Batch picking

Picking cart with labeled bins for batch picking

Batch picking lets you pick items for several orders in a single pass through your warehouse, instead of walking the same route once per order. Every order is still barcode-checked before it ships.

This guide covers the two picking modes, how to run your first batch, and how to manage batches day to day.

Choose a picking mode

When you start a batch, you choose how you want to pick it:

  • Pick list — Pick everything from one combined list, then check and ship each order by scanning as usual. No setup required. Optionally, give each order a numbered tote so you can keep items separate as you pick.
  • Guided picking — Scanpacker walks you through the pick item by item: you scan each product, then scan the labelled cart slot it goes into. Requires a picking cart with barcode-labelled slots (a one-time setup).

If you’re new to batch picking, start with pick list mode. It needs no setup, and every order still goes through the normal fulfillment checking step. Move to guided picking when you want scan verification during the pick itself.

Your first batch (pick list mode)

There’s nothing to set up — you can run a pick list batch right away:

  1. Go to the Orders page and click Batch pick. To pick specific orders together, tick their checkboxes first. Otherwise, the oldest pending orders are added automatically.
  2. Choose the number of orders for the batch.
  3. Leave Pick list selected and click Start Batch.

[Screenshot: Start Batch Picking dialog showing the picking mode options]

Scanpacker combines the orders into a single pick list, sorted by storage location so you can walk your warehouse in one pass. Each line shows the location, product, SKU, total quantity, and which orders need that item. You can also print the pick list from the batch header if you prefer picking from paper.

  1. Pick everything on the list, then click Mark all picked.
  2. Click Check next order to check and ship each order in turn, or Scan order number to ship… to jump to a specific order. Each order goes through the usual checking workflow, so nothing ships without being scanned.

Assigning totes

If you want to keep each order’s items separate while you pick, tick Assign totes when starting the batch. Each order is given a numbered tote, shown on the pick list next to the order name and on the batch’s order list.

Totes don’t need labels or barcodes — the numbers are just a guide for sorting items into containers as you pick. Any bins, trays, or boxes will do.

Guided picking

In guided picking, each order in the batch gets a dedicated slot on your picking cart, and Scanpacker directs the whole pick scan by scan: it tells you what to pick, you scan the item to confirm it’s the right one, then you scan the slot you put it in. Orders can then be shipped straight from their slots.

One-time setup

You’ll need a picking cart with a labelled slot for each order in a batch — see Picking cart setup for cart ideas. Then, in Scanpacker:

  1. Go to Settings → Batch Picking.
  2. Set your default Batch size (how many orders per batch, e.g. 8).
  3. Enter your slot names (e.g. A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3).
    • Each name must be unique, and you need at least as many slots as your batch size.
  4. Click Print Batch Slot Labels and attach the printed barcode labels to the bins or totes on your cart.

Optionally, turn on Batch pick require location scan to also require scanning the storage location of each item during picking.

Picking

Start a batch as before, but choose Guided picking as the mode. Then click Enter guided picking and follow the prompts for each item:

  1. Scan the storage location (only if you’ve turned on location scanning).
  2. Scan the product barcode to confirm you have the right item. The quantity counter increases with each scan — scan once per unit.
  3. Scan the slot barcode for the order the item belongs to.

The screen highlights the scan it expects next, and moves to the next item automatically. When every item has been visited, picking finishes and the batch is ready to ship.

If something doesn’t go to plan mid-pick:

  • Not enough stock? Scan the quantity you do have, then choose Part-pick this item from the item menu (☰). You can top the order up later or ship it partially.
  • Item unavailable? Choose Skip this item from the item menu (☰) to move on. The item stays unpicked.
  • To finish a batch that still has skipped or part-picked items, choose Finish picking (partial) from the batch menu.

Shipping a guided batch

Once picking is finished:

  1. Click Ship batch slot….
  2. Scan a slot’s barcode label — that order’s shipping screen opens.
  3. Complete shipping as usual, then scan the next slot.

Orders with part-picked items are marked (part-picked). You can ship them as partial shipments, or go back and complete the picking first.

Orders with multiple fulfillment groups

If an order has multiple fulfillment groups, batch picking adds one fulfillment group per order to the batch. The remaining fulfillment groups for that order can be picked separately — either in a later batch or by checking the order directly.

Managing batches

The Batches page lists your batches by status:

  • Open — Currently being picked.
  • Picked — Picking complete, ready to check and ship.
  • Closed — All orders shipped.

Each batch has a number (starting at 500) and is assigned to the user who created it. Other users can view an open batch but not pick it — they’ll see “Batch assigned to [name]”.

From the batch menu you can also:

  • Finish picking — Complete picking early, even if some items are unpicked.
  • Reset all picking — Set all picked quantities back to zero and start again (guided batches).
  • Reopen for picking — Return a picked batch to open so you can resume picking.
  • Discard Batch — Delete the batch. Its orders return to the pending orders list.

Tips

  • Set up storage locations for your products so the pick list follows your warehouse route.
  • Common batch sizes are 6–12 orders. For guided picking, you need a cart slot for every order in the batch.
  • Use order tags to filter the order list before batching, so similar orders — same carrier, same deadline, same product range — are picked together.

Requirements

  • Batch picking is available on plans that include the feature.
  • A barcode scanner or camera scanning is needed for checking orders, and for guided picking.
  • Guided picking requires a picking cart with barcode-labelled slots.