital heads-up about what's coming, sent before the truck arrives.
• The supplier or its 3PL sends it, usually through EDI as an X12 856 or an EDIFACT DESADV message.
• It covers order details, carrier info, packaging, pallet IDs (SSCCs) and SKU-level quantities.
• It typically goes out after the shipment is packed and before it arrives, on a timeline each trading partner sets. The invoice usually follows.
• Accurate ASNs speed up receiving, cut errors and help you meet big-box retailer requirements.

What's Included in an Advanced Shipping Notice?

What goes into an ASN depends on your trading partner's requirements, but most include:

• Order information: purchase order (PO) number, supplier details.
• Delivery date and time: estimated arrival date, time, and expected transit duration.
• Packaging and pallet IDs: number of pallets, cases or units, plus the serial shipping container code (SSCC) on each label.
• Product details: SKUs, item descriptions, and batch/lot numbers.
• Location information: ship-from and ship-to addresses.
• Physical details: weight, dimensions, and packaging type.
• Freight information: carrier name, tracking number, and shipment method.

Each pallet or carton gets its own SSCC, an 18-digit GS1 number printed as a barcode. That's what many teams call the ASN label. Scan it at the dock, and you pull up everything the ASN says is inside.

Timing matters. An ASN typically goes out after the shipment is packed and before it arrives, but each trading partner sets its own window. In the standard X12 supply chain flow, the invoice follows afterward.

Advanced Shipping Notice Example

Here's what a simple ASN sample looks like for one pallet heading to a retailer's distribution center. The details are made up, but the layout follows a typical shipment, order, pallet and item structure.

Your trading partner's spec, often called an implementation guide, lists exactly which fields they require. Check it before you send your first ASN.

How Does an Advanced Shipping Notice Work?

An ASN typically goes out after the shipment is packed and before it arrives, on a timeline your trading partner sets. This notification allows the receiving party to prepare for the delivery and cross-check shipment details before arrival.

Here's how an ASN in the supply chain works, step by step:

1. The buyer sends a purchase order (PO), often as an EDI 850.
2. The supplier picks, packs and labels the order, giving each pallet or carton its own SSCC barcode.
3. The supplier sends the ASN through EDI or an API after the shipment is packed, within the buyer's timing window.
4. The buyer's warehouse management system (WMS) or inventory system logs the ASN and updates expected deliveries.
5. At the dock, the buyer scans each barcode or RFID (radio-frequency identification) tag, matches it to the ASN and flags any gaps.

Who sends it? Usually the supplier or its 3PL. Big-box retailers often build ASNs into their EDI and shipping requirements, and missing them can lead to chargeback fines.

According to SPS Commerce, Amazon requires an ASN for every vendor shipment, and missing, late or inaccurate ASNs often lead to chargebacks.

What Happens When the ASN Arrives?

To make receiving easier, the supplier labels every box, crate and case with a barcode or RFID tag and adds that data to the ASN. When the shipment lands, the buyer scans each serial shipping container code (SSCC), the GS1 identifier for logistic units, and checks it against the ASN. Any errors go straight back to the supplier to fix.

Next, the buyer pulls up the matching purchase order to make sure the shipment hasn't already been received. One PO can arrive across several pallets, each with its own SSCC. According to X12, an accurate 856 gives receiving a shortcut to match incoming product to open orders using case and pallet markings.

ASN Formats: EDI 856, DESADV and Beyond

An ASN is a type of message, and its format depends on who you're trading with. Your EDI setup needs to speak the same language as your partner.

X12 856 Ship Notice/Manifest (US)

In the US, ASNs typically use the X12 856. X12 says it lists the contents of a shipment, including order details, product descriptions, packaging, markings, carrier info and how the goods are configured.

EDIFACT DESADV (International)

Outside the US, many trading partners use UN/EDIFACT, the United Nations EDI standard. Its version of the ASN is the DESADV (despatch advice) message. Same job, different structure.

How ASNs Get Sent

However it's formatted, the ASN still has to reach your partner. The usual routes are:

• EDI through a value-added network (VAN), a third-party service that routes EDI messages between trading partners.
• AS2, a protocol for sending EDI securely over the internet.
• API connections, which can pass ASN data directly between systems.
• Supplier web portals, where you key in or upload ASN details yourself.

Not sure which route a retailer wants? Their implementation guide will tell you.

What Are the Benefits of an Advanced Shipping Notice?

ASNs improve supply chain efficiency by reducing errors, streamlining warehouse operations, and enhancing inventory accuracy.

1. Faster & More Accurate Receiving

• Warehouse teams know what’s arriving in advance, enabling pre-sorting.
• Reduces unloading time and supports efficient cross-docking.

2. Reduced Shipping & Receiving Errors

• ASN barcode scanning cuts down on manual data entry errors. According to GS1 UK, scanned SSCCs can be matched to the information sent in advance.
• Reduces order mismatches, helping keep shipments accurate.

3. Improved Inventory Visibility

• ASNs integrate with inventory management software for real-time stock tracking.
• Helps businesses optimize stock levels, reducing overstocking and stockouts.

4. Better Compliance & Supplier Accountability

• ASNs help reduce human errors and mix-ups between similar product SKUs.
• Helps vendors meet shipment accuracy requirements, reducing costly mistakes.

If what arrives doesn't match what you ordered, the ASN helps you spot it fast. That record also makes it easier to file a shipping insurance claim when something goes missing in transit.

ASNs also keep dispatch and delivery on schedule. When your receiving team knows what's coming, they can line up outbound transport ahead of time. That's the heart of cross-docking: moving goods from inbound trucks to outbound ones with little or no storage in between.

Fewer surprises at the dock also mean smoother order fulfillment for your customers.

ASN Best Practices

To get the most from your ASNs, follow these best practices:

Use EDI or API for Smoother ASN Integration

• Aim for real-time data exchange between suppliers, buyers, and logistics teams.
• Automate ASN processing for faster transactions with fewer errors.

Train Warehouse Teams on ASN Workflows

• Educate staff on scanning barcodes, RFID matching, and discrepancy reporting.
• Reduce receiving errors by ensuring teams understand ASN verification processes.

Establish ASN Compliance Standards with Suppliers

• Agree on when suppliers send ASNs (typically after packing and before arrival) and spell it out in your requirements. Per SPS Commerce, Amazon wants vendor ASNs within 24 hours of carrier handoff or at least four hours before arrival, whichever comes first.
• Standardize ASN formatting for consistency across vendors.

ASN vs. Purchase Order, Packing List and Bill of Lading

Unlike standard shipping documents that accompany a delivery, ASNs are proactive notifications sent before a shipment arrives. A purchase order (PO) starts the deal, and the ASN confirms what's actually shipping against it. The table below highlights key differences:

Common ASN Challenges (and How to Avoid Them)

Upfront Setup Costs

ASNs run on good data capture. According to X12, barcode or RFID capture of case and pallet markings lets receiving match arriving freight to the ship notice. That means scanning tools, an EDI connection and buy-in across your supply chain, which can feel like a big lift for a smaller business.

The fix: start with barcodes and an EDI integration. Add RFID later if your trading partners ask for it.

Data Mismatches Between the ASN and the Shipment

The usual suspects are wrong quantities, missing or duplicate SSCCs and PO numbers that don't match the order. Each one means delays, lost productivity and a corrected ASN you have to resend.

The fix: build ASNs straight from your pick, pack and label data so nobody retypes numbers. Then check them against the PO before you hit send.

Retailer Chargebacks

Big-box retailers take compliance seriously. Missing their EDI and shipping requirements can lead to chargeback fines that eat into your margin. According to a Walmart compliance guide from 3PL Distribution Alternatives, mismatches between a shipment and its ASN generate chargebacks.

The fix: get each retailer's ASN spec, test with them before go-live and track late or rejected ASNs so you can fix the root cause.

Staff Training

Your team needs to know how to label, scan and handle exceptions. ASNs only pay off once everyone's comfortable with the workflow.

The fix: train on real shipments and keep a one-page exception checklist at the dock. Update it whenever a partner changes their spec.

How to Automate ASNs With Inventory Management Software

Building ASNs by hand works for a handful of shipments. Past that, it's a recipe for typos, late notices and chargebacks. An inventory management system (IMS) pulls ASN data from the orders, picks and packs you've already recorded.

Here's how we help you take the busywork out of ASNs:

• Cin7 Omni has built-in EDI connections with major retailers, managed in-platform. Cin7 Core connects to EDI through partner integrations.
• Purchasing tools let you raise POs and receive stock against them, so every incoming ASN has an order to match.
• Warehouse management with barcode scanning keeps pick, pack and ship data accurate from the start.
• 3PL Connect links your third-party logistics partners to Cin7, so fulfillment data flows back without spreadsheets.

Take olive oil brand Graza. It launched in January 2022 as an e-commerce business. Within its first few years, it was on shelves at Target, Walmart, Costco and grocery stores nationwide.

Graza set up Cin7 before selling its first bottle and has grown from two SKUs to 14. It uses SPS Commerce as its EDI provider, and its Shopify and EDI sales orders flow straight into Cin7 without manual effort or errors.

That's the kind of clean, connected order data accurate ASNs depend on. Planning your own big-box push? See how Cin7 handles POs, invoices and ASNs for retail expansion.

Frequently Asked Questions About Advanced Shipping Notices

What's the Difference Between an ASN and a Shipping Label?

A shipping label travels with the package and tells the carrier where it's headed. An ASN is sent ahead electronically, so the receiver knows what's coming and, in most systems, can update expected stock before the truck pulls in. When pallets carry SSCC labels, scanning them ties each pallet back to its ASN.

What's the Difference Between an ASN and an Arrival Notice?

According to DP World, an arrival notice comes from the carrier, shipping line or their appointed agent. It tells the consignee (the party receiving the goods) that cargo is scheduled to arrive or has arrived at the port or terminal. An ASN usually comes from the shipper before the goods arrive and spells out what's inside. Think of the ASN as “here's what's coming” and the arrival notice as “it's here, come get it.”

What Is an ASN in SAP?

According to SAP's S/4HANA EWM training material, an incoming ASN generates an inbound delivery based on the purchase order. Receiving can then post the goods receipt against it instead of keying everything in from scratch. Other ERP or purchasing systems may work similarly, but setup varies, so check with your admin first.

Do I Need to Send an ASN to My 3PL?

It's a smart move! Receiving warehouses, including third-party logistics (3PL) providers, use ASNs to plan dock appointments and staffing. Check your 3PL's receiving requirements for the format they accept. If you use Cin7, 3PL Connect links your 3PL to your inventory, so fulfillment data flows back without spreadsheets.

Make Every Advanced Shipping Notice Count

An advanced shipping notice is a small message with a big job. It tells your buyer what's coming, speeds up receiving and keeps you on the right side of retailer requirements.

Get the data right at the source, use the format your partners expect and automate the rest. Your receiving dock (and your margins) will thank you!

Ready to see it in action? Request a demo and find out how Cin7 connects your orders, warehouse and EDI in one IMS.