Creating and Managing Pick Lists

The pick list serves as the guide for warehouse staff in facilitating the efficient picking of products from the warehouse shelves. The use of pick lists greatly contributes to a streamlined flow for warehouse fulfillment. Goflow provides the essential tools to:

• Triage orders for prioritized processing.
• Guide pickers through warehouse aisles in a methodical way.
• Scan products for picking and packing to reduce errors.
• Efficiently pack and ship with minimal user clicks.

The pick list process includes many broad topics, but the basic outline can be summarized as follows:

1. Identify and select orders for processing.
2. Print a pick list designed to optimize picking.
3. Pick the products and bring them to the shipping station.
4. Pack the boxes and create shipping labels.

While pick lists are indispensable for processing multiple orders, they are not required. To process a handful of orders, you may skip the pick list process altogether, and proceed directly to Options › Pack & Ship from within an order.

For warehouses that track inventory by location, however, the pick list is required.

Selecting Orders for Picking

Orders assigned to a warehouse of direct fulfillment type are to be picked, packed, and shipped by your own warehouse. After orders have passed all preliminary requirements, such as listing mapping, listing review, order acknowledgement, fraud review, etc., the order status is updated to Ready to Pick.

To select orders for picking, follow these steps:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Pick.
2. Click on the Warehouse filter, and filter orders to one warehouse.
3. Click on the Time filter, and select to see orders of a particular date range.
4. Click on the main Filters, and narrow down the results by applying one or more filters.

The warehouse filter is required. All orders of a pick list must be of the same warehouse. To make it easier for warehouse staff, your selection is remembered. The next time you create a pick list, the warehouse will already be preselected.

The time filter allows you to prioritize orders based on impending shipping deadlines, or to prioritize older orders. Select a date type to filter by. For instance, select orders with a ship-by date of today, or select orders with an order date of yesterday.

Use the main filters to select orders based on one or more criteria. Filters can be applied in either straight or negative mode. In straight mode, filters identify orders where the values are equal, while in negative mode, filters identify orders where the values are not equal. For example, find orders where Ship to Country is the United States, or find orders where Ship to Country is anything except the United States. To switch a filter to negative mode, click on the down arrow next to the filter name.

Use one or combination of these order filters:

• Channel - Orders of a particular Goflow store, or for all stores of a particular channel.
• Shipping Method - Orders assigned to one or more shipping methods. Select a carrier, and then select from the available shipping methods offered by that carrier.
• Expedited Shipping - Orders assigned to a shipping method classified as expedited.
• Cheapest Shipping - Orders for which Goflow has shopped rates and selected the cheapest shipping method.
• Destination - Filter orders based on their shipping destination, such as a specific country, state, or postal code.
• Amazon Prime - Filter specifically for Amazon Prime orders.
• Gift Order - Filter for orders marked as gift, and which require gift wrapping.

In addition to filtering for attributes at the order level, you may also filter for the type of products contained within the orders:

• Product - Orders that include a specific item number.
• Single-Item Orders - Orders that contain only one product, regardless of the quantity. This excludes multi-item orders containing a mix of different products.
• Group Product - Orders that include a group product, which is another type of multi-item order.
• Units in Order - Filter orders based on the number of units they contain, such as orders with a quantity of 1, 2, and so forth. This filter is particularly useful in creating separate pick lists for large and small orders.

Creating and Managing Pick Lists

Once you've applied filters and identified the orders for picking, proceed to create a pick list. You can select orders individually or choose the top checkbox to select them all at once. The page is split into two panes. The left pane lists the filtered orders, while the right pane displays the selected order products.

• The pick list reference number serves as an optional identifier, allowing you to name a pick list for your own reference, such as Amazon Orders, International Orders, or Small Orders.
• The picker refers to a warehouse staff member responsible to pick the products. Select a Goflow user with picking privileges.
• The pick list number is automatically assigned by Goflow.

When orders are added to a pick list, the order status updates to In Picking. To keep the integrity of the pick list, orders In Picking are restricted in the way they can be edited. While In Picking, orders cannot have their warehouse changed, have their products or quantities edited, be reimported, or be split into multiple orders. These limitations are in place to ensure that the products on the order align with the products currently being picked. If you need to make an order edit, remove the order from the pick list first.

Creating a New Pick List

To create a pick list, follow these steps:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Pick.
2. Select the orders for picking.
3. Enter a pick list Reference Number and choose a Picker.
4. Click on the main button Create Pick List.

If you prefer to create multiple pick lists, you can set the default number of orders per pick list. There are three approaches:

• One pick List - Create one large pick list for all selected orders.
• Several pick lists - Break down the orders into smaller, more-manageable pick lists.
• One order, one pick list - Create a separate pick list for each order. This option is ideal for large orders.

To create one large pick list, click on the main button Create Pick List. To access more options, and to set the default number of orders per pick list, follow these steps:

1. Click the down arrow next to the main button.
2. Click on the 3-dot options menu next to Create Multiple Pick Lists.
3. Enter the desired number of orders per pick list. To create a separate pick list for each order, enter 1.
4. Click Save as Default.
5. Finally, click on Create Pick Lists.

Adding Orders to a Pick List

If you forgot to include an order in a pick list, you can add the order to an existing pick list. To do so, follow these steps:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Pick.
2. Select the orders for picking.
3. Click on the down arrow next to the Create Pick List button, and choose Add to Existing Pick List.
4. Select from the list of existing pick lists.
5. Click Add to Pick List.

Remember to print out the pick list again, considering that the products on the pick lists were updated.

Printing a Pick List

Print out the pick list, and use the printed document as a guide during the picking process. To print a pick list, go to the documents icon inside the pick list, and click Print Pick List.

The standard 8x11 pick list template features the following details:

• Pick List Number
• Reference Number
• Warehouse
• Picker Name
• Item Number and Product Name
• Warehouse Location
• Qty on Hand in the given location
• Qty to Pick

You may customize the template design according to the specific requirements of your warehouse. You may add additional fields, adjust the print size, or otherwise modify the layout to meet your unique needs. To edit the design template, follow these steps:

1. From the side menu, go to Settings › Documents.
2. On the upper-right hand corner, click on New Document.
3. For Document Type, select Pick List.
4. For Document Name, enter DefaultPickList, and click Next.
5. Familiarize yourself with the Stimulsoft design tools, and design the document.
6. Save your changes by going to File › Save.

Contact Goflow Support for help with custom document design. A standard fee may apply.

Downloading a Pick List

If you need to send an electronic copy of the printed pick list, you can easily download it as a PDF. The same template used for printing will be applied to generate the PDF version. To download the pick list, follow these steps:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Ship.
2. Select the pick lists to download.
3. Go to Actions › Download Pick Lists.
4. Click on the 3-dot options menu to choose the download options.
5. Select whether to download a single PDF with multiple pages, or to create a zip file with each pick list as a separate PDF.
6. Finally, click Download.

Finding a Pick List

To find a pick list, go to Orders › Ship. By default, the ship bucket is filtered to display only pick lists currently being processed. To view all pick lists, access Filters at the top of the page, and filter for pick lists with a status of Completed. You can further refine your search to view pick lists of a specific warehouse or by a particular picker.

You can also filter the main orders page to find orders associated with a specific pick list. Go to Filters › More Filters › Pick List, and enter the pick list number. Once you select an order, you can access the full pick list. Scroll down to Related Transactions, and click to open its pick list.

Removing Orders from a Pick List

To remove orders from a pick list, follow these steps:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Ship.
2. Open the pick list.
3. Select the order you wish to remove from the pick list.
4. Go to Actions › Remove from Pick List.

You may also remove an order from a pick list by changing its status to Ready To Pick. If all orders were removed from a pick list, the pick list is automatically deleted.

Deleting a Pick List

If you need to start over with a pick list, you can delete it. The orders of the pick list will move back to Ready to Pick.

To delete a pick list, follow these steps:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Ship.
2. Open the pick list you want to delete.
3. Click on Options › Delete Pick List.
4. Confirm Delete Pick List.

Picking the Products

Picking is the process of going through the warehouse and retrieving the products listed on the pick list. There are two methods for recording the products picked:

• All Paper - Use the printed pick list as guide for picking products off the warehouse shelves. Record the quantities picked by applying ink to paper. Afterwards, return to the shipping station to copy the information from the paper record into Goflow.
• Scanner - Use a scanner attached to a portable computer along with the printed pick list. Directly record the quantities picked by scanning each product as it is removed from the shelves.

Picking by Paper Pick List

For warehouses using designated locations, the locations are indicated for each product. The printed pick list is sorted by the primary location. At the bottom of the pick list are listed all products missing a designated location, sorted alphabetically.

When picking is complete, return to the shipping station for check out. Follow these steps to complete picking:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Ship.
2. Open the pick list, and click on Complete Picking.
3. On the Picking Manifest, enter the quantity Picked for each product.
4. Alternatively, select Pick All if everything was picked.
5. Click Save to complete the pick list.

If not all products were picked, the pick list is marked as partially completed. Orders with insufficient picked quantity are placed on hold.

If some orders were removed from a pick list, either through partial completion or by manual removal, the picker may end up with picked products without a corresponding order to pack.

Picking by Paper Pick List with Inventory Locations

For warehouses using inventory locations, the pick list is sorted by the location aisle and bin numbers. If a product needs to be picked from multiple locations, each location is listed on a separate line. This ensures the picker can systematically traverse the warehouse, moving from one location to the next in an organized manner.

For warehouses using inventory locations, products with insufficient stock in any storage location will not be included in the printed pick list. Furthermore, in the case of multi-item orders, the remaining order products will also be left out of the pick list to avoid picking products that cannot be fulfilled.

For products stored at multiple different locations, the pick list chooses the best location guided by three priorities:

• Minimize trips - Save time by picking from the fewest number of locations possible. It's preferable to pick a product from a single location with sufficient quantity rather than from multiple locations, each having only partial quantity.
• Minimize redundancy - Save space by depleting locations with low stock. When two locations both have sufficient quantity, it's preferable to pick from the location with less quantity. This empties the location with low stock, and consolidates the storage of that product into one location.
• Minimize loose unit handling - Enhance picking efficiency by prioritizing boxes over loose units. While it is generally preferable to pick from locations with lower stock, there are exceptions. If higher-stock locations allow picking from sealed boxes, this option is preferred over breaking a box to pick loose units.

To illustrate, consider a product stored in three locations:

• Bin A - 1 unit
• Bin B - 2 units
• Bin C - 3 units

When you need to pick 3 units, Bin C is preferred as it requires a trip to one location only. When you need to pick 2 units, Bin B is preferred because it has less stock than Bin C.

To illustrate whole-box preference, consider a product stored in three locations:

• Bin A - 1 unit
• Bin B - 3 units
• Bin C - 3 units

When you need to pick 4 units, normally Bins A and B would be preferred, as Bin A has the lowest stock. However, if the product's default shipping unit of measure is 2, implying that the product is boxed in units of 2, then Bins B and C are preferred. This allows picking a box of 2 from each location, even though it leaves three locations with one unit each.

A pick list does not reserve inventory locations. Multiple pick lists for the same product may compete for the same locations. It's possible that the picker may not find all the products at their suggested location, if another picker has already picked those products to fulfill another pick list.

Completing Picking with Inventory Locations

When picking is complete, return to the shipping station for check out. Follow these steps to complete picking:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Ship.
2. Open the pick list, and click on Complete Picking.
3. On the Picking Manifest, select the Shipping Location where the inventory will be moved to.
4. Specify the Quantity picked for each product. Alternatively, select Pick All if everything was picked.
5. Enter the storage Location for each product where it was picked from.
6. Click Save to complete the pick list.

Select one of three methods, or a combination of these methods, to enter the storage location where the products were picked from:

• Automatic - For products stored at only one location, click on Auto Select to fill in the locations automatically.
• Manual - Select from one of the available locations where a product is stored. For products picked from multiple locations, enter the quantity for the first location, then click on the plus sign to add another line for the next location.
• QR Code - Every time a pick list is generated, either by printing or downloading it, a unique QR code is included with the pick list. The QR codes contains a list of products along with their suggested locations. If all products were picked according to the locations suggested on the printed pick list, easily complete picking by scanning the QR code. Click on the down arrow next to Auto Select, and click Scan QR of Assigned Locations.

Picking by Scanner

To minimize human error during the picking process, scan the product barcodes as they are removed from the shelves. Scan any product identifier available on the packaging as long as it is associated with the product. Scan a product identifier associated with a unit of measure to pick the quantity of that measure. To pick by scanning, follow these steps:

1. From the side menu, go to Orders › Ship.
2. Open the pick list, and click on Complete Picking.
3. On the Picking Manifest, scan the product barcode to record it as picked.
4. When picking is complete, click Save to complete the pick list.

If the wrong product is mistakenly picked, the system will sound an error beep. Ensure that the computer volume is enabled so that the picker is alerted and can correct the mistake by returning the wrong product and picking the correct one.

If a unit is mistakenly scanned twice, resulting in more units being picked than needed, the system will sound an over-pick warning beep. The Save button is disabled until the over-pick is corrected. Return the extra unit, and manually reduce the quantity.

Picking by Scanner with Inventory Locations

For warehouses that use inventory locations, picking requires a double scan. First, scan the location barcode label, and then scan the product identifier.

To pick additional units of the same product from the same location, simply continue scanning the product barcode; there's no need for another location scan. If you need to change the location, scan the new location barcode first, followed by scanning the product identifier. Similarly, if you're picking a new product, even from the same location, scan the location barcode again and then scan the product identifier.

The location label has a unique QR code that identifies its scan as a location. Goflow will not mistake a location barcode for a product barcode.

If a product is scanned without first scanning its location, the system will sound an error beep. Ensure that the computer volume is enabled so that the picker is alerted and can correct the mistake by scanning the location barcode first, followed by the product barcode again.

If a unit is mistakenly scanned twice, resulting in picking more units than available in that location, the system will sound an over-pick warning beep. The Save button is disabled until the over-pick is corrected. Return the extra unit, and manually reduce the quantity.