Avisierung

What is pre-advice?

Pre-advice is the structured advance notification of an upcoming delivery. The supplier or carrier transmits predefined information to the consignee in advance — such as the delivery time, quantities, items, and labeling of load carriers. This notification can be sent manually by email or phone, but in modern supply chains it is predominantly transmitted electronically via EDI, API interfaces, or web portals. An electronic pre-advice is often referred to as an ASN (Advanced Shipping Notice).

How does pre-advice work in practice?

The typical process begins with the supplier sending a structured message to the recipient's inventory management or warehouse management system at or shortly before the time of shipment. This message generally contains information on order references, item numbers, quantities, batch or serial numbers, packaging units, and the planned delivery time. The receiving system can then automatically create a goods receipt order, reserve time slots at the dock, and pre-configure inspection rules for the goods receipt process.

Many companies establish binding pre-advice obligations with their suppliers, documented in supplier agreements or supplier manuals. Typical requirements include:

• Minimum lead time before delivery (e.g., 24 or 48 hours)
• Mandatory fields in the pre-advice (order number, item number, quantity, weight)
• Provisions for partial deliveries or quantity deviations
• Procedures in the event of a delayed or cancelled pre-advice

If the actual delivery deviates from the pre-advice, a clarification process is triggered at goods receipt that can slow down operations. Clear escalation and correction procedures are therefore essential.

What matters when implementing pre-advice?

The quality of the pre-advice process depends heavily on data quality and the technical integration of suppliers. Small suppliers without an ERP system are often unable to generate structured EDI messages; in such cases, web portals or simplified notification forms provide a practical alternative. When establishing a pre-advice standard, you should ensure consistent master data — particularly matching item numbers — as differing designations prevent automated processing. It is equally important to clarify who handles escalation in the event of missing or incorrect pre-advice notifications, and how penalty fees for pre-advice obligation violations are managed. Integration with a time slot management system significantly increases the value of pre-advice, as truck arrival times and dock utilization can be coordinated accordingly.