Shipping orders

Shipping customer orders involves picking inventory from warehouse bins, verifying quantities, and committing stock deductions. This guide covers the complete outbound workflow in EQUOS, from order creation through dispatch.

Overview of the shipping process

The outbound workflow consists of four stages:

1. Order creation — Create a send order for the customer in Order Manager
2. Picking — Collect items from warehouse bins according to the pick list
3. Verification — Confirm picked quantities match the order
4. Commitment — Finalize the shipment and deduct stock from inventory

Before you begin

Ensure you have:

• A send order created in the Order Manager (see Creating Orders)
• Sufficient stock available in your warehouse
• Access to the Warehouse module
• Customer delivery information confirmed

Step 1: Access the outbound task

1. Navigate to Warehouse from the main menu.
2. Select the warehouse location dispatching the goods.
3. Open the Outbound Tasks tab.
4. Locate the send order you want to fulfill.
5. Click the task to open the outbound picking interface.

The picking interface has two tabs:

• Collect — Pick items from bins and scan barcodes
• Complete — Review and commit stock deductions

Step 2: Review the pick list

The Collect tab displays all items required for the order:

Understanding the pick list

Each line item shows:

• SKU — Product code
• Product Name — Item description
• Order Qty — Quantity the customer ordered
• Picked Qty — Quantity you’ve picked so far
• Bin — Suggested bin location (after auto-allocation)

Sort the pick list

Organize items for efficient picking:

1. Click the Sort dropdown at the top of the screen.
2. Choose a sort mode:
   • Bin — Group by location for warehouse route optimization
   • SKU — Alphabetical by product code
   • Product — Alphabetical by product name
3. Toggle Ascending or Descending order.

Sorting by bin minimizes travel distance when picking.

Step 3: Allocate bins and pick items

Assign stock to pick from specific bin locations:

Option A: Auto-allocate bins

For standard orders where stock is available:

1. Click Auto Allocate at the top of the screen.
2. The system automatically assigns bins based on stock availability and allocation strategy (FIFO, bin priority, etc.).
3. Review suggested bin assignments.

Auto-allocation saves time and optimizes picks based on your warehouse configuration.

Option B: Manual picking

For custom picks or when auto-allocation needs adjustment:

1. Tap a line item to open the manual pick screen.
2. Review available bins showing stock for that SKU.
3. Enter the quantity to pick from each bin.
4. Click Save to record the pick.

Manual picking gives you full control over which bins to deplete.

Barcode scanning workflow

EQUOS supports barcode scanning for fast picking:

1. Click the Scan floating action button.
2. Scan the product barcode or bin location barcode.
3. The system matches the scan to items on the pick list.
4. The manual pick screen opens for that item.
5. Confirm the quantity and save.

Scanning reduces errors and speeds up the picking process.

Step 4: Verify picked quantities

As you pick items, the system tracks progress:

Pick completion tracking

The stats header at the top displays:

• Total Lines — Number of items on the order
• Picked Lines — Items with full quantity picked
• Partially Picked — Items with some quantity picked
• Unpicked Lines — Items not yet started

Aim to complete all lines before committing.

Adjusting picked quantities

If you need to change a pick:

1. Tap the line item again to reopen the pick screen.
2. Adjust the quantity for any bin.
3. Save your changes.

You can also clear all picks if you need to restart:

1. Click Clear All in the header.
2. Confirm the action to reset all picked quantities.

Handling stock shortages

If you can’t fulfill the full order:

• Pick the available quantity from your bins
• Leave the remaining quantity unpicked
• The system records a partial pick for that line

Document shortages in task notes or notify the customer of backorders.

Step 5: Complete the shipment

Once all items are picked, finalize the order:

Review the shipment

1. Switch to the Complete tab.
2. Review the commit section showing:
   • Total items picked
   • Bin allocations
   • Any validation warnings

Commit stock deductions

1. Click Commit Stock to finalize the shipment.
2. Confirm the action in the dialog that appears.
3. The system validates all items have picked quantities and bin assignments.

The commit operation:

• Deducts stock from assigned bins
• Marks the task as completed
• Creates an audit trail entry
• Updates customer order status

Post-commit status

After committing:

• The task status changes to Committed
• A timestamp records when the shipment was finalized
• Stock quantities are reduced in your warehouse
• The order is ready for packing and dispatch

Undo a committed shipment

If you need to reverse a shipment:

1. Return to the Complete tab.
2. Click Undo Commit in the committed status section.
3. Confirm the undo action.

Undoing restores stock to bins and reopens the task for editing. Use this carefully, especially after physical dispatch.

Advanced shipping workflows

Partial shipments

To ship part of an order:

1. Pick only the available items.
2. Commit the picked quantities.
3. Leave unpicked items on the order for later fulfillment.

The original send order tracks remaining quantities for backorder processing.

Multi-bin picks

When stock is spread across multiple bins:

1. Open the manual pick screen for an item.
2. Pick quantities from multiple bins (e.g., 5 from BIN-A, 10 from BIN-B).
3. The system totals picked quantity across all bins.

Multi-bin picking automatically happens when auto-allocate selects multiple locations.

Batch picking

For high-volume operations picking multiple orders:

1. Create separate outbound tasks for each order.
2. Sort all tasks by bin location.
3. Pick items for multiple orders in a single warehouse pass.
4. Return to each task and commit individually.

Batch picking improves efficiency when processing many orders simultaneously.

Transfer orders

When moving stock between warehouses:

1. The sending warehouse processes an outbound task.
2. The receiving warehouse processes an inbound task.
3. Both tasks link to the same transfer order.

Commit the outbound task before the receiving warehouse can process the inbound receipt.

Packing and labeling

After committing the shipment, prepare for dispatch:

Book freight and print labels

EQUOS integrates with freight carriers for streamlined shipping:

1. Return to your send order in Order Management.
2. Click Create Task and select Freight.
3. Get quotes from multiple carriers instantly.
4. Select the best quote and book the consignment.
5. Download and print the shipping label.

See Booking freight from orders for the complete walkthrough.

Manual shipping

If you’re using carriers outside EQUOS:

• Use your carrier’s platform for label generation
• Record the tracking number on the order for reference
• Update order status manually when dispatched

Validation rules

The system validates outbound tasks before allowing commitment:

Required fields

• At least one item with a picked quantity greater than zero
• Bin allocation for every picked line item
• Valid warehouse location selected

Validation warnings

• Unpicked items — Lines with zero picked quantity (partial shipments allowed)
• Insufficient stock — Bins without enough inventory for the pick
• Duplicate bin picks — Multiple picks from the same bin for the same item

Address validation errors before committing. Warnings may be acknowledged if intentional.

Tips and best practices

1. Auto-allocate for efficiency — Let the system suggest bins for routine orders to save time.
2. Sort by bin location — Optimize warehouse travel by grouping picks by area.
3. Use barcode scanning — Scan products to minimize picking errors and speed up fulfillment.
4. Pick in batches — Group multiple orders and pick by location for high-volume operations.
5. Review before committing — Verify picked quantities and bins; undoing commits after dispatch causes issues.
6. Document shortages — Add notes if you’re shipping partial quantities due to stock limitations.
7. Clear picks when needed — Use the Clear All button to reset if you need to restart picking.

Related documentation

• Booking freight from orders — Get quotes and print shipping labels
• Creating Orders — How to create send orders
• Warehouse module — Warehouse operations overview
• Order Manager module — Managing customer and transfer orders
• Inventory module — Stock tracking and availability
• Transport module — Managing freight consignments