Picking orders without paper
With 150 orders per day, that’s at least 150 sheets of paper. By the end of the day, they all end up in the recycling bin. That’s wasteful, and it’s not necessary. With warehouse software, you can pick orders entirely without paper. Less paper and ink saves unnecessary costs, and it's better for the environment too.
We see more and more warehouses making the switch to paperless picking—and we’re big supporters of that change. Here’s why.
Why go paperless when picking orders
- Digital workflows are much more flexible. While picking, you can view product information, make changes, and add comments. Your teammates can see updates right away. With paper, that’s not so easy. For example, if picklists are printed in the morning, it becomes difficult for customer service to make changes or leave a note later.
- When walking through your warehouse with a stack of picklists, you have to be careful not to mix them up or lose a sheet. With paperless picking, you don’t have to worry about that. Just make sure your battery is charged ;-)
- Tasks are presented step by step on your screen. You follow the instructions, without searching through paper. This makes it easy for anyone to get started—even if they’re new or not very tech-savvy. That said, we believe the software should be simple and guide users step by step.
What do you need?
The most important thing is a mobile device. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. A phone or tablet that can open a picklist is often enough. If you want to verify products while in the warehouse, use a mobile scanner. In smaller warehouses where everything is within reach of the packing table, you could use a wireless barcode scanner connected to a computer. Just make sure your products have barcodes to scan.
A digital list of items to pick can be as simple as opening a webshop order on your phone. But if you’re using warehouse management software (like Picqer) or an ERP system, you unlock many more possibilities. You can not only generate digital picklists, but also guide your warehouse team from task to task.
Making the transition
It might not be realistic for every warehouse to quit using paper overnight. Reducing paper step by step works too. For example, group several orders into a single batch. That way, you print fewer picklists—and it also reduces walking distance. At the very least, make sure anything you do on paper is also recorded digitally. That way, your team stays in sync.
Picking paperless with Picqer
Paperless picking is easy with Picqer. You open the picklist in the Picqer app and collect the items in your warehouse. Back at the packing table, you check off the picked products on your computer, or scan each barcode to let Picqer verify the items. You can also use a mobile scanner to check products right at the shelf.
Want to try paperless picking with Picqer? Create a trial account and use Picqer free for 14 days.
