The phrases “picking” and “packing” are fundamentally linked inside any logistics, storage, and distribution service, so we at MyXBorder will start by defining each one to grasp the synergy between them in terms of parcel services.
Table of Contents
Picking
It is the preparation of the order, that is, the collection, selection, or collection of the product, from its storage and computer system to its destination with the aim of improving the quality of the service in terms of time, space, and efficiency.
It is a very important task for the storage of the product, which can make it stand out in front of customers; it includes all the activities necessary to collect the product according to quality criteria.
That the product reaches its destination in the best way is what makes the difference to customers and this is achieved with an order that arrives on time, is easy to identify, without errors, and is optimally packaged.
Within the preparation of the order, the fundamental elements are:
Warehouse Management System
Manages all the operations that are executed in a warehouse: reception, location, preparation, and loading, the difference between one and the other is in the efficiency and reduction of errors in the handling of the product.
Collection in Storage Areas
This process begins with the instructions given to the operator, which must be precise and clear depending on the product, so there must be a logistic file that indicates the complete description of the product that must be taken into account to pack it and transport it.
Consolidation of the Dispatch Area
When there are recently stored products in an order and others that have been stored for a longer time, it is possible to renew the containers of those that have been stored for a longer time in order to give a better image of the dispatch of products.
Akshat, owner of Anvisha banarasi saree store told us that- earlier picking was done manually, with the operator collecting the product from the warehouse; currently, there are automated systems to move the products from the warehouse to the order picker’s workplace.
Picking phases
Preparation
- Data collection and delivery of classified orders.
- Preparation of forklifts, carts, and pallets, among others.
Tour
- From the place of operations to the location of the product.
- From the first location, point to the following ones.
- Return to the place of operations.
Extraction
- Height positioning, counting, excess return.
- Location within the displacement element (forklift, pallets, or cart).
Conditioning Verification
- Control, packaging, conditioning in boxes, sealing, weighing, and labeling (PACKING ).
- Transfer to destination, dispatch areas and classification by carriers.
- Packing preparation
Packing
It is everything that involves the packaging, taking into account the physical and chemical aspects of the product and the final presentation for the consumer, distributor, or supply chain.
Good Packing and planning are given by the ability to add or consolidate products with the same characteristics in the same package, saving space, time, and money.
Relationship between PICKING and PACKING
Although they are different processes, they are related since Picking prepares the order before it is packed. Both are integrated into the following steps:
- Reception of the order.
- Introduction to the system.
- Confirmation of the route to optimize the
- Collection of the products of the order and organized according to the
- Product packaging ( Packing ).
- Billing indicates destination, weight, and price.
- Organization of orders by pallets according to destination.
As per the ExFrO– The main characteristic of both processes is the intensity of labor, which is why many companies seek to mechanize or automate them since it is a determining point in productivity in the supply chain.
In addition, it is necessary to optimize Picking since 50% of the operating costs of the warehouse and, therefore, of the parcel are related to the preparation of the order (PICKING), and more than 50% of the time is occupied by the movement of products that often do not have the expected productivity.
On the other hand, it is added that modern supply chains are currently subject to market volatility, the demands of electronic commerce, or long-tail-based business models.
Warehouse and Picking
Undoubtedly, the activities of the warehouses have changed considerably in recent years, previously the orders were much larger and the stock was much larger. At present, the orders are smaller and the stock is stored by the manufacturers.
This requires that the warehouses must be more operational and provide more quality to the parcel process, with an efficient and fast service.
The characteristics of the warehouse are decisive for order preparation (picking) and its packaging (packing), including:
- There must be maximum use of physical space in order to store the largest amount of merchandise
- Ease of access to stock
- The flexibility is achieved through free spaces, which allow the storage of seasonal campaigns.
Picking allows the coordination of shelves, forklifts, organizational methods, and information technology to be achieved in the warehouse in order to improve productivity and, on the other hand, reduce errors in order distribution, achieving total customer satisfaction.
Most used picking strategies
There are various picking strategies and technologies that are adapted according to the type of product, warehouse design, and rotation of each organization. This is a very important factor when choosing a technology or strategy, not being dazzled by the advances and benefits that they can offer us but by the direct benefits according to the named characteristics (product, warehouse, and rotation).
Among the most popular and that adapt to the needs of common organizations are those that we will detail below:
Pick to light is an automatic system connected and monitored by a Warehouse Management System for the preparation of orders where paper is consumed. On each of the shelves, there is a display that lights up and indicates the number of units to be extracted.
In this case, Picking begins when the operator reads the EPC code of the box where the order must be stored. Once the reading is done, the lights on the displays come on.
Put to light is a process reverse of the previous one; each box containing the order has a display that lights up when the operator picks up the product, indicating where to store it.
Pick to Voice is a technology that guides the operator through a headset and microphone system, which indicates the number of units to pick up and their location. This technology considerably saves time on product location, eliminating unnecessary routes in the extraction of the product.
The parcel is immersed in these two processes that, when carried out correctly, following its principles and phases, according to the type of warehouse and organization, increase productivity, improving the experience of the customer who feels satisfied with their product.
Through Picking and Packing, errors in order delivery are reduced, and inventory is managed correctly through dispatch control and product rotation.
