STOCK PICKING LIST

HOW TO IMPROVE STOCK PICKING PRODUCTIVITY

Every trading company have different type of warehouse, 40% of the labor cost are spend in the picking area. We will share information on this area and suggest where improvements could be made.

For a warehouse picking operation to be efficient, the office must prepare helpful picking lists. Getting an confirmed order from a customer and rushing it to the warehouse for picking for the handling process.


The office should go through a number of steps in processing paperwork as outlined below. We omit consideration of credit checking, bills of lading and labels in this discussion.


STEPS FOR THE OFFICE
The first step in improving the warehouse is to deduct each item from inventory. If an item is not deducted from inventory, the picker may spend time looking for it. Our experience indicates that an out-of-stock item may take up to 30% more time to look for than one that is in stock. Not only does the picker spend his own time searching, but he may ask other pickers or a supervisor for help or information.

The second step provided by the office should be to prepare a picking list with an exact location for each item. Third, each item on the picking list should be printed in the same sequence as it is located in the warehouse. If there is split picking for broken lots, full cases and full pallet items, the sequence should be broken out separately for each area.

The standard time to pick each order should show on each picking list. In this way the supervisor will be able to schedule the pickers, and the pickers will know the predetermined standards which they should meet or exceed.

When the picking list is prepared, all out-of-stock items should be deleted. This will keep the picker from reading extraneous material and will save time.

There is no one right way to pick. Every situation has to be examined for its peculiarities and special requirements. In a warehouse there are many variables which have an impact on picking. These effects may be positive or may slow up the operation.

ELEMENTS OF PICKING
A number of elements must be considered for effective picking. Generally the first element is to pick up the order. The second element is to read it. The third element is for the picker to go to the first item to be picked. This may either be riding on equipment or walking. The picker then picks that item. The next element might be to make a notation on the pick list. Then, he reads the next item, walks to that location, picks the item, makes a notation on the pick list and repeats this sequence for the balance of the items. After they have been picked, the items are brought back to a central point, laid down, and the order form might be signed or initialed by the picker.

In most manual picking operations, 80% to 85% of the time is spent either walking or riding. The balance of the time is spent studying the order, making notations and doing the actual picking. If we eliminate a good part of the walking or riding we can reduce overall picking time.