Batch picking means picking several sales orders in one round and sorting the items straight into a separate bin per order. In the Barcode Scan App for Exact Online you do this with the Out multiple function: useful for web shops, wholesalers and warehouses with many small orders.
In short:
- You select several open sales orders from Exact Online and pick them in one round.
- If an item is on several orders, you see one line with the total quantity.
- Below each line the Batchpicking block shows one bin per order: Bin 1 #order number – quantity.
- After submitting, the app creates one goods delivery per deliver-to customer in Exact Online.
- Batch and serial items are not issued via Out multiple.
- Out multiple is part of the Advanced subscription.
What is batch picking?
With regular order picking you walk a separate round through the warehouse for every order. With batch picking you bundle a number of orders and walk only once. For each item you pick the total that all orders need together. Because you divide the items over the bins while you walk, this method is also called sort-while-pick or pick-and-sort: at the end of the round every order is already complete in its own bin.
In the app the function is called Out multiple. A detailed description of the screen is on multiple outgoing orders. This page explains how to use that function for batch picking with bins.
When do you use batch picking?
- Many small orders with one or a few lines, as in a web shop. One round for ten orders instead of ten rounds.
- The same items on several orders: you pick the total from the location at once.
- Several orders for the same customer: they end up in one goods delivery and you can print one packing slip.
- Fixed picking moments, for example one round for all orders that have to ship today.
For large orders with many lines, picking per order via outgoing goods is often clearer.
How batch picking works in the app
Step 1: Enable Out multiple
Out multiple is not in the menu by default. In Settings under Menu, tick Out multiple.
Step 2: Select the orders
Open Out multiple. You see the open sales orders of the warehouse you are working in, with order number, customer, order date, delivery date and status. Click the orders you want to pick in one round; they turn green. Press Next.
Step 3: Pick and sort into bins
You get one picking screen for all selected orders. Each item appears once, with the total quantity to deliver. Below the line is the Batchpicking block with one line per order, for example:
- Bin 1 #10452 – 2 pcs
- Bin 2 #10457 – 5 pcs
If the order has a reference, you see it after the order number. So place a numbered bin on your cart for every order, scan the item and put the listed quantity into each bin.
Step 4: Submit and distribute
Press Submit. If the picked quantity per item matches what the orders need, the app continues straight away. If you picked a different quantity of an item that is on several orders, for example because there was not enough stock, an intermediate screen appears. Per order you see the quantity To be issued and you divide the quantity with the plus and minus buttons.
Step 5: Goods deliveries in Exact Online
The app creates one goods delivery per deliver-to customer in Exact Online. Orders that go to the same customer are combined into one delivery; orders for different customers each get their own delivery. The orders and stock in the app are then refreshed.
Settings and packing slip
- Show batch picking: in Settings under Out, at Sales order lines, a checkbox turns the block with the bins on or off when issuing multiple sales orders. It is on by default.
- Packing slip of multiple goods deliveries: select a customer, select the goods deliveries and print one packing slip for everything that goes to that customer. Enable this function in Settings under Menu. Read more on printing packing slips.
- If every order picker should use their own account on a shared scanner, read how to log in securely with Exact Online.
Limitations
- Batch and serial items are not issued via Out multiple. The app shows the message Batch and serial items are not supported. These items will not be issued. Pick these orders one by one via the Out screen.
- Out multiple and the Packing slip of multiple goods deliveries require an Advanced subscription.
Comparison with other ways of picking
- Picking per order via Out: one order per round, with support for batch and serial numbers. Combine it with a picking route along the storage locations.
- Paper Pick list: a printable list per sales order with a QR code of the order number, the quantities to deliver and the storage locations. Useful if you do not (yet) work with scanners. The Pick list is also included in the Basic subscription.
- Assigning orders: with assign sales orders you divide the work over several order pickers.
More tips for a faster picking round are in speed up order picking.
Frequently asked questions
What is batch picking?
With batch picking you pick several sales orders in one round through the warehouse. You pick the total quantity of each item for all orders and immediately divide it over one bin per order (sort-while-pick). In the Barcode Scan App you do this with the Out multiple function.
Can I pick multiple orders at once with Exact Online?
Yes. With Out multiple in the Barcode Scan App you select several sales orders from Exact Online and pick them in one go. Items that appear on several orders are shown as one line with the total quantity. After submitting, the app creates the goods deliveries in Exact Online.
How do I know which item goes into which bin?
Below every item line you see the Batchpicking block. Each order gets its own bin with a number, the order number, your reference if there is one, and the quantity, for example Bin 2 #1234 - 3 pcs. You put that quantity into that bin.
How many goods deliveries does the app create in Exact Online?
The app creates one goods delivery per deliver-to customer. Orders that go to the same customer are combined into one delivery. Orders for different deliver-to customers each get their own delivery.
Does batch picking work with batch and serial numbers?
No. Batch and serial items are not issued via Out multiple; the app shows a message about this. Process orders with these items through the regular Out screen, one order at a time.
Which subscription do I need for batch picking?
Out multiple and the Packing slip of multiple goods deliveries are part of the Advanced subscription. The paper Pick list is also available in the Basic subscription.