In many warehouses, paper pick lists are still the norm. Employees print a list, walk through the warehouse, cross off items, and enter the data into the system afterwards. This process is not only time-consuming but also error-prone. In this article, we show you how to make the switch to mobile scanning and what benefits it delivers.
The limitations of paper pick lists
Paper pick lists have served their purpose for years, but have serious limitations in a modern warehouse environment:
- Double administration: First the list is printed, then manually checked off, and finally the data must be entered back into the system. Each manual step introduces the chance of errors.
- No real-time inventory: While an employee is picking, the system still shows the stock as available. This can lead to overselling and disappointed customers.
- Limited verification: A paper list cannot verify whether the correct item has been picked. Wrong items, wrong quantities, or mixed-up orders are only discovered at the customer.
- Inefficient walking routes: Paper lists often follow the order of the sales order, not the optimal walking route through the warehouse.
The advantages of mobile scanning
By switching to mobile scanning with the Barcode Scan App, you solve all of these problems:
Real-time inventory processing
As soon as an item is scanned and picked, the inventory in Exact Online is updated immediately. Other employees and the sales team always see the current available stock. This prevents overselling and double picks.
Automatic item verification
When scanning an item, the app automatically checks whether this item is on the pick list. Scan the wrong item? You receive an immediate warning. This prevents wrong products from being shipped.
Location guidance
The Barcode Scan App shows exactly which storage location you need to visit. By scanning the location barcode, you confirm you are at the correct spot. Items are grouped by location, so you follow an efficient route through the warehouse.
Multi-order picking
One of the biggest time savings comes from multi-order picking. Instead of walking through the warehouse separately for each order, the app combines multiple orders into one optimised pick round. Items needed for different orders but stored at the same location are picked in one go.
Reducing pick errors
Pick errors are expensive. Not only due to the direct costs of returns and corrections, but also through loss of customer satisfaction. The most common pick errors are:
- Wrong item: An item that looks similar to the correct product is accidentally picked.
- Wrong quantity: More or fewer units are picked than ordered.
- Wrong batch: For batch items, the wrong batch is selected, which can lead to FIFO/FEFO issues.
- Mixed-up orders: Items end up with the wrong order.
With barcode scanning, all these errors are prevented. The scanner verifies the item, the app checks the quantity, and for batch items the correct batch is automatically suggested based on FIFO or FEFO.
Time savings in practice
The time savings when switching from paper to digital picking are substantial. In practice, we see the following improvements:
- 30-50% faster picking: By eliminating manual administration and following optimised walking routes.
- 80% less post-processing: No more manual data entry after picking, everything is processed in real time.
- 90% fewer pick errors: Through automatic item verification and location confirmation.
- Faster onboarding: New employees can pick independently more quickly because the app guides them through the process.
Getting started with digital picking
The switch from paper to mobile scanning does not have to be complicated. With the Barcode Scan App for Exact Online, you can start within a day:
- Install the Barcode Scan App on a smartphone or Android scanner.
- Connect the app to your Exact Online administration.
- Open a sales order and start scanning.
No complex configuration is needed. The app works directly with your existing items, barcodes, and storage locations in Exact Online. Want to use multi-order picking? Simply select multiple orders and the app does the rest.