Freight glossaryFreight DocumentationWarehousing
Advance Ship Notice (ASN)
Definition
An advance ship notice (ASN) is the electronic message a shipper sends a receiver before delivery, describing what is on the truck pallet by pallet and carton by carton.
What it means
The ASN is what makes scan-based receiving work. GS1 US explains that one scan of a pallet's SSCC at the receiving bay can be linked to a pre-received electronic ASN describing its contents, which speeds receiving, reconciliation and put-away.[1]
The flip side is that a perfect label still fails if its SSCC is not in the ASN, or the ASN says a pallet holds something it does not. When pallets are rebuilt, the ASN has to be corrected to describe the new pallets before the retailer's cutoff.[1]
Example
A supplier sends an ASN listing four pallets and their SSCCs the evening before delivery. At the DC, pallet three will not scan because it was relabeled after the ASN was sent, so it is received by exception while the others go straight through.
Related
Related terms
- SSCCAn SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit number that identifies one specific logistic unit...Glossary
- Distribution CenterA distribution center (DC) is a warehouse that holds inventory and ships it out to stores or customers as...Glossary
- Freight ReworkFreight rework is the physical correction of a shipment that a carrier, receiver or retailer will not accept...Glossary
- RepalletizingRepalletizing is moving freight onto a new or different pallet, or building loose cartons onto pallets, so...Glossary
Related freight problems
Related guides
Sources
- GS1 US, “An Introduction to the Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC), Release 3.0,” Standards organization. Published February 2019. Accessed September 2026.
General operational information, not legal, customs or regulatory advice. Rules and rates change; confirm current requirements with the agency, carrier or contract that governs your shipment.