Taming the Dreaded 856 ASN HL Loop

Abstract

Perhaps the most difficult of all mapping problems is the HL loop in the X12 856 Advanced Ship Notice (ASN). Many, if not most, mapping engines designed for EDI transactions do not handle the HL loop well. In this chapter, we present example methods for mapping inbound and outbound HL loops, but there are many permutations of the HL loop structure. You should not expect the methods used in these examples to fit all HL loops. Instead, you should consider these methods to provide theoretical approaches that you may examine when tackling your HL loop issues.