Picking

Picking is the warehouse activity where an operator walks the aisles (or drives a forklift) to collect the exact SKUs and quantities specified on an order or indent. It is typically the most labour-intensive and error-prone step in warehouse fulfilment. In Indian FMCG godowns, picking is often done manually from floor-stacked pallets, and a single picker may handle 200-400 cases per hour depending on the product category and warehouse layout.

Picking accuracy, the percentage of lines picked without error, directly impacts downstream costs. A wrong SKU or quantity discovered at the retailer means a reverse logistics trip, a credit note, and a dissatisfied outlet. Best-in-class FMCG warehouses in India target 99.5%+ picking accuracy. For short shelf-life products, pickers must also follow FEFO discipline, always picking the nearest-expiry batch first.

A WMS digitises picking by generating pick lists sorted by warehouse zone and aisle, guiding the picker through an optimal walk path. Barcode or QR scanning at each pick confirms the right product and batch, eliminating manual errors and feeding real-time progress to the dispatch team.