Ship notices and carton labels that match, without an EDI suite
When you pack an order, you tell ASN Desk what went in each carton in a simple form or spreadsheet. You get GS1-128 carton labels and the matching advance ship notice with the same SSCC numbers, so the retailer's scan finds your ASN. On the Portal plan the ASN comes as a sheet you enter or upload in your retailer's web EDI portal; on the Connected plans we run a real EDI connection for you through a hosted EDI network account in your name, with purchase orders in and the 856, invoice and acknowledgements out.
Updated
- One source for the ASN and the labels: every SSCC printed on a carton is the same 18-digit number sent in that carton's 856, which is what retailers' receiving systems scan for.
- Built to your retailer's own 856 specification and routing guide; on the Connected plans we map the shipment, order, pack and item levels it requires and run the retailer's test cycle with you before go-live.
- Labels as PDF for 4x6 stock or ZPL for Zebra printers; SSCCs numbered from your own GS1 Company Prefix, never reused.
The GS1 Logistics Label Guideline (Release 1.1, August 2016) says the only mandatory element on a logistics label is the SSCC, and that the despatch advice or ASN should be sent at staging or loading and list each logistic unit's SSCC and the items it contains.
Source: ref.gs1.orgSPS Commerce (updated 5 August 2026) says the SSCC on the carton label must be the exact 18-digit number sent in the EDI 856, that a mismatch makes the shipment invisible to automated receiving, and that C&S Wholesale Grocers may charge $50 or more for missing labels and $150 per instance for a wrong PO number.
Source: spscommerce.comOrderful lists Web EDI Fulfillment at $189 a month per trading partner, and retail-compliant UCC-128 labels with an API from $99 a month (checked 7 November 2026).
Source: orderful.comThe first retail order comes with an EDI requirement
A retailer's vendor agreement often asks new suppliers to trade by EDI: purchase orders in, advance ship notices and invoices out. The 856 ship notice is the hard one. It has to describe, carton by carton, what is in the shipment, and the carton labels have to carry the same serial numbers. For a supplier shipping a few orders a month, a full EDI suite with per-retailer setup is a large cost for a small account.
Getting it wrong is expensive in a different way. When the label and the ASN disagree, the retailer's scan finds nothing, the shipment is received by hand, and the supplier is charged for the extra work. Some vendor compliance programs charge per incident, and the amounts can be larger than the margin on a small order.
Most of the work is not technical. It is reading the retailer's 856 guide and routing guide carefully, getting the carton contents right at the packing table, and sending the notice at the right moment, after the cartons are packed and before the truck arrives.
Without it
- Full-service EDI networks: SPS Commerce and TrueCommerce connect to most large retailers and include mapping, testing and support. We found no…
- EDIBridge: Lists self-managed plans from $49 a month (1 partner, 500 transactions, SFTP, 850/856/810/997 and UCC-128 labels) and…
- Orderful: Lists Web EDI Fulfillment at $189 a month per trading partner, labels from $99 a month, and integrated API plans from…
With ASN Desk
- One source for the ASN and the labels: every SSCC printed on a carton is the same 18-digit number sent in that carton's 856, which is what retailers' receiving systems scan for.
- Built to your retailer's own 856 specification and routing guide; on the Connected plans we map the shipment, order, pack and item levels it requires and run the retailer's test cycle with you before go-live.
- Labels as PDF for 4x6 stock or ZPL for Zebra printers; SSCCs numbered from your own GS1 Company Prefix, never reused.
- 856 built to the retailer's spec
- GS1-128 SSCC labels
How it works
- 1
Scope confirmed by email
You send the retailer's EDI onboarding pack, 856 specification and routing guide. Within 2 business days we confirm by email whether its web portal or a full EDI connection fits, which plan that means, and the network fees for a connection, before you pay.
- 2
Connection and testing
On the Portal plan there is nothing to connect, and labels and ASN sheets are ready within 2 business days. On the Connected plans we open a hosted EDI network account in your name over the link the retailer accepts (AS2, SFTP or a VAN), map its 850, 856 and 810 specifications, and run the retailer's test cycle with you. Allow up to 15 business days; the retailer's own testing schedule can add time.
- 3
Pack and confirm
On the Connected plans purchase orders arrive in your ASN Desk inbox; on the Portal plan you enter the PO number and lines from the retailer's portal. When you pack, you enter what went in each carton, its weight, and the carrier and tracking or BOL number, in a web form or by uploading a spreadsheet.
- 4
Labels and ASN out
You print the GS1-128 labels straight away. On the Portal plan you get the ASN sheet to enter in the retailer's portal; on the Connected plans we send the 856 when the shipment is confirmed, then the 810 invoice, and acknowledgements and retailer rejections come back to you in plain English.
Features
856 built to the retailer's spec
Shipment, order, pack and item levels, and the segments each retailer requires, taken from its own implementation guide rather than a generic template, whether the ASN goes out over EDI or into its portal.
GS1-128 SSCC labels
Carton and pallet labels with the SSCC and the ship-from, ship-to, PO and carrier fields the routing guide asks for, as PDF for 4x6 stock or ZPL at 203 or 300 dpi.
Label and ASN always match
Both come from the same carton record, so a carton cannot be labelled with one SSCC and reported with another. SSCCs are numbered from your GS1 Company Prefix and never reused.
Purchase orders and invoices
On the Connected plans, incoming 850 purchase orders shown as readable orders, with 810 invoices generated from what you shipped, and 997 acknowledgements handled for you.
Rejection explained
On the Connected plans, when a retailer rejects a document, you get the reason in plain English and a corrected resend, usually within one business day.
Timing reminders
A reminder if a shipment is confirmed without an ASN sent, so the notice reaches the retailer before the cartons do.
Export for your books
Orders, shipments and invoices exported to CSV, QuickBooks or Xero, so EDI does not become a second set of records.
A look inside
What you see day to day: the working view and the monthly summary.
Illustration of the layout, built from this page's own feature list. It shows no real results.
Who it's for
Brands with a first retail account
Small consumer brands that just signed with a US retailer or distributor and need to send ASNs and labels within weeks, for a handful of orders a month.
Suppliers shipping to distributors and grocers
Food, beauty and home suppliers selling through wholesalers that require 856 notices and SSCC labels on every pallet.
Makers outgrowing manual portals
Suppliers keying ship notices into a retailer web portal by hand, who want labels and notices generated together.
Works with
- ANSI X12 850, 856, 810 and 997
- AS2, SFTP and VAN through a hosted EDI network account in your name (Connected plans)
- Retailer web EDI portals (Portal plan)
- GS1-128 barcodes with SSCC (AI 00)
- PDF labels for 4x6 stock
- ZPL II for Zebra thermal printers
- Spreadsheet upload (CSV or Excel)
- QuickBooks and Xero exports
- Retailer routing guides and vendor compliance manuals
Pricing
Billed monthly, cancel any time. For founding customers, setup is included in the monthly price, including mapping and retailer testing on the Connected plans. Connected plans run through a hosted EDI network account in your name; its fees, including any VAN charges, are passed through at cost and quoted by email before you commit. You need your own GS1 Company Prefix from your GS1 member organisation; we do not sell barcodes or prefixes. For comparison, EDIBridge lists self-managed EDI from $49 a month and managed plans from $199 a month, and Orderful lists Web EDI at $189 a month per trading partner (checked 7 November 2026). Founding customer pricing stays fixed while you remain subscribed. Portal plans start within 2 business days; new EDI connections are set up within 15 business days, plus the retailer's own testing time.
Orders are subject to the ASN Desk terms.
Portal
$49 per month
One retailer that takes ship notices in its web portal
- 1 retailer with a web EDI portal for ship notices
- Up to 20 shipments a month
- GS1-128 carton labels, PDF or ZPL
- ASN sheet per shipment with the same SSCCs, laid out for the portal
- You enter or upload it in the retailer's portal
- Packing data by web form or spreadsheet
- Email support within 1 business day
Connected
$149 per month, plus EDI network fees at cost
One retailer, full EDI connection run for you
- 1 retailer or trading partner
- Up to 50 shipments a month
- 850 in, 856 and 810 out, 997 handled
- Hosted EDI network account in your name (AS2, SFTP or VAN)
- Mapping and retailer testing included
- Everything in Portal
Connected Plus
$299 per month, plus EDI network fees at cost
Up to three retailers
- Up to 3 retailers or trading partners
- Up to 150 shipments a month
- Everything in Connected
- Pallet labels and mixed-carton pallets
- Routing guide review for each new retailer
- Monthly chargeback review
- QuickBooks or Xero export
Compared with the alternatives
- Full-service EDI networks
- SPS Commerce and TrueCommerce connect to most large retailers and include mapping, testing and support. We found no public price list on their sites (checked 7 November 2026), so expect a quote. They suit suppliers with many retailers or an ERP integration.
- EDIBridge
- Lists self-managed plans from $49 a month (1 partner, 500 transactions, SFTP, 850/856/810/997 and UCC-128 labels) and managed plans from $199 a month. A good fit if you want to drive your own mapping with its tools.
- Orderful
- Lists Web EDI Fulfillment at $189 a month per trading partner, labels from $99 a month, and integrated API plans from $399. It suits teams that want an API-first EDI platform.
- Retailer web portals
- Some retailers offer a portal where suppliers key in documents by hand. Cheap or free, but the ASN and labels are entered separately, and keeping SSCCs aligned is up to you.
What changed
- The GS1 Logistics Label Guideline (Release 1.1, August 2016) says the only mandatory element on a logistics label is the SSCC, and that the despatch advice or ASN should be sent at staging or loading and list each logistic unit's SSCC and the items it contains. Source: ref.gs1.org
- SPS Commerce (updated 5 August 2026) says the SSCC on the carton label must be the exact 18-digit number sent in the EDI 856, that a mismatch makes the shipment invisible to automated receiving, and that C&S Wholesale Grocers may charge $50 or more for missing labels and $150 per instance for a wrong PO number. Source: spscommerce.com
- Orderful lists Web EDI Fulfillment at $189 a month per trading partner, and retail-compliant UCC-128 labels with an API from $99 a month (checked 7 November 2026). Source: orderful.com
- EDIBridge lists self-managed EDI from $49 a month for one trading partner and 500 transactions, including 850, 856, 810 and 997 and GS1/UCC-128 carton labels, and a done-for-you plan from $199 a month (checked 7 November 2026). Source: edibridge.com
From signed vendor agreement to first ASN
The scope reply comes back within 2 business days. Portal plans start right after; Connected plans need the network account, mapping and retailer testing, up to 15 business days plus the retailer's own testing time.
- Day 1: You send the retailer's EDI onboarding pack, 856 guide and routing guide.
- Day 2: Scope reply by email: plan and any network fees.
- Day 3–10: Portal plan live with labels and ASN sheets; on Connected plans, network account opened and 850, 856 and 810 mapped to the retailer's specs.
- Day 10–15: Connected plans: test documents and test labels exchanged with the retailer.
- After approval: Live purchase orders, labels and ASNs.
Security and data
- Purchase orders, ship notices, invoices and labels are encrypted in transit and at rest.
- Your retailer data is used only to exchange your documents and is never shared with other customers.
- Only the people supporting your account can see your documents, and access is logged.
- Documents are kept for 12 months for your records and deleted within 30 days of cancelling, or sooner on request.
Questions
Do I need my own GS1 barcodes?
Yes. SSCCs are built from your GS1 Company Prefix, which you license from your GS1 member organisation, such as GS1 US. We number the cartons from it; we do not sell prefixes.
Which retailers can you connect to?
On the Portal plan, retailers that accept ship notices through their own web portal. On the Connected plans, retailers and distributors that accept X12 856 over AS2, SFTP or a VAN through the hosted network we use. If a retailer needs something we cannot support, we tell you by email before you pay.
When should the ASN be sent?
After the cartons are packed and before they arrive. GS1 recommends sending it at staging or loading, so it matches what is actually on the truck. Your retailer's guide may set a specific deadline, and we follow it.
What if I change a carton after printing labels?
Edit the carton in ASN Desk before you confirm the shipment and reprint its label; a new SSCC is issued and the old one is retired. Once the ASN is sent, changes go out as a corrected notice where the retailer allows it.
Can I use my own Zebra printer?
Yes. Labels come as ZPL at 203 or 300 dpi for Zebra and compatible printers, or as PDF for any printer with 4x6 label stock.
Do you guarantee no chargebacks?
No. We prepare documents that follow the retailer's specification and match your labels, but chargebacks also depend on what is physically shipped, carton contents and delivery timing, and the retailer decides what is compliant.
Your first retail order, shipped the way the retailer scans it
GS1-128 labels and matching ship notices built to your retailer's requirements from $49 a month, or a full EDI connection run for you.
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