X12 transaction guide · Shipping and logistics
EDI 856 Advance Ship Notice
Official X12 name: Ship Notice/Manifest
The X12 document a supplier sends before delivery to describe exactly what is in a shipment, down to cartons and items.
- Sent by
- Supplier, manufacturer or 3PL
- Received by
- Buyer or receiving location
- Standard
- ANSI ASC X12
- EDIFACT equivalent
- DESADV
What is an EDI 856?
The EDI 856 Ship Notice/Manifest, commonly called the advance ship notice or ASN, is the ANSI X12 transaction set a supplier sends to describe a shipment before it arrives. It lists the carrier and shipment references, the orders included, how goods are packed into pallets and cartons, and the items and quantities in each package.
The 856 uses a hierarchical structure built from HL segments. A typical retail ASN follows a shipment, order, pack and item hierarchy, which lets the receiving location scan a carton label and know exactly what is inside. Because receiving, inventory and payment often depend on it, the 856 is one of the most compliance-sensitive EDI documents.
How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 856, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 004010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 856 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.
When it is used
- Notifying a retailer or distributor of an outbound shipment before it arrives
- Linking carton and pallet labels (SSCC numbers) to their contents
- Confirming drop-ship shipments with carrier and tracking details
- Sending automotive ship notices in response to shipping schedules
Where it fits in the document flow
Structure
Key segments in the 856
The segments most implementations use, described in plain language. The last column shows what X12 release 004010 itself requires: "Required" marks a segment the standard requires in every 856; "Optional, common" marks a segment the standard leaves optional, or that sits in an optional loop, but that implementations often use. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, makes some optional segments mandatory and restricts the values, and requirements can differ between releases. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.
| Segment | Name | What it carries | In X12 004010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSN | Beginning Segment for Ship Notice | Purpose code, shipment identification number, and the date and time the notice was created. | Required |
| HL | Hierarchical Level | Builds the shipment, order, pack and item hierarchy that structures the whole document. | Required |
| TD5 / TD1 | Carrier Details | Carrier SCAC, transportation method, and package counts and weights at the shipment level. | Optional, common |
| REF | Reference Identification | References such as bill of lading number or carrier PRO number. | Optional, common |
| PRF | Purchase Order Reference | The purchase order number for the order level of the hierarchy. | Optional, common |
| MAN | Marks and Numbers | Package identifiers, usually the SSCC printed on the GS1-128 carton or pallet label. | Optional, common |
| LIN / SN1 | Item Identification and Detail | Item identifiers such as UPC and the quantity shipped in the package. | Optional, common |
Example
Sample EDI 856
One shipment (HL S) for one purchase order (HL O) containing one carton (HL P) with its SSCC in the MAN segment, holding 24 units of one item (HL I). TD5 identifies the carrier and REF the bill of lading.
Illustrative data only, not tied to one X12 release or trading partner. The interchange (ISA/IEA) and functional group (GS/GE) envelopes are omitted for readability.
ST*856*0001~
BSN*00*SHP0001*20261020*1430~
HL*1**S~
TD5*B*2*ABCD*M~
REF*BM*BOL123456~
DTM*011*20261020~
N1*ST*Example DC*92*0042~
HL*2*1*O~
PRF*PO123456~
HL*3*2*P~
MAN*GM*00000123450000000017~
HL*4*3*I~
LIN**UP*012345678905~
SN1**24*EA~
CTT*4~
SE*16*0001~The sample is the same one shown above, with a note beside each segment the first time it appears. Segment IDs are highlighted at the start of each line; the fields after them are separated by asterisks, and each segment ends with a tilde.
Avoid problems
Common 856 errors and how to prevent them
ASN does not match the physical shipment
Quantities, items or carton contents that differ from what arrives cause receiving problems and often retailer chargebacks. Build the ASN from actual pick and pack data.
Label and ASN mismatch
The SSCC on each carton label must match the MAN segment in the 856. Generate labels and ASN data from the same source.
Late transmission
Many partners require the ASN before the shipment arrives or within a set time after it leaves. Trigger it automatically at shipment confirmation.
Wrong hierarchy
Partners specify pick-and-pack or standard-pack structures. Using the wrong hierarchy can get the whole document rejected.
Trading partners
Integration guides that include the 856
How ECOM helps
Automate the 856 with ECOM
Solution
EDI Integration
Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.
Product
PRISM-SCV
Order lifecycle visibility, response monitoring, routed alerts and business-identifier search across your B2B transactions.
Industry
Retail
Retail and eCommerce EDI for suppliers and retailers, from purchase order to payment, with compliance built in.
EDI 856 FAQs
What does ASN stand for in EDI?
ASN stands for advance ship notice. In X12 it is the 856 Ship Notice/Manifest, which describes a shipment before it arrives.
What is the HL hierarchy in an 856?
HL segments nest shipment, order, pack (tare or carton) and item levels so the receiver knows what each package contains. Partners define the exact structure they require.
When should an 856 be sent?
Usually when the shipment leaves, and before it arrives at the receiving location. Exact timing rules come from each trading partner.
What is the EDIFACT equivalent of the 856?
The UN/EDIFACT equivalent is the DESADV despatch advice message.
More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.
Related transactions
Related shipping and logistics documents
Need help with the EDI 856?
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