The X12 transaction set for a ship notice or manifest — the North American standard format for an advance shipping notice. It lists a shipment's contents, packaging, marking and carrier.

When should an ASN be sent?

Before the goods arrive — GS1 says always before physical delivery. Retailers set tighter rules: Foot Locker wants it within 1 hour of the shipment leaving and received while it is still in transit.

What happens if an ASN is missing?

The retailer charges back. Foot Locker's 2026 US schedule charges $7.50 a carton, with a $500 minimum, for a missing, incorrect or late ASN.

Term

Advance shipping notice (ASN)

An advance shipping notice (ASN) is an electronic message a supplier sends before a delivery arrives, listing what is in it: the order, the items and quantities, how they are packed and labelled, and the carrier. In North America it is usually the EDI 856; GS1's equivalent is the despatch advice, which should always be sent before goods are delivered.

Also called ASN, advance ship notice, EDI 856, despatch advice, DESADV, ship noticeUpdated 13 October 2026

What it carries

The X12 856 lists the contents of a shipment with order information, product descriptions, physical characteristics, type of packaging, marking, carrier information and how the goods are configured inside the transport equipment. GS1's despatch advice specifies details for goods despatched or ready for despatch under agreed conditions, and each pallet or case is identified by its SSCC — the serial shipping container code. Because the receiver knows in advance what is coming, discrepancies are identified the moment the goods are scanned.

When retailers want it

Buyer	Rule	If it goes wrong
Foot Locker, US and Canada, 2026	EDI 856 within 1 hour of the shipment leaving; received while still in transit	$7.50 a carton, $500 minimum, for a missing, incorrect or late ASN
Foot Locker Europe, 2022	EDI 856 preferred	€150 per PO for a shipment not announced

Worked example: a late ASN

40 cartons × $7.50 = $300 → below the $500 minimum → $500 charged · 120 cartons × $7.50 = $900

Foot Locker's US and Canada chargeback schedule, July 2026. Its September 2024 schedule charged $6.25 a carton or $250, whichever was greater. The 2026 schedule also bills detention caused by an ASN problem at $250 an hour, up to $7,500 or 5% of cost, whichever is less.

The mistake people make

Sending the ASN from the order instead of from the truck. An ASN built before picking repeats what was ordered, not what was loaded, so every short pick becomes an incorrect ASN and a receiving discrepancy. Generate it from the packed pallets' SSCC labels once the trailer is closed.

FAQ