Walmart’s Secondary Packaging Guide outlines the ASN requirements for suppliers. In that document, there are a variety of regulations and recommendations surrounding ASN policies for suppliers and Walmart.
ASN Requirements for Walmart Suppliers
Walmart wants suppliers to use ASNs because of the mutual benefit for them and suppliers. For Walmart, ASN use helps with:
Traceability for recalled products
Inventory management
Lower manual processing labor
Smoother receiving processes
Improved labor planning for receiving
For suppliers, the benefits could be:
Less paperwork
Along with the Auto-PO Update Program, less manual PO changes
Improved OTIF performance
Faster invoicing payment and accuracy
To get started with ASNs for Walmart, suppliers should:
Sync the supplier number with an active Retail Link ID/login
Sync supplier Walmart item files by validating GTINs
Complete mapping of data elements from supplier systems and the Walmart ASN specifications document
From there, suppliers have to begin the ASN/EDI onboarding process by testing in the Vendor Self-Test Portal. After testing has been done, suppliers should reach out to the EDI/ASN onboarding team to move into production. From there, suppliers should send an ASN for an active PO to see if an EDI 997 (Functional Acknowledgement) and EDI 824 (Application Advice) follow accordingly.
When getting started, you are likely to receive 824 errors communicating a request for changes. This is a normal part of doing business with Walmart and not usually a reflection of something having gone wrong in setup.
Walmart allows for suppliers to do any of the following for their ASNs:
AS2 connections
Walmart’s WebEDI Platform
Outside or Internal EDI Provider
DSD ASN Shipping Label Requirements
Beyond the EDI 856 requirements, suppliers shipping directly to stores (DSD) have special ASN shipping labels that must be Walmart compliant as well. These shipping labels should accurately reflect the information on delivery paperwork, EDI 856, and the PO.
These ASN shipping labels are GS1-128 barcodes containing an embedded Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC-18) identifiers.
Walmart breaks down their ASN shipping label compliance into requirements and optional extra data. It’s important to see the optional data as information that may be required under certain circumstances. As always, the more detailed the information on the packing label can be, the less likely there will be fines or miscommunications that result.
Shipping Label Barcode Requirements for ASNs
5-digit Store Number
Last 3 digits of the Invoice Number
GS1-128 with embedded SSCC-18
Shipping Label Barcode Optional Additional Information
Addresses for Ship From and Ship To
Postal barcode
Carrier name
PO Type
BOL Number
Pro Number
Department Number
When shipping a pallet DSD, the ASN shipping label should be in the upper right-hand corner of the shipment. If there are multiple SSCC-18s per pallet, then each should be in the top right-hand corner of each relevant layer.
ASNs and the Supplier Quality Excellence Program
The Supplier Quality Excellence Program (SQEP) was developed in 2020 as a more advanced and detailed way to measure supplier compliance. This program was defined by Walmart’s “four rights”:
Right Item
Right Condition
Right Invoice
Right Time
SQEP applies to all Walmart U.S. distribution networks. This includes eCommerce and Fulfillment Centers, as well as regular Distribution Centers.
There are 4 Phases of SQEP, with only the first 3 in effect as of now.
PO Accuracy
Barcodes and Labelling
Pallet, Load, Packaging Quality, and Prep (eComm)
Scheduling and Transportation
Traditional ASNs (i.e., EDI 856) fall under Phase 1: PO Accuracy. Walmart interprets “PO Accuracy” as the supplier’s ability to fulfill POs in a compliant way. So, ASNs, which ideally are sent and received in tandem with the shipment itself, are a higher level of ordering than things like packaging materials.
The most relevant Phase 1: PO Accuracy defects related to ASNs are:
No ASN Label: DSDC Only – No ASN (SSCC) label on case
ASN Not Downloaded: DSDC and Pharmacy (D38) Only – ASN failed to download
No ASN Received: ASN was not sent by supplier
ASN Error: ASN data failed Walmart’s business validations
Late ASN: ASN sent after arrival of PO at the receiving DC
In the past, “No ASN Received,” “ASN Error,” and “Late ASN” all fell under the “ASN Not Downloaded” defect category. This caused confusion for some suppliers who were, for example, sending ASNs after their shipments arrived at Walmart DCs. These suppliers would get an “ASN Not Downloaded” defect rather than a “Late ASN” defect, sometimes assuming that there was a digital/EDI problem with their ASNs, rather than a timing issue.
Under this new categorization, suppliers should have a better idea of what the precise issue with their ASNs are. For more on the “ASN Error” sub defects called “exception distributions” see the chapter “ASN Validation at Walmart.”
ASN Related SQEP Fines
For Phase 1 SQEP fines, are calculated by a flat fee per PO. All of the ASN related defects are a flat fee of $25/PO.
Getting timing right for sending ASNs can be tricky, depending on how elaborate your shipping network to Walmart is. Generally, we recommend that suppliers send the ASN when the shipment leaves their warehouse. This reduces the possibility of ASNs arriving too early or too late. The greatest risk is to send an ASN too late.
Disputing ASN Related SQEP Fines
As is the case with all other SQEP, OTIF fines, and AR chargebacks at Walmart, disputes should happen in High Radius. Once the fine has been located in High Radius, these can be disputed through the regular procedures, bearing in mind that proof documentation will vary depending on the kind of fine.
Some common proof documentation for ASN-related SQEP fines are:
EDI 850: Purchase Order
EDI 810: Invoice
EDI 824: Application Advice
EDI 997: Functional Acknowledgement
Relevant GS1-128 and SSCC-18 Information
Additional ASN Resources for Walmart Suppliers
Walmart has three main avenues for ASN-related help for suppliers:
Supplier EDI Support Hotline: 479-273-8888
Ticket Creation in the Supplier Self-Service App in Retail Link
EDI B2B app in Retail Link
HiRadCS@walmart.com for disputing and High Radius questions
Most of Walmart’s ASN resources revolve around EDI, so it’s important to have a solid EDI integration/program at your organization.
