What DESADV stands for, and where it sits
DESADV is short for despatch advice. It sits between the order (ORDERS) and the invoice (INVOIC) in the EDIFACT message set, and it is usually answered by a receiving advice (RECADV) telling you what the retailer says it actually got. When RECADV disagrees with DESADV, you get a shortage deduction.
The segments that matter in a dispute
- DTM — the date/time segments. The despatch and message timestamps are what prove you sent it on time.
- CPS / PAC — the packing hierarchy: pallets, cartons and what is inside each.
- GIN — the SSCC codes identifying each carton.
- QTY — despatched quantities, the figure a shortage claim contradicts.
- RFF — references back to the purchase order.
DESADV vs EDI 856
Same purpose, different standards body. EDIFACT (DESADV) is the international and European standard; ANSI X12 (856) is North American. If you sell wholesale into European retail you will be sending DESADV, and your EDI provider will map it to whatever the retailer's portal expects.
How the timestamp wins deductions
Two of the most common chargebacks — late ASN and claimed short-ship — are both settled by the DESADV. The DTM segment establishes when you transmitted; the QTY and GIN segments establish what you actually sent and in which cartons. Against a retailer's scan data, that is a documentary record made before the dispute existed, which is why it carries weight. See the six deduction categories.
Frequently asked
What is a DESADV message?
DESADV is the UN/EDIFACT despatch advice — an electronic message a supplier sends before goods arrive, listing the shipment contents and packing structure so the retailer can receive it by scanning.
What is the difference between DESADV and EDI 856?
They are the same document in two standards. DESADV is UN/EDIFACT, used in Europe and internationally; EDI 856 is ANSI X12, used in North America.
What does DESADV stand for?
Despatch advice. It announces a despatch to the buyer ahead of physical delivery.
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