Warehousing v3.6
Dynamic Pick to Tote with On-the-Fly Order Assignment
Version 1: Standard Pick to Tote Description
A Pick to Tote feature in Despatch Cloud that allows warehouse staff to pick multiple orders in a single warehouse walkthrough while dynamically assigning totes to orders.
Key Functionality:
1. Tote Availability Confirmation:
- Before generating a batch, the user confirms the number of totes available so the system knows how many orders can be included.
2. Batch Order Generation:
- The user or admin generates a batch of orders based on orders ready to dispatch.
- Batches can be created from the web application or the mobile app.
- The admin assigns the batch to a user. If an operator generates the batch, it is automatically assigned to them.
3. Dynamic Tote Assignment & Picking Process:
- Before assigning a tote to an order, the system displays the total number of items for that order so the user can determine if it fits.
- The operator assigns a tote as they pick the first item for an order.
- The system tracks tote-to-order assignments and ensures all future items for that order go into the correct tote.
- The system prompts the operator to confirm the tote before placing an item in it.
- The system provides an optimised picking route, displaying item location, quantity, and correct tote placement.
4. Packing Station Tote Scan & Verification:
- At the packing station, the operator scans a tote barcode.
- The system retrieves the assigned order and prompts the operator to scan and verify all items in that tote.
- This process should function similarly to "Terminal Sorting" or "Pick Pack Terminal".
Benefits:
- Ensures orders fit in totes by allowing users to review item counts before assigning.
- Reduces warehouse travel time by enabling staff to pick multiple orders in one go.
- Eliminates post-picking sorting as orders are pre-sorted into totes.
- Seamless integration with packing by ensuring totes are scanned and orders are verified at the packing station.
Version 2: Advanced Pick to Tote with Smart Tote Allocation & Automated Packing Verification
Description: An enhanced Pick to Tote system in Despatch Cloud that includes automated tote assignment, tote size management, and smart order allocation for improved efficiency. It integrates multi-tote order handling and automated packing station verification, ensuring all items are rescanned before dispatch.
Key Features:
1. Smart Tote Sizing & Automatic Order Assignment:
- The system automatically assigns each order to a tote, prioritising orders that fit within a single tote.
- Each tote is assigned a size category (small, medium, large) with predefined capacity limits.
- Orders that cannot fit into a single tote will be split across multiple totes, with the system pre-determining how many totes are required before picking begins.
- If the number of available totes is less than the number of orders required, then any unassigned orders will be processed in the next batch walkthrough.
2. Multi-Tote Order Handling:
- If an order is split across multiple totes, the system tracks all totes belonging to that order.
- At the packing station, when one tote from a multi-tote order is scanned, the system prompts the operator to scan all associated totes before continuing.
3. Packing Station Integration, Full Order Rescan & Auto Label Printing:
- The packing station automatically identifies all totes linked to an order.
- The operator must rescan all items from the tote(s) before the order is completed, ensuring accuracy.
- Once all items are verified, the system automatically prints the shipping label. This process should function similarly to "Terminal Sorting" or "Pick Pack Terminal".
Benefits:
- Fully automated tote assignment, eliminating manual selection or adjustments.
- Prevents overfilling by ensuring orders fit into available totes or are held for the next batch.
- Handles multi-tote orders seamlessly to prevent missed items at packing.
- Optimises the packing workflow, reducing errors and improving efficiency.
Goals
This feature is a standard functionality in many other WMS solutions, designed to optimise warehouse efficiency by enabling batch picking with dynamic tote assignment. The goal is to streamline the picking process, reduce unnecessary travel, and ensure orders are pre-sorted for packing. By integrating this feature into Despatch Cloud, it will enhance operational efficiency, improve picking accuracy, and reduce the need for post-picking sorting, aligning with industry best practices.
Examples
A common example of this feature in other WMS solutions is a Pick to Tote workflow, where an operator is guided through the warehouse to pick multiple orders in a single pass while placing each order's items directly into assigned totes.
For example:
1. The system generates a batch of 10 orders and assigns them to 10 totes.
2. As the operator walks through the warehouse, they scan items and are prompted to place each item into the correct tote.
3. Once all items are picked, the totes are taken to the packing station, where the operator scans a tote, verifies the order, and prints the shipping label automatically. This process reduces walking time, eliminates post-picking sorting, and ensures 100% order accuracy.
A Pick to Tote feature in Despatch Cloud that allows warehouse staff to pick multiple orders in a single warehouse walkthrough while dynamically assigning totes to orders.
Key Functionality:
1. Tote Availability Confirmation:
- Before generating a batch, the user confirms the number of totes available so the system knows how many orders can be included.
2. Batch Order Generation:
- The user or admin generates a batch of orders based on orders ready to dispatch.
- Batches can be created from the web application or the mobile app.
- The admin assigns the batch to a user. If an operator generates the batch, it is automatically assigned to them.
3. Dynamic Tote Assignment & Picking Process:
- Before assigning a tote to an order, the system displays the total number of items for that order so the user can determine if it fits.
- The operator assigns a tote as they pick the first item for an order.
- The system tracks tote-to-order assignments and ensures all future items for that order go into the correct tote.
- The system prompts the operator to confirm the tote before placing an item in it.
- The system provides an optimised picking route, displaying item location, quantity, and correct tote placement.
4. Packing Station Tote Scan & Verification:
- At the packing station, the operator scans a tote barcode.
- The system retrieves the assigned order and prompts the operator to scan and verify all items in that tote.
- This process should function similarly to "Terminal Sorting" or "Pick Pack Terminal".
Benefits:
- Ensures orders fit in totes by allowing users to review item counts before assigning.
- Reduces warehouse travel time by enabling staff to pick multiple orders in one go.
- Eliminates post-picking sorting as orders are pre-sorted into totes.
- Seamless integration with packing by ensuring totes are scanned and orders are verified at the packing station.
Version 2: Advanced Pick to Tote with Smart Tote Allocation & Automated Packing Verification
Description: An enhanced Pick to Tote system in Despatch Cloud that includes automated tote assignment, tote size management, and smart order allocation for improved efficiency. It integrates multi-tote order handling and automated packing station verification, ensuring all items are rescanned before dispatch.
Key Features:
1. Smart Tote Sizing & Automatic Order Assignment:
- The system automatically assigns each order to a tote, prioritising orders that fit within a single tote.
- Each tote is assigned a size category (small, medium, large) with predefined capacity limits.
- Orders that cannot fit into a single tote will be split across multiple totes, with the system pre-determining how many totes are required before picking begins.
- If the number of available totes is less than the number of orders required, then any unassigned orders will be processed in the next batch walkthrough.
2. Multi-Tote Order Handling:
- If an order is split across multiple totes, the system tracks all totes belonging to that order.
- At the packing station, when one tote from a multi-tote order is scanned, the system prompts the operator to scan all associated totes before continuing.
3. Packing Station Integration, Full Order Rescan & Auto Label Printing:
- The packing station automatically identifies all totes linked to an order.
- The operator must rescan all items from the tote(s) before the order is completed, ensuring accuracy.
- Once all items are verified, the system automatically prints the shipping label. This process should function similarly to "Terminal Sorting" or "Pick Pack Terminal".
Benefits:
- Fully automated tote assignment, eliminating manual selection or adjustments.
- Prevents overfilling by ensuring orders fit into available totes or are held for the next batch.
- Handles multi-tote orders seamlessly to prevent missed items at packing.
- Optimises the packing workflow, reducing errors and improving efficiency.
Goals
This feature is a standard functionality in many other WMS solutions, designed to optimise warehouse efficiency by enabling batch picking with dynamic tote assignment. The goal is to streamline the picking process, reduce unnecessary travel, and ensure orders are pre-sorted for packing. By integrating this feature into Despatch Cloud, it will enhance operational efficiency, improve picking accuracy, and reduce the need for post-picking sorting, aligning with industry best practices.
Examples
A common example of this feature in other WMS solutions is a Pick to Tote workflow, where an operator is guided through the warehouse to pick multiple orders in a single pass while placing each order's items directly into assigned totes.
For example:
1. The system generates a batch of 10 orders and assigns them to 10 totes.
2. As the operator walks through the warehouse, they scan items and are prompted to place each item into the correct tote.
3. Once all items are picked, the totes are taken to the packing station, where the operator scans a tote, verifies the order, and prints the shipping label automatically. This process reduces walking time, eliminates post-picking sorting, and ensures 100% order accuracy.