Overview of Shipment Hierarchical Levels (HL segments)

In EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), particularly in documents like 856 (Advance Ship Notice) shipments are often organized using hierarchical levels (HL segments) to represent different levels of detail. 

These levels are used to structure and describe the contents of a shipment, from the overall shipment down to individual items. 

Here are the common hierarchical levels of a shipment:

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1. Shipment Level

• Purpose: Represents the entire shipment as a whole.
• HL Code: S (for Shipment).
• Details Included:
  • Shipment identifiers (e.g., bill of lading, tracking number, shipment ID).
  • Carrier details (e.g., carrier name, mode of transport).
  • Shipping dates (e.g., ship date, estimated delivery date).
  • Origin and destination addresses.

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2. Order Level

• Purpose: Represents individual orders within the shipment.
• HL Code: O (for Order).
• Details Included:
  • Purchase order number (PO number).
  • Customer reference number.
  • Details specific to the order, such as order type and buyer information.

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3. Tare Level (Optional)

• Purpose: Represents packaging that contains multiple cartons or pallets.
• HL Code: T (for Tare).
• Details Included:
  • Pallet or container identifiers (e.g., pallet ID, shipping container code).
  • Physical dimensions and weight.
  • Additional packing instructions, if any.

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4. Pack Level

• Purpose: Represents individual cartons, boxes, or other packaging units within a shipment.
• HL Code: P (for Pack).
• Details Included:
  • Carton or package ID (e.g., tracking label or SSCC-18).
  • Dimensions and weight of the carton.
  • Packaging type (e.g., box, crate, bag).

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5. Item Level

• Purpose: Represents the individual items within a carton, pallet, or container.
• HL Code: I (for Item).
• Details Included:
  • Item identifiers (e.g., SKU, UPC, or FNSKU).
  • Quantity shipped.
  • Product descriptions.
  • Serial numbers or lot numbers.
  • Unit of measurement (e.g., cases, pieces, kilograms).

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Hierarchy Structure

The levels are nested in a parent-child relationship, defining the structure of the shipment. For example:

1. Shipment contains one or more Orders.
2. Each Order may have multiple Tares (if applicable).
3. Each Tare contains multiple Packs.
4. Each Pack contains multiple Items.

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Example HL Segment Hierarchy

Here’s a simplified example in EDI format:

HL*1**S~          (Shipment Level)
HL*2*1*O~         (Order Level under Shipment)
HL*3*2*P~         (Pack Level under Order)
HL*4*3*I~         (Item Level under Pack)
HL*5*3*I~         (Another Item under the same Pack)
HL*6*2*P~         (Another Pack under the same Order)

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Common Applications

• 856 - Advance Ship Notice: Specifies shipment structure for logistics and inventory purposes.
• 214 - Shipment Status Message: Tracks shipment updates at various levels.
• 940 - Warehouse Shipping Order: Instructs the warehouse on how to prepare the shipment.

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Benefits of Using Hierarchical Levels

1. Flexibility: Handles complex shipment structures with varying levels of packaging.
2. Traceability: Tracks items from shipment to individual products.
3. Efficiency: Enables efficient scanning and handling in supply chain operations.