tcMultiPicking: The multi-order picking software

tcMultiPicking is the multi-order picking software of the "Toucan-WMS" warehouse management system. It is a mobile application that runs on a mobile terminal with an integrated barcode reader or on an Android mobile device with a camera that acts as a barcode reader (PDA, tablet or cell phone).

In the case of small volume orders and/or small quantities, it can be interesting to prepare several orders at the same time in order to reduce the preparation time and the operator's movements. The articles of the different orders are then picked in a single pass in the warehouse.

Multi-order picking can be carried out in two different ways: Either by first picking all the articles of the concerned orders in bulk followed by a sorting step to group the articles by order, or by sorting by order during the picking of the articles. In this case, the operator is equipped with a preparation cart comprising several deposit bins in order to group the articles picked from each order.



tcMultiPicking allows the operator to select the orders to be picked simultaneously or defines automatically the batch of orders to be picked using a predefined algorithm:

• FIFO (First in, first out)
• In order of priority
• By quantity of items to be picked in the order
• etc...
  
  

Main features of tcMultiPicking :

• Preparer identification with personal badge
• Manual or automatic grouping of order batches
• Automatic grouping of items and sequencing of the picking phase
• Automatic loading of the details of the order to be prepared
• Definition of the items picking sequence and optimization of the picking path in the warehouse
• Display of the items to be picked: reference number, description, quantity, location, order concerned
• Entry of additional data during the item picking: Expiration date, batch number, traceability of pallets/packages, weight, etc...
• Confirmation of picking by reading the item barcode
• Automatic consideration of logistic units (LU): Several barcodes corresponding to physical groupings of the same item in different quantities
• Detection of picking errors when scanning items
• Orders quantity can be adjusted according to the used picking cart
• Indication of the deposit box for each item
• Possibility of suspending the order picking in progress in view of a later resumption
• Possibility to force the validation of an order in the case of an item not available in stock
• Validation of the order with detection of missing items
• Individual closure of the preparation of each order (order released, forced or put on hold)
• Automatic update of inventory status