What Is an ANSI X12 EDI 856 Message?

ANSI X12 EDI 856 messages inform customers about deliveries shipped by a supplier. When the customer accepts the ASN, the shipment information can be booked automatically into the customer’s ERP system. The ASN data can then support production planning, inventory planning and goods-receipt matching when the physical shipment arrives.

An ASN message uses segments and elements defined by the ANSI X12 EDI 856 guideline. A typical EDI 856 ASN includes:

• Information about shipped parts, such as material number and material description
• Quantities shipped
• Shipment date and arrival date
• Ship-to address, including plant, dock or gate address details
• Terms of delivery, which may be based on INCOTERMS
• Carrier data, such as carrier name and means of transport
• Packaging information, such as package number, package type and serial number

The EDI 856 structure is made up of ANSI X12 segments that describe the shipment, order, packaging and item hierarchy. The example below shows shipment-level, order-level, package-level and item-level details in a single ASN message.

The supplier typically generates the ANSI X12 EDI 856 message when a shipment is completed for the customer. The customer’s receiving system validates the ASN against ANSI X12 EDI 856 specifications and sends back an ANSI X12 EDI 997 functional acknowledgement to confirm receipt. After receipt, the ASN is forwarded to the ERP system, where it appears as a planned shipment.

Problems with ASN exchange are often based on incorrect shipment data. Common issues include:

• The ASN quantity does not match the quantity actually shipped.
• Packaging numbers are wrong or missing.
• The packaging structure does not match the physical shipment, such as which boxes belong to which pallet.

These errors can create additional manual work for customers and may affect supplier ratings or lead to penalties where customers require correct EDI 856 ASN formatting.

Exchanging shipment information through ANSI X12 EDI 856 can reduce manual data entry, help prevent errors and reduce paper-based exchange. For suppliers, automatic generation of shipment information can save time and support customer acceptance and supplier ratings. For customers, ASN information can reduce manual work, improve planning, and accelerate goods receipt by making shipment data available before the physical goods arrive.

ASN information is especially important for planning-dependent environments such as just-in-time and just-in-sequence assembly, where teams need advance visibility into whether supplies will arrive on time.

SEEBURGER supports EDI 856 automation through EDI solutions that can send, receive and process EDI messages. Organizations can evaluate operating models that include on-premises operation, EDI Cloud Service in the SEEBURGER Cloud, public cloud environments and managed-service options.