EDI Document

856 Advance Ship Notice.
What's in every box, before it lands.

When you ship an order in Fulfil, the system sends an 856 to the retailer with tracking, carton contents, and SSCC labels. Receiving teams know what's coming.

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What's included in an 856.

The 856 ASN provides complete shipment details for efficient receiving.

Shipment Information

  • ✓ Tracking numbers and carrier details
  • ✓ Ship date and expected delivery
  • ✓ SSCC labels for pallet/carton tracking
  • ✓ Weights and dimensions per box

Packing Details

  • ✓ Carton contents (which items in each box)
  • ✓ Quantities shipped per item
  • ✓ Box-level packing hierarchy
  • ✓ PO number and line item references

How 856 works in Fulfil.

Fulfil automatically generates and sends 856 ASNs when orders ship.

1

You mark the shipment Done

When the customer shipment is marked Done in Fulfil, the 856 is generated alongside the 810 invoice. The system captures all shipping details: tracking numbers, carrier, box contents, and weights.

2

Fulfil generates 856

The 856 ASN is automatically created with detailed packing information including which items are in which cartons, SSCC labels, and complete shipment data.

3

ASN sent to retailer

The 856 automatically goes to the retailer via EDI, giving their receiving team everything they need before the shipment arrives.

✓

Faster receiving

The retailer's warehouse knows exactly what's coming, which boxes contain what items, and can pre-plan receiving. Shipments get processed faster.

Why 856 matters for your business.

Helps retailers receive shipments faster

The 856 tells the retailer's warehouse exactly what's in each box before it arrives. This means receiving teams can prepare, process shipments faster, and get your products on shelves or online sooner, reducing time to sale.

Required by most major retailers

Target, Walmart, and other major retailers require 856 ASNs. Without them, your shipments may be rejected at the dock or you may face chargeback fees. Fulfil ensures you meet these requirements automatically.

Reduces receiving delays

Without an ASN, retailers must manually process each box at receiving: opening them, counting contents, matching to POs. The 856 eliminates this work, so your shipments get processed faster and with fewer errors.

Prevents chargebacks

Late or missing ASNs result in chargeback fees from retailers. Fulfil sends the 856 automatically when you ship, ensuring you meet compliance deadlines and avoid costly penalties.

Related EDI documents.

The 856 ASN works with other EDI documents in the order lifecycle.

850

Purchase Order

The original order you're shipping
855

PO Acknowledgement

Confirmation sent before shipping
810

Invoice

Invoice sent after shipping

FAQ

Questions? Answers.

What information does an 856 ASN include?
The 856 carries the full packaging hierarchy for a shipment: shipment identification (BOL number, load number, and SSCC codes), the carrier and SCAC, and a shipment-to-order-to-pack-to-item structure. Each line lists the product identifier, quantity shipped, and the SSCC for its pack, along with ship-from and ship-to addresses and total weight and package count. It's the most detailed EDI document Fulfil generates, so the receiving team knows exactly what's in each carton before it arrives.
When does Fulfil send the 856?
Fulfil generates the 856 automatically when the customer shipment is marked Done, alongside the 810 invoice. The shipment has to have a carrier with a valid SCAC before it can be marked Done, since the 856 needs that SCAC. The EDI scheduler then transmits the 856, and its status shows as Accepted once the trading partner returns a 997. The 856 is outbound only, so Fulfil generates and sends it but does not receive one.
What are SSCC labels and how does Fulfil generate them?
An SSCC is an 18-digit GS1 Serial Shipping Container Code that uniquely identifies each carton or pallet. When you run your own warehouse on Fulfil WMS, SSCC labels are generated during packing, one per package plus an optional label for the whole shipment, and you need your GS1 Company Prefix set up first. The SSCC transmitted in the 856 must match the SSCC printed on the physical label the partner scans at the dock, so print labels from Fulfil rather than a separate system. If a 3PL packs for you but can't produce compliant labels, Fulfil can supply them by API or email.
Which retailers require an 856?
Walmart, Target, and Amazon Vendor Central all require the 856, though their requirements vary in hierarchy type, SCAC rules, SSCC sequencing, and pack-level weight reporting. Always confirm each partner's EDI guidelines and complete partner testing before going live. Grocery and European partners use the EDIFACT DESADV in place of the X12 856.
Why might an 856 be rejected?
The most common cause is a missing or invalid SCAC on the shipment's carrier. Other frequent rejections include an SSCC mismatch between the physical label and the transmitted value, a package count that doesn't match the packaging hierarchy, an item that wasn't on the original PO, or a shipped quantity that exceeds the PO line. A rejected 856 can't be edited, so you correct the shipment and resend. Late or missing ASNs can also be turned away at the dock, and some partners apply chargeback fees.
Which EDI documents work alongside the 856?
The 856 sits in the order lifecycle with the 850 Purchase Order you're shipping against, the 855 PO Acknowledgement sent before shipping, and the 810 Invoice, which is generated alongside the 856 and held until it's accepted. The 997 confirms the partner received it. When a 3PL ships on your behalf, it sends a 945 to Fulfil, which then generates the 856 to the retailer.

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chargeback risk?

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