EDIFACT DESADV and RECADV: Despatch Advice and Receiving Advice
For edi and integration analysts, it leads at shippers, 3pls and carriers · Understand the problem
EDIFACT DESADV and RECADV: Despatch Advice and Receiving Advice: Illustrative TMS–ERP order and invoice handoff review beside a warehouse floor; not a client facility.
Quick answer: edifact desadv recadv
EDIFACT DESADV is the despatch advice a supplier sends before delivery, listing pallets by SSCC in GIN+BJ segments and despatch quantities in QTY+12, like an X12 856. RECADV is the receiver's reply after the count, giving delivered (QTY 46) and accepted (QTY 194) quantities with QVR reason codes, like an X12 861.
TL;DR — what you’ll learn
- EANCOM 2002 uses DESADV version 007 and RECADV version 005, both on the D.01B directory; the X12 counterparts are the 856 Ship Notice/Manifest and the 861 Receiving Advice/Acceptance Certificate.
- DESADV nests one CPS per pallet with PCI+33E and an 18-digit SSCC in GIN+BJ, so one label scan retrieves the advised GTIN and QTY+12 quantity.
- RECADV states ordered (21), delivered (46) and accepted (194) quantities, with QVR codes such as 83 BP for back orders and 196 AF for damaged goods to be destroyed.
- Invoicing 104 accepted cases instead of 120 despatched avoids a $296 or ₹27,376 dispute, and in India keeps input tax credit aligned with section 16(2)(b).
Topics: edifact desadv recadv · DESADV despatch advice ASN equivalent · RECADV receiving advice discrepancy · EANCOM QVR codes · SSCC GIN BJ segment
All quantities, amounts, product codes and events are illustrative teaching examples.
The supplier's despatch advice said two pallets and 120 cases. The receiving clerk counted 104 good cases, wrote the difference on the delivery note in pen, and keyed 120 into the goods receipt because that is what the advance notice pre-filled. Three weeks later, the invoice for 120 cases matched the receipt perfectly, the payment ran, and the shortage existed only on a piece of paper in a filing tray.
UN/EDIFACT gives both sides a structured way to avoid that ending. DESADV, the despatch advice, tells the receiver what is coming, packed how, under which serial shipping container codes. RECADV, the receiving advice, sends back what actually arrived, line by line and pallet by pallet, with a coded reason for every difference. Used as a pair, they let the supplier invoice what was accepted, and they give finance and tax teams an electronic record of the gap.
- What this guide covers: the heading, packing and line segments of DESADV, the quantity and variance segments of RECADV, and how the two are matched at the dock using the SSCC.
- What it adds: an annotated message pair, a timestamped short-shipment trace, the invoice, GST and contract consequences in dollars and rupees, and a partner rollout checklist.
DESADV and RECADV: the despatch promise and the receipt reply
DESADV is sent by the shipper before or at despatch; RECADV is sent by the receiver after physical receipt and answers it. Together they bracket the delivery with two electronic statements of quantity, one made before the truck leaves and one after the dock count.
Both are UN/EDIFACT messages, maintained by UNECE in its directories, and many retail and fast-moving consumer goods partners exchange them through the GS1 EANCOM subsets. GS1 Germany's documentation identifies the EANCOM 2002 versions as DESADV 007 and RECADV 005, both based on the D.01B directory. The message header carries that identity, for example DESADV:D:01B:UN:EAN007.
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| Business step | UN/EDIFACT (EANCOM) | ANSI X12 | Sender | What the receiver does with it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goods leave the supplier | DESADV, document name code 351 in BGM | 856 Ship Notice/Manifest | Supplier or its 3PL | Pre-registers expected pallets, SSCCs and quantities |
| Goods counted at the receiver | RECADV, BGM with code 632 in the GS1 Germany examples | 861 Receiving Advice/Acceptance Certificate | Buyer or its DC | Supplier compares receipt to despatch and invoices accordingly |
| Interchange accepted technically | CONTRL | 997 or 999 acknowledgment | Either party's translator | Confirms syntax, not quantities |
The last row matters because teams often confuse the two kinds of reply. A syntax acknowledgment such as an X12 997 functional acknowledgment proves the file parsed. Only RECADV or 861 says anything about what was physically received.
Heading segments that tie a despatch advice to its order
The DESADV heading answers four questions: which document this is, when goods arrive, which order they fill and who the parties are. If any of those is wrong, the receiver cannot match the message to a purchase order and the advance notice is wasted.
- BGM, document identity: document name code 351 for a despatch advice, plus the supplier's despatch advice number, which RECADV will quote back.
- DTM, dates: qualifier 137 for the message date, 17 for estimated delivery date and time, 64 and 63 for earliest and latest delivery, and 200 for pick-up date in the GS1 Austria guide.
- RFF, references: ON for the buyer's order number with DTM 171 for its date, and DQ for the delivery note number.
- NAD, parties: BY buyer, SU supplier, DP delivery party, UC ultimate consignee and SF ship-from, each identified by a 13-digit GS1 Global Location Number.
- TDT, transport: the mode and means of transport, which some partners use to match the message to a dock appointment.
The delivery party GLN is the field receivers most often reject on. A DESADV addressed to the buyer's head office GLN rather than the receiving DC's GLN arrives correctly but never reaches the right dock's expected-receipts list. Our EDI mapping specification guide covers how to pin each partner's GLN rules down before testing.
The CPS packing hierarchy: consignment, pallet SSCC, then item lines
DESADV describes the load as a tree. CPS segments number the nodes, PAC counts packages at each node, PCI and GIN attach the pallet's SSCC, and LIN, PIA and QTY sit under the pallet that physically holds the goods.
In the GS1 guides, CPS+1 identifies the whole consignment, and each pallet gets its own CPS with a parent pointer, such as CPS+2+1. PCI+33E signals that the package is marked with an SSCC, and GIN+BJ carries the 18-digit Serial Shipping Container Code. Item lines below the pallet use LIN with the GTIN, PIA for supplier article and batch numbers, and QTY+12 for the despatch quantity.
Annotated DESADV and RECADV pair (illustrative values, EANCOM 2002 syntax)
DESADV from supplier
UNH+DA0001+DESADV:D:01B:UN:EAN007'
BGM+351+DSP45120+9' despatch advice number DSP45120
DTM+137:20261110:102' message date
DTM+17:202611120900:203' estimated delivery 12 Nov 2026 09:00
RFF+ON:PO778812' buyer order number
NAD+BY+8907654000016::9' buyer GLN
NAD+SU+8901234000014::9' supplier GLN
NAD+DP+8907654000016::9' delivery party GLN
CPS+1' whole consignment
PAC+2++201::9' 2 pallets (201 = pallet type in the GS1 examples)
CPS+2+1' pallet 1, child of consignment
PAC+1++201::9'
PCI+33E' marked with SSCC
GIN+BJ+389012340000004518' SSCC of pallet 1
LIN+1++8901234567890:SRV' GTIN of the case
QTY+12:60' despatch quantity 60 cases
CPS+3+1' pallet 2
PAC+1++201::9'
PCI+33E'
GIN+BJ+389012340000004525' SSCC of pallet 2
LIN+2++8901234567890:SRV'
QTY+12:60'
CNT+2:2' two line items
UNT+24+DA0001'
RECADV from buyer's DC (detail section for pallet 2 only)
UNH+RA0001+RECADV:D:01B:UN:EAN005'
BGM+632+GR90311+9' receiving advice number GR90311
DTM+50:20261112:102' goods receipt date
RFF+AAK:DSP45120' quotes the despatch advice number
CPS+3+1'
PCI+33E'
GIN+BJ+389012340000004525'
LIN+2++8901234567890:SRV'
QTY+21:60' ordered
QTY+46:48' delivered
QTY+194:44' received and accepted
QVR+-12:83+BP' 12 short, back order to follow
QVR+-4:196+AF' 4 delivered damaged, to be destroyedDock receiving with UN/EDIFACT DESADV works pallet by pallet: each CPS node carries a PCI+33E marker and a GIN+BJ 18-digit SSCC, so a scanner read of one pallet label retrieves the advised GTIN, batch and QTY+12 despatch quantity, and only that pallet needs a full case count.
RECADV quantities and the QVR codes that explain each gap
RECADV mirrors the DESADV heading and detail, then adds the receiver's counts and a reason for each difference. GS1 Germany recommends sending it for correct deliveries as well as discrepancies, so the supplier can build its invoice directly from it.
The GS1 Germany RECADV documentation describes a message sent from the retailer to the supplier after physical receipt, relating to a single despatch point and a single receiving point. Its heading quotes the despatch advice number in RFF with qualifier AAK and the goods receipt date in DTM with qualifier 50. The detail section repeats the SSCC hierarchy and states quantities with QTY and variances with QVR.
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| Segment and code | Meaning | Typical downstream action |
|---|---|---|
| QTY 21 | Ordered quantity | Reference for back-order logic |
| QTY 46 | Delivered quantity | Compared with despatch quantity for carrier or supplier shortage |
| QTY 194 | Received and accepted quantity | Quantity the supplier should invoice and the buyer will pay |
| QVR 83 with BP | Back order to be delivered later; shipment partial, back order to follow | Keep the order line open |
| QVR with CP | Shipment partial, considered complete, no back order | Close the line; supplier invoices only what was accepted |
| QVR 195 | Received, not accepted, to be returned | Return authorisation and a credit or reverse logistics move |
| QVR 196 with AF | Received, not accepted, to be destroyed; goods delivered damaged | Destruction record and credit |
| QVR with AC or AE | Over-shipped; delivered but not advised | Return or accept by agreement |
| QVR with AG, AT or PE | Delivered too late; item not ordered; product durability date unacceptable | Rejection with return |
The sign convention in QVR examples is not uniform across guides, so agree with each partner whether a shortage is sent as a negative number. A supplier system that treats every QVR value as a shortage will double credit a returned overage.
Supplier invoicing from a UN/EDIFACT RECADV should bill QTY 194, the received and accepted quantity, rather than the DESADV QTY+12 despatch figure; on a 120-case order with 12 short and 4 damaged, billing 104 cases removes a $296 or ₹27,376 dispute before it reaches accounts payable.
Matching the two messages at the dock, SSCC by SSCC
The receiver should match on the SSCC first and the order line second. A pallet whose SSCC was advised and whose label scans cleanly can be received on the advised quantity after a sample check; an unadvised or unreadable SSCC goes straight to a full count.
- Advised and scanned: pallet SSCC found in an open DESADV for this delivery party; quantities pre-fill, and a count is needed only if the pallet is damaged or selected for audit.
- Advised but not delivered: SSCC in the DESADV but never scanned by the close of the receipt; RECADV reports it with delivered quantity zero.
- Delivered but not advised: SSCC scanned that is not in any DESADV; full count, and RECADV uses the delivered-but-not-advised reason.
- Quantity differs on an advised pallet: counted cases differ from QTY+12; RECADV reports QTY 46 and QTY 194 with a QVR reason.
Two control points decide whether the process works. First, the warehouse system must refuse to post a receipt quantity simply copied from the DESADV when a count was required. Second, RECADV should be sent when the receipt is closed, not when the truck arrives, so that every pallet has a final status. Our guide to dock-to-stock time shows how an accurate advance notice shortens that receiving step.
A short-shipped pallet traced from DESADV to deduction
Most disputes are not caused by the shortage itself but by the receipt that hid it. The illustrative trace below uses the message pair above to show the uncontrolled path and where RECADV changes the outcome.
- 10 Nov, 18:20, DESADV DSP45120 sent: two SSCCs, 60 cases each, against PO778812; the buyer's translator returns a CONTRL and the WMS creates expected receipt ER-2290.
- 12 Nov, 09:14, truck docked at door 7: pallet 4518 scans and is received on the advised 60; pallet 4525 has a torn wrap and the clerk counts 48 cases, 4 of them crushed.
- 12 Nov, 09:40, receipt posted: the clerk accepts the pre-filled 60 on pallet 4525 because the screen allows it, and writes "48 rec, 4 dmg" on delivery note DN-8813; goods receipt GR90311 shows 120 cases.
- 13 Nov, 07:00, invoice INV-77120 arrives: 120 cases at the order price; the three-way match passes because PO, receipt and invoice all say 120, and payment is scheduled.
- 2 Dec, cycle count: the location shows 16 cases fewer than the system; the buyer raises a deduction weeks later, the supplier disputes it, and the carrier's claim window has narrowed.
In the controlled version, the WMS blocks a pre-filled quantity on a pallet flagged as damaged, the clerk enters 48 delivered and 44 accepted, and RECADV GR90311 goes out at 09:55 with the two QVR lines. The supplier invoices 104 cases, the back order for 12 is raised the same day, and the damaged cases carry a destruction record.
Invoice, GST and contract consequences in dollars and rupees
A RECADV changes three money outcomes: what the supplier invoices, when the buyer may claim input tax credit in India, and whether the buyer has given timely notice of a defect under US sales law. The worked figures use illustrative prices and an illustrative 18 percent GST rate; check the rate for your HSN code.
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| Line | US (USD) | India (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Unit price per case | $18.50 | ₹1,450 plus GST |
| Invoice built from DESADV (120 cases) | 120 × $18.50 = $2,220.00 | ₹1,74,000 taxable + ₹31,320 GST = ₹2,05,320 |
| Invoice built from RECADV (104 accepted) | 104 × $18.50 = $1,924.00 | ₹1,50,800 taxable + ₹27,144 GST = ₹1,77,944 |
| Disputed amount if DESADV is invoiced | $296.00 (12 short $222.00, 4 damaged $74.00) | ₹23,200 taxable + ₹4,176 GST = ₹27,376 |
| Correction document | Credit memo or buyer deduction | Supplier credit note under CGST section 34 |
| Tax effect for the buyer | None at receipt | Input tax credit only on goods received, section 16(2)(b) |
- Credit note grounds in India: section 34(1) lets a supplier issue a credit note where tax charged exceeds what is payable, goods are returned, or goods are found deficient, which covers both the shortage and the damaged cases.
- Credit note deadline: section 34(2) requires the credit note to be declared no later than 30 November after the end of the financial year of the supply, or the annual return date if earlier.
- Back order on one invoice: if the supplier keeps the invoice at 120 and ships the 12 later, the section 16(2)(b) proviso allows credit only on receipt of the last lot, so coding BP rather than CP delays the buyer's credit on the whole invoice.
- US notice of defects: UCC 2-602(1) makes a rejection ineffective unless the buyer seasonably notifies the seller, and 2-607(3)(a) requires notice of breach within a reasonable time; a RECADV sent the same day is that notice in structured form.
Who sends, validates and signs off each message and document
DESADV quality belongs to the shipper's warehouse, RECADV quality to the receiver's dock, and the match to accounts payable. Write those owners into the trading partner agreement so that a bad message has someone to fix it.
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| Record | Created in | Owner | Validates or approves |
|---|---|---|---|
| DESADV and SSCC labels | Supplier WMS at pack-out | Supplier shipping lead | Supplier EDI analyst checks against the partner guide |
| Expected receipt and dock appointment | Buyer WMS and yard system | Buyer inbound planner | Receiving supervisor |
| Goods receipt with counted quantities | Buyer WMS | Receiving clerk | Receiving supervisor for any QVR line |
| RECADV | Buyer EDI translator from the closed receipt | Buyer EDI analyst | Inventory control for damage and destruction codes |
| Supplier invoice | Supplier ERP, from RECADV where agreed | Supplier billing | Buyer accounts payable in the three-way match |
| Credit note under section 34 | Supplier ERP | Supplier tax and billing | Buyer indirect tax team checks ITC reversal |
| Carrier exception note | Proof of delivery or delivery receipt | Receiving clerk | Transport claims team |
The receiving workflow behind these messages, including how to hold and evidence damaged stock, is covered in our guide to warehouse receiving discrepancies. That page deals with the physical handling; this one deals with the messages that carry the result to the supplier.
Validation the translator runs and decisions left to the dock team
Structure, references and arithmetic can be validated by software every time; deciding whether a crushed case is damaged or merely scuffed is a person's job. Split the checks that way and RECADV becomes trustworthy enough to invoice from.
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| Task | Fixed rule in the translator or WMS | Where software or AI assists a person | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Validating SSCC and GTIN check digits | GS1 modulo-10 check; message rejected on failure | None needed | No one; arithmetic |
| Matching DESADV to an open purchase order | RFF+ON must match an open PO for the delivery party GLN | Suggests the likely PO when the reference is mistyped | Inbound planner confirms |
| Receiving a pallet on the advised quantity | Allowed only for advised, undamaged pallets not chosen for audit | Selects audit pallets by supplier error history | Receiving supervisor sets the audit rate |
| Classifying damage from a dock photo | Damage code requires at least one photo on the receipt | Image model proposes crushed, wet or punctured | Receiving clerk confirms the code |
| Choosing BP or CP for a shortage | Default from the order's back-order flag | None | Buyer's inventory planner |
| Building RECADV from the closed receipt | QTY 46 minus QTY 194 must equal the damage and return QVR quantities, and QTY 21 minus QTY 46 the back-order QVR | None needed | No one; arithmetic |
Receiving advice generation from a closed WMS receipt should enforce one arithmetic rule per line: EANCOM RECADV QTY 46 delivered minus QTY 194 accepted equals the QVR quantities for damage or return, with back-order QVR covering ordered minus delivered, so a malformed message is rejected before the supplier invoices.
Piloting RECADV with one supplier and one distribution center
Start with partners who already send clean DESADV, because RECADV quality can never exceed the quality of the advance notice it mirrors. A pilot with one supplier and one DC usually exposes every mapping gap within a month.
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| Step | What good looks like | How to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Agree versions and subsets | DESADV and RECADV versions, such as EANCOM 007 and 005, named in the partner agreement | Test interchange parses on both translators |
| Agree GLNs | Delivery party, ship-from and buyer GLNs listed per site | Ten test messages route to the correct dock |
| Agree the SSCC hierarchy | One CPS per pallet, PCI+33E and GIN+BJ on every pallet | Label scan matches advised SSCC on a pilot load |
| Agree QVR codes and sign | List of reason codes in use and the sign for shortages and overages | Supplier system books a test shortage and overage correctly |
| Send RECADV for every delivery | One RECADV per receipt, including clean receipts | Count of RECADV equals count of closed receipts each week |
| Invoice from accepted quantity | Supplier invoices QTY 194 lines | Price-only differences remain in the three-way match exceptions |
| Tax and credit note handling | Section 34 credit notes raised from QVR lines in India | Monthly reconciliation of credit notes against RECADV variances |
For more EDI and receiving guides, browse the Logistics and Supply Chain hub. If you want DESADV, receipt and RECADV wired so that suppliers invoice from what your docks accepted, send us your partner list and current flow and we will scope the mapping and controls.
Discuss this workflow
Describe your current systems, the recurring exception and the outcome you need. Keep shipment, customer and financial records out of the initial message.
Common operational questions
Practical answers for operations, engineering, and finance teams working on edifact desadv recadv in logistics & supply chain.
Is DESADV the same as an ASN?
When should a receiver send RECADV?
How does RECADV report a shortage that will be delivered later?
What GST effect does a RECADV shortage have in India?
References
Sources checked 13 November 2026. US and India statutory authorities and vendor documentation support platform facts; the worked examples and diagrams are original.
- UNECE - UN/EDIFACT directory D.01B, DESADV and RECADV message structuresOfficial directory page; automated access was blocked by a security check, so segment use was verified from the GS1 member organisation guides below. Accessed 13 November 2026.
- GS1 Germany - EANCOM 2002 S3 DESADV, introduction and message structureDESADV version 007 and the heading, CPS, PAC, PCI, GIN, LIN and QTY structure. Accessed 13 November 2026.
- GS1 Germany - EANCOM 2002 S3 RECADV, introduction, structure and examplesRECADV version 005, BGM 632, DTM 50, RFF AAK, QTY 21, 46 and 194, QVR 83, 195 and 196 and reason codes AC, AE, AF, AG, BP, CP, AT and PE, and the recommendation to report correct deliveries too. Accessed 13 November 2026.
- GS1 Austria - ECR Austria DESADV, EANCOM 2002 Syntax 3, version 2.1 (26 November 2021)BGM 351, DTM qualifiers 137, 17, 64, 63 and 200, PCI+33E, GIN+BJ 18-digit SSCC, QTY 12, 21 and 192, and the note that free goods are included in the despatch quantity. Accessed 13 November 2026.
- X12 - Transaction set list (856 Ship Notice/Manifest, 861 Receiving Advice/Acceptance Certificate)Names and purpose statements of the 856 and 861. Accessed 13 November 2026.
- CBIC - CGST Act 2017, section 16 (eligibility and conditions for input tax credit)Section 16(2)(b), its Explanation and the proviso on goods received in lots. Accessed 13 November 2026.
- CBIC - CGST Act 2017, section 34 (credit and debit notes)Grounds in section 34(1), the 30 November deadline in section 34(2) and its proviso. Accessed 13 November 2026.
- Cornell LII - Uniform Commercial Code sections 2-602 and 2-607Rejection within a reasonable time with seasonable notice, 2-602(1); acceptance and notice of breach, 2-607(2) and (3)(a), read at https://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/2/2-607. Accessed 13 November 2026.
- FMCSA — 49 CFR Part 395 Hours of Service & Electronic Logging Devices (ELD)US federal motor carrier dispatch and driver duty-status compliance mandate.
- ULIP & NIC GST E-Way Bill Portal — Unified Logistics & Rule 138 ComplianceIndian statutory goods-in-transit and multi-modal logistics verification framework.