Multipicking - an effective method for higher profits and more effective warehouse work

An efficient and precise process of picking and shipping orders has a major influence on the productivity, reputation and profits of the warehouse. In the event that there is a large number of small orders, this process can become seriously imbalanced, with delays to dispatches, a smaller number of orders completed, and mistakes arising from haste and imprecision. This process can be streamlined, however, by implementing a warehouse management system and applying the multipicking solution. This is an innovative method of grouping goods for a larger number of customers at the same time.

Multipicking – order picking goes by different names

Streamlining order picking, and thus the process of preparing dispatches, ensures that the company’s warehouse will function more productively and therefore more cheaply. Completion of an order begins with the preparation of a list of goods to be sent, and ends with the box, ready for shipping, being addressed. This means that a warehouse worker has to locate, sort and then place the goods in the box and tick them off the list. With smaller orders, where each one is realised individually, warehouse costs can even exceed profits. This is why it is necessary to introduce solutions which not only speed up work, but also enable all errors to be eliminated, such as wrongly shipped goods.

Time has a major role to play here, as many online shops or companies which sell online wish to guarantee their customers the quickest possible delivery of the products ordered. Multipicking comes to the rescue, with the operator able to prepare over a dozen different orders at the same time. Automation of processes of this type allows the entirety of the process to be controlled. By implementing the right software, e.g. WMS EasyStorage, the operator will not only be informed which items should be packed in which box, but also of the planned route, to reduce the time needed to locate products to an absolute minimum.

Make your work easier with the right grouping of goods.

Completing a larger number of small orders is a rather complex and problematic process. The warehouse employee must seek out the given goods each time, complete the order and pass it on to the packing or shipping area. Where there is a large amount of orders, this mechanism significantly extends the completion time of orders, and also results in mistakes being made when individual packages are being completed. This is why multipicking is a very good solution for warehouses processing large numbers of small orders, and for companies guaranteeing express delivery. Individual orders are aggregated into one list, and grouped in such a way that the employee crossing the warehouse can realise more orders simultaneously and in a shorter time. The warehouse employee with the terminal confirms that the product has been located and completed. Products can be divided into orders by the operator (e.g. by physically dividing the basket into 4 parts or by placing a couple of trays on a pallet jack), or the actual separation may be done in the control/packing area.

To sum up: instead of carrying each individual task into the packing area, the employee can correctly complete a larger number of orders to be sent all at once to the packing area.

How does multipicking work?

Let’s say you run an online shop selling perfume, and you receive several dozen orders a day. You promise shipping within 24 hours. Warehouse staff have to print out a list and pack one or, at most, a few products into each box. Now you're wondering how to organise everything in order to:

  • avoid complaints due to wrongly or incompletely sorted goods,
  • provide a high level of service, including by maintaining express shipping deadlines,
  • limit the number of employees in order to generate the lowest possible costs of running the warehouse.

All you need to do is implement a warehouse management system, WMS, and the process of completing smaller orders will follow the principles of multipicking.

Using barcodes to mark not only products, but also rows and locations in the warehouse, makes it easier to separate orders. The operator is informed by a special app which products he should pack in which boxes. There is no room for errors or mistakes here. Everything is verified and confirmed in the system.

Your benefits from multipicking

There is no doubt that this type of solution increases the working efficiency and effectiveness of every warehouse, even smaller ones. Multipicking is not just a matter of saving time and eliminating the errors often encountered by companies managing warehouses. Multipicking also greatly eases movement around warehouses which have a large amount of smaller goods in a smaller space. Finding individual items here and completing them in the right way involves dedicating a lot of time or employing supplementary staff.