You’re expecting a package from Evri (formally Hermes) and you’ve received a “Missing Pre-advice” status update.
What does this mean? Is there something wrong with the shipment and is there anything you need to do?
Let’s take a look…
Summary: Missing Pre-advice
The “Missing Pre-advice” status update simply means that Evri did not receive any pre-shipment information from the sender before the package was sent to the carrier. It is nothing to be concerned about and the delivery will proceed as normal.
Missing Pre-advice – Guide
Although the word “missing” can naturally set off alarm bells, the “Missing Pre-advice” is a standard update that occurs quite regularly.
To explain what it means it is helpful to understand how a carrier such as Evri normally obtains information about a shipment.
Whether the sender is an eCommerce business or an individual selling an item on eBay when an order for delivery is made, details of the package are put forward to Evri.
This information is called “Pre-advice”. Other carriers use similar terms such as pre-shipment info, and shipment information.
In other words, the carrier service has information about the package (destination, service speed ordered, etc) before the physical item has entered the delivery infrastructure.
However, in cases where this information isn’t supplied, the system hasn’t updated fast enough or where the sender has used an Evri Parcel Shop and created the order at the same time the package has its first scan, the “Missing Pre-advice” alert can be triggered.
- Related Content: What Does “Manifested for Delivery” Mean? (Evri / Hermes Tracking)
Does “Missing Pre-advice” Cause Any Delays?
As mentioned in the summary above, there is nothing to be concerned about when you receive the “Missing Pre-advice” update.
Although Evri did not have the information prior to the package entering the delivery infrastructure, it will do after the first scan.
The time stamps above are an example of a Hermes (Evri) customer that posted their concerns on an online forum. Here you can see that the “Missing Pre-advice” alert was created at 22:37.
However, at exactly the same time, the system acknowledged that the package was received at the hub. In other words, the item is inside the delivery infrastructure.
Less than an hour later, the system has caught up in terms of the shipment details, and retroactively, an order is generated.
From here, the shipment will continue as normal.
Tracking Stuck on “Missing Pre-advice”
On rare occasions, the tracking may end up stuck on “Missing Pre-advice”. This means that the Evri system has been unable to retrieve the order information in relation to the tracking code of the package.
If the tracking is stuck on the “Missing Pre-advice” alert for more than 48hrs, you should contact Evri and/or the sender of the item.
Evri customer services for U.K. domestic shipments can be contacted via live chat here. If you are dealing with an International shipment, you should head here.
What Happens After a “Missing Pre-advice” Status Alert?
As the example time stamps above indicate, there will normally be some tracking updates to communicate the fact that the item has been received and that order information is in place.
However, if you do not receive such updates, but instead see indications that the package is in transit or has reached an Evri hub or a local depot, you know that the delivery is proceeding as it should.
Final Words
Essentially, the “Missing Pre-advice” status alert can make you think that something is going wrong with the shipment. However, this is not the case.
Evri will have details of the shipment and after the first physical scan of the item, the system will be able to match up the item with its destination.
Keep an eye on the tracking updates to ensure that the package is making progress. If nothing happens after a 48hr period be ready to contact Evri or the sender.
I’m a 25 year veteran of USPS. I’m retired now, but as the editor of Mailbox Master, I can’t quite remove myself from the carrier industry just yet. 🙂
