We understand the frustration of navigating Advance Shipping Notices (ASNs), especially if you're getting hit with charges that don't make sense.
That's why we're here to guide you through the clouds and shed some light on the challenges of ASNs.
The Basics
An Advance Shipping Notice, or EDI 856, is a document suppliers and retailers use to outline a shipment's shipping dates and physical attributes. This ensures that the receiving party is prepared for the delivery.
While ASNs are a crucial part of the shipping process, things can quickly become stormy when you're faced with compliance penalties. Let's take a look at what ASN defects Walmart fines its suppliers for.
🌤️Other names you might see for an ASN are Ship Notice, manifest, or DESADV.
ASN Defects
Previously, Walmart bucketed ASN defects into a defect type called ASN Not Downloaded. Walmart recently added two new defect types: Late ASN and No ASN Received.
According to our research, this is a result of splitting ASN Not Downloaded into two different categories. However, ASN Not Downloaded is not fully archived; it will still appear under PO Line Accuracy, but only for DSDC and D38 Rx Only.
Thankfully, Late ASN and No ASN Received are slightly more descriptive classifications, giving you more insight into the reason behind the defect.
🌤️Walmart has a new ASN dashboard view to provide more visibility for suppliers into the future state of ASN compliance. To view this new dashboard, go to Retail Link > Apps > Advanced Shipping Notice Dashboard > click on IDOCs on the left-hand navigation bar.
ASN Best Practices
Regardless of the types of defects you're facing, there are some best practices you can implement to improve your ASN outcomes:
- Be timely: Always send the ASN before the shipment arrives at the Walmart distribution center.
- Be precise: You can avoid most errors by being mindful of the syntax, structure, and required values. Check out this list of EDI 824 error codes.
- Be proactive: If you want to avoid future charges but don't know where to start, we recommend testing! You can complete EDI 856 (ASN) and EDI 824 testing through the Vendor Self-Test Portal to validate system communication with Walmart.
🌤️Check out these eBooks to take an even deeper dive into ASNs and other common compliance issues:
Walmart: Common SQEP Defects
Home Depot: Revenue Loss
Target: Common Compliance Fines
Amazon: Deductions Explained
Don't worry… there is a silver lining.
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