Picking Ticket
A picking ticket, also known as a picking slip or pick ticket, is a document used in the order fulfillment process in a warehouse or distribution center. It provides information on the items that need to be picked from inventory to fulfill a specific customer order.
A picking ticket typically includes:
- Order information: The customer’s order number and sometimes the customer’s name or other identifying information.
- Item details: A list of the items to be picked, including item numbers, descriptions, and quantities.
- Location details: Information on where each item is located in the warehouse (bin numbers, shelf locations, etc.). This helps the warehouse staff find the items efficiently.
Once the items on the picking ticket have been gathered, they are usually checked against the ticket to ensure accuracy, then packaged and shipped to the customer.
The use of picking tickets helps warehouses manage order fulfillment in an organized and efficient manner, reducing errors and improving customer service. Picking tickets can be paper-based or digital, as part of a warehouse management system (WMS).
Example of a Picking Ticket
Let’s consider an example with an online retail company called eShop.
A customer places an order for three items: a book, a coffee mug, and a pair of headphones.
- Order Processing: Once the customer’s order is processed, the system generates a picking ticket. This ticket includes the customer’s order number (e.g., #123456), the list of items ordered with their descriptions and quantities (e.g., 1x “Mystery Novel”, 1x “Ceramic Coffee Mug”, and 1x “Wireless Headphones”), and the locations of these items in the warehouse (e.g., Aisle 2, Bin 5 for the book, Aisle 6, Bin 10 for the mug, and Aisle 9, Bin 3 for the headphones).
- Item Picking: A warehouse worker, equipped with the picking ticket and a cart, goes to the specified locations in the warehouse and picks the items listed on the ticket.
- Checking and Packing: After collecting all items, the worker checks them against the picking ticket to ensure that all items are correct and accounted for. Once confirmed, the items are packed into a box for shipping.
- Shipping: The packed box is sent to the shipping department, where the shipping label is attached, and the order is dispatched for delivery to the customer.
In this way, the picking ticket guides the warehouse worker through the process of fulfilling the customer’s order, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. It’s worth noting that in many modern warehouses, picking tickets are digital and may be part of a barcode or radio-frequency identification (RFID) system to further improve accuracy and speed.
