Advance Ship Notice (ASN) FAQs

Updated 1 week ago ​by Merch Transformation Change Management

Below are answers to frequently asked questions about Advance Ship Notice (ASN).

General

1. What does ASN stand for?

ASN stands for Advanced Shipment Notification.

An Advance Ship Notice (ASN), or EDI 856, is one of many EDI documents that suppliers and retailers use to conduct business faster and with more precision. These documents bring visibility to the actual contents of a trailer prior to delivery. ASNs became a requirement as part of the Supplier Quality Excellence Program (SQEP).

2. Which orders require ASNs?

All domestic purchase orders (POs) sent to a Walmart US supply chain facility require ASNs.

3. Are there any pre-requirements for ASN?

Yes, suppliers must have a valid Retail Link Login/ID.

Contact the Retail Link EDI Hotline at (479)273-8888 for help with setup.

4. What are Walmart's ASN expectations?

Timeliness

  • A validated ASN must be accepted by Walmart's receiving DC/FC before the gate-in time of the shipment/trailer at a Walmart facility.

Completeness

  • The ASN should be sent complete and accurate on a single time.
  • The ASN must include all information outlined in the Walmart mapping guides found in the EDI-B2B application under the Guides tab.
  • Monitor EDI 997 (EDI Acknowledgment) and EDI 824 (EDI Error Message) to ensure the ASN was accepted by Walmart's validation systems.

Accuracy

  • PO line coverage - All items/lines submitted on the PO are returned on the ASN.
  • Item accuracy - Item is included in ASN but not found on physical shipment and vice versa.
  • Quantity accuracy - Quantity submitted in the ASN needs to match the quantity in the physical shipment received at the DC/FC.

5. What does the ASN dashboard comprise of?

The ASN dashboard, available at Retail Link > Apps > Advanced Shipment Notice Dashboard Application, includes:

  • 824 error overview
  • ASN data vs. PO data
  • Compliance metrics for PO line coverage

6. If we need to update the purchase order, do we update the ASN as well?

Yes, suppliers must update the ASN if you update the PO.

7. What happens if there are discrepancies between the purchase order, invoice, and ASN?

This causes a receiving and payment opportunity.

8. Do we get charged if we do not send an ASN?

Yes, refer to the SQEP defect ASN compliance.

Learning Resources

1. Where can we learn the latest about ASNs / find the ASN reference source?

Refer to the Advance Ship Notice (ASN) course on Supplier Academy. Suppliers are encouraged to visit this site often to stay caught up with all the ASN news, including ASN onboarding, resources and much more.

2. Where are the ASN mapping guides located?

Find the guides in the EDI-B2B application under the Guides tab.

ASN Setup and Sending

1. How do we get set up to send ASNs?

Refer to the ASN setup guide and the entire Advance Ship Notice (ASN) course on Supplier Academy.

For AS2, WebEDI will automatically set up the ASN.

2. When do we send the ASN?

Suppliers should transmit the ASN before your order hits its destination.

3. How do we send ASNs via WebEDI?

Go to the EDI-B2B application and click WebEDI for guidance.

  • You can also navigate to Retail Link > Apps > EDI B2B. On the WEB EDI tile, click on More Info.
Contact the EDI Help Desk for WebEDI setup at (479) 273-8888.

4. How do we send ASNs for split shipments?

The ASN should only contain what was physically shipped on the trailer.

  • If all the POs are written to the same DC/FC and are shipped on the same truck, you only need to do 1 ASN for the shipment with all the POs in it.
  • If shipping the same PO in more than one trailer, each shipment should contain a unique ASN document ID.

5. How do we get an ASN document moved to production?

Contact the Retail Link Help Desk at 479-273-8888 or open a case through Supplier Help.

6. How do we add ASN Documents to an existing AS2 mailbox?

  • Go to your AS2 mailbox > Document Testing > Available Transactions > Request the 824 and 856.
  • Go to Document Testing > Portal Dashboard.
  • Click on the start button on each document and enter the qualifier ID, interchange and supplier group id.
  • Save your changes.
  • At the bottom, you will see TEST EDI.
  • Test your documents and, once successful, contact EDI support at 479-273-8888 or open a ticket by going to Supplier Help and request the documents be moved to production for the 856 and 824.

7. Do we send line items information on the ASN if the line has been cancelled?

No. If the line has already been cancelled, you do not need to send the information in the ASN. If the line has not been cancelled on the PO, then you will want to send with a 0 quantity.

Viewing and Disputing POs with ASN Issues

1. Where can we view POs with ASN issues?

Go to the ASN or SQEP dashboard in Retail Link:

  • ASN Supplier Performance or at Retail Link > Apps > Advanced Shipment Notice Dashboard Application
  • SQEP or at Retail Link > Apps > SQEP Dashboard

2. Where do we dispute ASN charges?

ASN charges are disputed in High Radius.

Learn more about the Supplier Quality Excellence Program (SQEP) and High Radius on Supplier Academy.

Contact HiRadCS@walmart.com for High Radius setup instructions.

Common Terminology

1. What is a functional acknowledgement document?

A 997 functional acknowledgment is a document that lets you know if your document/ASN passes/is accepted or fails/is rejected based on EDI document structure rules.

2. What is an 850?

The 850 is the purchase order.

3. What is an ASN Shipping ID number?

The ASN Shipping ID number is a unique number that references the ASN.

4. What is an ASN document reference number?

The BSN02 number is the number at the second element position in the BSN segment. It is also referred to as a document reference number or ASN number.

5. What is an SSCC-18 number?

It is a number that is comprised of the 00 application identifier, extension digit, company prefix, serial number, and check digit. It is found in the MAN segment of the ASN.

6. What is the difference between a warning 824 and an error 824?

  • A warning 824 will still process but will need to be corrected for the future.
  • An error 824 will not process and will need to be fixed and re-transmitted.

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