Batch Picking
Create batches of orders to pick throughout your warehouse in a wave pattern using visual picking technology.
Order Batch Details
Within SKUSavvy the order batch contains one or many orders and associated shipments needing fulfillment. Its a way of keeping all activity related to the order including batch criteria, pick actions, pack actions, order splits, and shipment labels.
Note: all orders become a batch to fulfill
Single Order Batch
Initiated on one selected order, a batch is created for that order if not already associated with the batch
Single order batches get their own batch label
One order fulfilled at a time
Multi Order Batch
Initiated from the 'Fulfill' area of a warehouse
Reduce time to pick multiple orders
One batch label for multiple orders
Multiple orders picked-packed-shipped at one time
1) Produce carrier manifests by date for orders shipped
2) View order batches assigned to a single employee
3) Turn on/off batch columns: status, ID, assigned to, zone, created at, deliver at, progress
4) View your order batches: status (processing, cancelled, partially fulfilled, fulfilled), batch ID, assignee, delivery zone, created at date/time, deliver at date (comes from Shopify), progress (shows the number of orders in the batch that have been shipped, includes a red mark for shipments that were cancelled)
Create a Batch
The first step in getting orders fulfilled is to assemble a batch of orders to pick. You can batch multiple orders or work on one single order. These workflows are slightly different so we will break them down separately. This step takes all open (not being fulfilled yet) orders and pairs them up so that like orders (similar products in the order) go together. Each batch is assigned to one or multiple employees within the warehouse you are batching from.
Single Order Fulfillment Batch
1) Navigate to and select the order you want to fulfill from orders > outbound (must be an order not already part of a batch)
2) Scroll down to the bottom of the order and click 'Fulfill'
3) After clicking 'Fulfill' SKUSavvy will ask if you want to create a batch for the order, or if it is already part of a batch you can click into the order in that batch
4) Begin the pick-pack-ship process for the order
5) From your orders > fulfill tab you will now see the new single order batch
Note: if the 'Fulfill' button on the order is solid blue it is already part of a batch. If it is outlined in blue, it needs a batch created
Multi-Order Fulfillment Batch
With this method of batching SKUSavvy will put several orders together based on your batching criteria so you can pick through more orders faster. You can create multi-order batches by going to your fulfillments and scrolling down to 'Unbatched Shipments'
When you click 'Batch Orders' you'll be given a prompt to make a batch according to the sizes you require. The more unbatched orders you have between running the batching system, the better SKUSavvy's algorithm will work to put similar orders together into batches.
1) Select whether you want to batch orders by their similarity (of products in the orders) or by the delivery zone (based on zip code of the shipping address)
2) Enter the number of products (single units) the batch of orders should contain. A batch will only contain complete orders that can be fulfilled after the batch is picked. If this number is high, your employees will have a large number of units to grab on one 'wave' through the warehouse to pick
3) Select the date range of the orders that should be included in the batch of orders
4) Select a product tag you want to batch by. This will only include orders that have products with this tag
5) Select whether you want SKUSavvy to distribute the batch across multiple employees, or assign it to a single employee
6) Select one or multiple employees to give the batch to. Picks update in real-time, so there is no confusion between one or multiple employees picking on one batch
Create the batch. Depending on the number of orders in the queue, this process can take some time. All orders in the queue will be batched up according to the settings on the modal
Once the batching has run through all open orders you will have newly created and assigned batches to be picked at the top of your fulfill orders page. Click into a batch to start the picking process or reassign the batch.
Batch Picking
Within each warehouse, orders are assembled into batches and these batches become your digital pick list. Each batch is a list of products needed to complete the fulfillment of orders within the batch. During the batch process SKUSavvy preserves the wave pattern of a pick path through the warehouse.
1) Employee assigned to the batch, can be reassigned to 'hand-off' to another
2) Batch settings - see below
3) Filter your pick list by all products, picked, or unpicked
4) Click to view all bins on the map holding product needing picking - select a bin on the map or within the list to highlight the product
5) Current bin position and product associated with that bin
6) Product details including bin position, quantity in that bin, lot # and expiration date, level on the rack, and shelf name
7) Pagination of the orders within the batch, click on a dash to go to that order or back to the pick list
8) Click through to the next part of the order fulfillment process which is to pack and ship each order in the batch - note you may be 'Scan Bin' or 'Scan Item' button instead of 'Pack' if you have your settings turned on to require bin/item scans
Batch Settings
Batch settings enable you to customize the way your batches will be set up and the workflow for fulfillment steps.
Pick
1) Toggle on/off the visual layout during picking
2) Show the warehouse layout in 3D/2D
3) If using pick-to-tote, select how many columns the pick cart has - this will split the totes up evenly amongst the pick cart
Pack
4) Enable custom weight entry during fulfillment, otherwise system weights will be used
5) Limit the scanning to confirm every unit being packaged one by one
6) Require the confirmation for number of units being packaged if >1
7) When using multiple boxes for a single shipment this will enable you to pack the most recent item scanned to the last box added (starting a new box in the shipment)
8) Turn on the tote visual to indicate which tote the order is in
Ship
9) Use the provided test labels during fulfillment instead of using live carrier accounts
10) Print your shipping label immediately upon purchasing the label (fastest)
11) Automatically print the packing slip with the shipping label (typically on a 4x6" size)
Routing Strength
12) Debug routing - show the path SKUSavvy is taking you on to pick all products in the batch
13) Max routing time - the maximum time you want to allow SKUSavvy to formulate the optimal path
14) Resolution - how small should SKUSavvy treat gaps between shelves for them to be considered walkable, lower (smaller typically better)
Carriers
15) Use custom labels - if you have built a custom shipping label within the SKUSavvy label builder, you can use this here instead of carrier labels
16) Select which carriers you want to turn on/off
17) Expand the options for each carrier to turn on/off specific services
Batch Barcode
18) Assign a barcode to your batch, or print the current barcode generated
19) Enter a Barcode Name
20) Batch barcode - you can set this barcode type in your account barcode settings
Delete a Batch
Deleting a batch will remove the order shipments assigned to that batch and place the order shipments back within your unbatched shipments table.
To delete a batch you much have all shipments unpacked, and all items unpicked to a bin.
1) Click into any batch, select the 3-dot menu
2) If all orders are unpacked, and all items are unpicked you can click and confirm deletion of the batch
Unpack a Shipment
If you have already picked and packed an order and then the order was cancelled or for whatever reason the shipment did not need to go out you will need to unpack the order. This reallocates the stock back to the batch, or directly back to the bin location so it is available.
Step 1: Unpack all items from orders in the batch by clicking on 'Unpack' for each item Step 2: Unpick items to their bin
When you click on 'Unpack' SKUSavvy will show a module so you can indicate the quantity you are unpacking and whether or not you want to directly unpack quantity to the bin, or unpack to the batch.
Unpack to the batch
Without selecting a bin the item quantity will simply go back into the batch, as in it has been picked but not packed. You can unpack to the batch, then go back to the pick screen where SKUSavvy will indicate the last location of the items to unpick them visually.
Unpack to the bin
If you make a bin selection during the unpacking process this will remove the quantity from shipment and put it back to the bin location as if it had not been picked yet.
Unpick to Bins
If you have just picked or you unpacked to the batch, you will see a 'unpick' button from the visual pick screen. Simply tap on the unpick button for an item, select the quantity and confirm.
Select the pick location and quantity being unpicked
Order Fulfillment
Learn everything you need to know about fulfilling orders within a batch
Feature Settings
Understand the settings affecting your account and everything related to workflow options