“The shipment will be there Friday” leaves a warehouse supervisor with a few questions. Which client does it belong to? Is it six pallets or sixty cartons? Are those cartons all the same product, or will someone need to open and sort them?
An advance shipping notice (ASN) answers those questions before the truck arrives. For a 3PL handling deliveries from several clients, that information helps the receiving team figure out what work is coming and spot missing details while the sender still has time to fix them.
What Is an Advance Shipping Notice?
An advance shipping notice is an electronic record describing a shipment before it reaches the receiving warehouse. It identifies the sender, destination, products, quantities, and packaging, along with shipping and arrival details. You may also see it called an advance shipment notice or advance ship notice. Think of it as the sender’s account of what is on the way. The warehouse still has to check what arrives. An ASN for 500 units means 500 are expected; it doesn’t mean the warehouse has counted them or released them for orders. GS1’s delivery management guidance separates the shipment notice from the receiving advice, which reports what was actually received.
An ASN Example: A Supplier Ships Part of an Order
Say a skincare brand orders 600 bottles from its supplier. Only 480 are ready, so the supplier ships those first in 48 cases of 10.
The ASN for that delivery should show 480 bottles and 48 cases. It should also identify the brand’s account, the warehouse receiving the goods, the product, and the purchase order. If the supplier copies 600 from the purchase order into the notice, the warehouse starts out expecting 120 bottles that aren’t on the truck.
The supplier can send the other 120 later under a separate shipment reference tied to the same purchase order. Each delivery then has its own expected quantity, and the client can follow what has shipped against the original order.
Here’s a simplified ASN for that first delivery. The names and references are illustrative.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| ASN number | ASN-1048 |
| Client | Example Skincare |
| Receiving warehouse | Main Distribution Center |
| Purchase order | PO-6001 |
| Product SKU | LOTION-250 |
| Quantity shipped | 480 bottles |
| Packaging | 48 cases, 10 bottles per case |
| Expected delivery | November 20, 2026 |
It tells them what was ordered. The ASN tells them which part of that order is coming in this delivery.
What Should You Put in an ASN?
Ask whether a receiving clerk could use the notice to find the correct shipment record and understand the load. A product description and a total quantity usually leave too much to guess, especially when clients use similar descriptions or receive products by the case.
Use the warehouse’s required format. The following fields are a useful starting point for discussing that format with a client or supplier.
| Field | Details to provide |
|---|---|
| Client and warehouse | The account that owns the inventory and the warehouse where it should arrive |
| Shipment reference | A unique ASN or shipment number, with the purchase order reference when there is one |
| Delivery information | Ship date, expected arrival, carrier, and tracking or bill of lading number when available |
| Products | SKU codes the warehouse recognizes, descriptions, and required barcode identifiers |
| Quantities | The quantity shipping for each SKU, its unit of measure, and units per case when shipping cases |
| Cartons and pallets | Package counts and the contents associated with their labels when the warehouse requires that breakdown |
| Product-specific details | Required lot numbers, serial numbers, expiration dates, and handling instructions |
Make the quantities unambiguous
In the bottle example, entering “48” without a unit of measure creates an avoidable question. Does that mean 48 bottles or 48 cases? Write the case count and pack size so both sides can work back to the same unit total.
Check the product codes, too. A supplier’s item number may differ from the client’s SKU. Whoever prepares the notice needs the identifier accepted by the warehouse, or an agreed mapping between the two. A product name alone can be hard to match when several sizes or colors are involved.
Show how mixed loads are packed
If a pallet contains several SKUs, include the carton or pallet breakdown required by the warehouse. A total of 800 units won’t explain which cartons contain which products. Labels and shipment data need to refer to the same containers.
For products that need warehouse lot tracking, include the lot details at the level the warehouse requires. A shipment containing two lots needs enough information to distinguish their quantities. Staff will check those details against the labels when the goods arrive.
Who Sends the ASN, and How Early?
The supplier or shipper usually provides the ASN information. For inventory going to a 3PL, the client may submit it through the warehouse portal, or a connected system may send it automatically. The person submitting the notice needs accurate details from whoever packed the shipment.
Settle this during 3PL client onboarding. Name the person or team submitting the ASN, the contact for questions, and the deadline for sending it. Include the supplier in that discussion if the client depends on it for packing details.
The notice needs to reach the warehouse early enough to be reviewed before arrival. Ask the receiving team what lead time it needs, particularly for large transfers or deliveries requiring extra handling. If a notice is entered while the shipment is still being prepared, check it again once the final load is known.
A dock appointment may need to be booked separately. Entering an expected arrival on an ASN doesn’t automatically reserve a time to unload.
What If the Shipment Changes?
Suppose the supplier submits a notice for 48 cases, then loads only 45. Someone needs to correct the shipment details and tell the warehouse which version to use. Otherwise, the clerk could be checking Friday’s truck against Thursday’s packing plan.
Use the warehouse’s update or replacement process, and make sure the earlier version won’t remain open as a second delivery. If changes can no longer be made in the system, contact the receiving team with the shipment reference and the correction before arrival.
There’s a separate issue when the warehouse counts fewer goods than the sender declared. That difference belongs in the receipt. Keep the shipment declaration available so the client can compare it with the actual count. The warehouse receiving process explains the checks and records involved at that stage.
If no ASN was sent, the sender or client needs to supply the missing details. The warehouse should follow its procedure for an unannounced delivery, including who can approve its next step.
Is an ASN the Same as a Packing List?
The documents can contain much of the same information, but they reach the warehouse at different points in the work. A packing list travels with the goods or is shared as shipment paperwork. The ASN gives the warehouse an electronic shipment record before arrival.
A packing list inside the first carton won’t help a supervisor plan tomorrow’s receiving workload. Sending the information ahead lets the team review it while the delivery is still on the way.
How Is an ASN Different From a Purchase Order?
A purchase order records what the buyer requests from the supplier. An ASN describes a specific shipment being sent against that order. If the supplier ships in stages, several ASNs can reference the same purchase order, each showing the products and quantities in its delivery.
Does an ASN Require EDI?
That depends on the receiving partner. A 3PL may accept notices through its client portal or another electronic submission method. A retailer may require a particular EDI format, labeling structure, and submission deadline.
For partners using ANSI X12, the advance ship notice uses transaction set 856. In EDIFACT, it is DESADV. SPS Commerce’s EDI reference lists both. Those formats need to be implemented against the partner’s requirements; an ASN entered in a portal doesn’t automatically satisfy a retailer’s EDI rules.
This guide focuses on inventory arriving at a 3PL. Sending outbound ASNs from the 3PL to retailers involves the requirements of those receiving retailers.
Managing Inbound Shipment Information in Fulfillor
Fulfillor’s 3PL client portal includes inbound shipment information and ASN updates, with access managed through client accounts and user permissions. Clients can check those records without relying on a separate email update for every delivery.
When reviewing your setup, walk through a shipment that changes after the notice is submitted. Check who can update it and what the warehouse and client can see afterward. You can schedule a call to discuss those steps with the Fulfillor team.
A useful advance shipping notice gives the warehouse enough detail to prepare for a specific load. Before sending it, check that the products, quantities, and packaging describe the goods actually leaving the supplier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one purchase order have several ASNs?
Yes. If the supplier ships the order in separate deliveries, each shipment can have its own ASN referencing the same purchase order. List the quantities included in each delivery.
Can an ASN be changed after it is sent?
Yes, if the receiving warehouse’s process allows it. Some systems accept edits; others require a replacement notice. Confirm which version staff should use and whether the earlier notice needs to be canceled.
Does submitting an ASN make inventory available?
No. It records expected goods. The warehouse must receive and verify them, then complete the checks required before stock can be allocated to orders.