Picking

What is Picking?

The heartbeat of warehouse operations, the picking process is the strategic choreography of selecting items from inventory to fulfill customer orders. Picking in warehouse operations refers to the process of selecting and gathering items from the inventory to fulfill customer orders. It is a crucial step in the order fulfillment process and involves retrieving the right quantity of products from their designated locations within the warehouse.The goal of picking is to efficiently and accurately assemble the items required for customer orders before they are packed and shipped. The Omniful system guides them to locate specific items, provides exact locations, and specifies quantities to pick. Upon completing a task, operators confirm the action to receive new pick list. Picking comprises multiple crucial steps and serves as the initial and pivotal stage when processing an incoming order.

Different types of Picking in Omniful

  1. Single Order Picking: Single order picking is useful for processing prioritized orders which need to be fulfilled at the earliest or includes some fragile items. Single order picking is highly efficient when dealing with small orders or orders with a low number of items. It minimizes the time and effort required to pick and pack individual items for each order.
  2. Multi Order Picking: Multi-order picking involves selecting items from multiple orders within a single pick list, contributing to efficient order processing. This approach offers notable scalability benefits and is employed to enhance overall order fulfillment speed. There are two distinct types of multi-order picking. Multi-order picking is further classified into two types:
  • Complete Segregated Picking multiple orders without mixing the items of each order. Picking the item and putting them in a specific bin that belongs to a specific order only. That bin is associated with a cart.
  • Partial Non Segregated This expedited picking method is employed to swiftly gather items for multiple orders. It involves the collective picking of various order items, which may be distributed across different picklists, ultimately forming a comprehensive order. After the items are picked, a consolidation step is required to complete each individual order and segregate them, facilitating the subsequent packing process.

Importance of choosing the right picking type

Choosing the right picking method in a warehouse is crucial for several reasons, as it directly impacts efficiency, accuracy, and overall operational performance. Here are the key importance of selecting an appropriate picking method:

  1. Operational Efficiency:
    • The right picking method optimizes the movement of warehouse personnel, reducing travel time and increasing the number of orders that can be processed within a given timeframe.
  2. Order Fulfillment Speed:
    • Efficient picking methods contribute to faster order fulfillment, ensuring that customer orders are processed and shipped promptly. This is particularly important in meeting customer expectations for quick deliveries.
  3. Resource Utilization:
    • Choosing the correct picking method helps maximize the utilization of warehouse resources, including labor.
  4. Reduced Errors:
    • The right picking method minimizes the risk of errors in order fulfillment. Accurate picking methods, combined with technology like barcode scanning, help ensure that the correct items and quantities are selected for each order.
  5. Cost-Effectiveness:
    • Efficient picking methods contribute to overall cost savings by minimizing labor costs, reducing the need for overtime, and optimizing the use of warehouse space. This is particularly important for maintaining a competitive edge in the market.
  6. Scalability:
    • The chosen picking method should be scalable to accommodate the growth of the business. It should be able to handle increased order volumes without a significant drop in efficiency.