Batch Picking
What this workflow does
Batch picking lets warehouse users pick several ecommerce orders in one trip through the warehouse, then pack and ship each order separately.
Instead of walking the floor once per order, Teamship:
- Groups eligible open orders into a batch
- Combines the SKUs across those orders and totals the quantity needed
- Chooses the best pick location for each SKU
- Sequences the picks so the picker travels the shortest path
Each batch receives a batch ID and is tracked in the Batches directory until every order in it is closed.
Types of batches
Teamship supports three batch types. Each is suited to a different order profile.
| Batch type | Orders it accepts | Totes | Picking | Packing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-item | Orders containing one SKU | One tote for the whole batch | Mobile or web | Web only |
| Multi-item | Orders containing more than one SKU | One tote per order | Mobile or web | Web only |
| Custom | Any open orders you select | No totes | Auto-pick from a printed pick list | Web only |
When to use each type
- Single-item — High volumes of one-SKU orders (for example, a popular product shipping to many customers). Everything goes into one tote and is sorted at the pack station.
- Multi-item — Orders with several SKUs that must be kept separate during picking. Each order has its own tote, so no sorting is needed at packing.
- Custom — You want to hand-pick exactly which orders go together (for example, all orders for one carrier, cart or ship date), using filters on the ecommerce order directory.
Order eligibility
An order can be added to a batch only if it:
- Is in Open status
- Is not already part of another batch
- Does not contain any SKU that needs replenishment (stock not available in a picking location)
Additional rules by batch type:
- Single-item — The order must contain exactly one SKU.
- Multi-item — The order must contain more than one SKU (any quantity).
- Custom — All orders in the batch must ship from the same warehouse. Orders containing kits are eligible only if every child SKU is available in a picking location.
⚠️ Orders that need replenishment are excluded from single-item and multi-item batches automatically. In a custom batch, selecting such an order shows a Review SKUs popup listing the SKUs that need replenishment, with a Replenish option that opens Product Relocate with the SKU and quantity prefilled.
Warehouse settings
Batch behaviour is controlled from the warehouse detail page, in the ecommerce section under Group Orders setting for Batch Picking.
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Combine multiple customer orders (single-item) | When on, one batch can contain orders from several customers. |
| Combine multiple customer orders (multi-item) | Same as above, for multi-item batches. |
Both settings are off by default. When off, the user must pick one customer when creating a batch.
The Order Grouping setting on the customer detail page (ecommerce section) controls which orders are pulled into a batch first. It defaults to FIFO (oldest orders first).
How pick sequencing works
All three batch types use the same logic to minimise travel:
- Starting point — If the user scans or selects their current location when creating the batch, picking starts there. Otherwise it starts at path sequence 1.
- Location per SKU — For each SKU, Teamship chooses a location that has enough stock and is closest to the starting point and to the other SKUs in the batch.
- Nearest-neighbour route — Picks are ordered by moving from the current location to the closest unvisited location each time, using path sequence as the distance.
- Split picks — If no nearby location has the full quantity, the picker takes what is available close by and collects the remainder from a farther location at the end of the route.
- Fallback — If locations have no path sequence, picks are ordered by LPN FIFO, then by product ID.
Alternate locations and re-sequencing
Every other location holding the SKU is kept as an alternate. The route is recalculated from the picker's current position when:
- The picker chooses an alternate location
- Stock is moved with Product Relocate
- Stock is changed with Update Inventory Stock
If stock is removed from a planned location after the batch is sequenced, that pick card becomes not pickable until an alternate is selected.
💡 Accurate path sequences on warehouse locations produce noticeably better pick routes. → See: Warehouse Management
Batch lifecycle
Batch statuses
| Batch status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ready to Pick | Batch created and assigned; picking has not started |
| In Progress | Picking or packing is under way |
| Completed | All orders are closed; the batch is read-only |
Order status while in a batch
As the batch moves forward, its orders move through the tabs of the ecommerce order directory:
Open → Assigned → Picking → Packing → Completed
The batch ID is shown against each order in the directory.
Creating a single-item or multi-item batch
Single-item and multi-item batches are created from the ecommerce order directory. The multi-item batch picking card shows how many orders are currently eligible.
- Choose Create a New Batch (or View Existing Batches to continue one).
- Select a warehouse. If you are assigned to only one, it is prefilled. Optionally scan or select your current location to improve the pick route.
- Select a customer — shown only when Combine multiple customer orders is off. Customers are listed with priority customers first, then by number of eligible open orders.
- Choose the batch size.
- Multi-item: enter the number of totes. Each tote holds one order, so this is the number of orders in the batch. It cannot exceed the batch size limit shown.
- Single-item: enter the number of orders, then scan or select the one tote used for the whole batch.
- Assign the batch — to yourself (default) or another warehouse user with access to that warehouse.
- Select Create Batch.
If you choose fewer orders than are available, orders are selected by FIFO. The batch appears in the Batches directory as Ready to Pick, and its orders move to the Assigned tab.
Picking a single-item or multi-item batch
Select Start Picking to begin. All orders in the batch move to the Picking tab and pick cards are shown in route order.
For each pick card:
- Tote (multi-item only, first pick for each order) — scan the tote for that order or select it manually. Scanning anything other than a tote shows an error.
- Pick the product — scan the product barcode, or tap + for each unit. Scanning the wrong barcode shows an Incorrect barcode scanned error.
- Confirm the tote — scan the tote (or tap the confirm button) to confirm the product has been placed in it.
When step 3 is confirmed, the quantity moves from the pick location to the tote in inventory.
View progress (top right) lists every order in the batch, its tote and how many items have been picked.
Finishing picking
When all products are picked:
- Optionally print the pick list. It includes 4×6 labels with the batch ID, order number and tote barcodes for scanning at the pack station.
- Optionally assign a packing station location. It is shown in the Packing Station column of the Batches directory.
- Move the batch to packing.
Completing picking removes the assignee so any warehouse user can pack the batch.
Creating a custom batch
Custom batches are created from the ecommerce order directory using Custom Batch. Custom batching is available on web only.
- Select Custom Batch. The Open tab switches to order-selection mode.
- Filter and select orders. Any directory column can be used to filter, such as company, cart, service level, ship-to country or SKU.
- Select Create Custom Batch. Teamship checks that:
- All orders share the same warehouse
- No order is already in a batch
- No SKU needs replenishment
- Review the batch summary (order, SKU and piece counts), then enter:
- Batch name (optional; shown in the Batches directory)
- Location (optional; used as the starting point for the pick route)
- Assignee — yourself or another user
- Create the batch. It moves to Ready to Pick and its orders move to the Assigned tab.
Picking a custom batch
Custom batches do not use totes or scan-by-scan picking. Instead, the batch detail page shows:
- Consolidated pick list — every SKU, its picking location and the total quantity, in route order. You can change the location of a line, but only to another picking location and with a reason. Alternate locations without enough stock for the full quantity are disabled.
- Order summary — a collapsible per-order breakdown of SKUs, quantities and ship-to details, used as a packing reference.
Both documents can be printed or downloaded. The printed pick list carries the batch ID barcode for scanning at the pack station.
To pick:
- Physically collect the items using the printed consolidated pick list.
- Select Auto-pick and confirm. Teamship deducts the quantities from the source locations and LPNs. Orders move to the Picking tab and the batch becomes In Progress.
- Optionally choose a packing station, then move the batch to packing. Orders move to the Packing tab.
⚠️ Auto-pick deducts inventory based on the pick list. Make sure items were picked from the listed locations before confirming.
If a SKU needs replenishment after the batch is created, Replenish replaces Change location on that line.
For kit orders, only the child SKUs appear on the pick list. A link shows each kit's configuration.
Packing a batch
Packing is done on web only and is open to any warehouse user.
Open the batch from the Batches directory by searching for the batch ID (or name) or by scanning the batch ID barcode from the pick list.
Pack screen layout
| Batch type | Layout |
|---|---|
| Single-item | Three columns: products in the tote → orders containing the selected product → order details |
| Multi-item and custom | Two columns: orders in the batch (with tote, SKU and pack quantity) → order details |
Scan or select an order (or, for single-item, a product) to focus it.
Packing an order
- Each order starts with a default package, taken from the product's default or single-item packaging or the first package in the list.
- Scan products, or pack them manually, to add them to the package. You can add more packages if needed.
- Select Generate and print label. It is enabled once every item is packed and uses the order's default service code.
- Select Close order. Closed orders move to the bottom of the list.
You can also close an order without a label.
Order actions
From an order's actions menu:
- Fetch rates, then generate and print a label
- Upload your own label
- Void the label (if one has been generated)
- Download forms (if forms have been generated)
- Download the packing list
To use a different carrier service for one order, select the pencil icon next to the service code. The change applies only to that order.
View all details opens a side panel where you can:
- Update the ship-to address
- Add or update customs details
- Add additional charges
It also shows order, shipping (with markup), packaging and insert charges.
A pulsing message icon indicates a new comment on the order.
Batch actions
The Batch Actions menu applies to every order in the batch:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pack orders | Packs every unpacked order using its default package and product weights |
| Generate labels | Generates labels for every packed order that doesn't have one yet, using default service codes. Disabled until all orders are packed. |
| Print / download all labels | Prints or downloads the generated labels |
| Print packing lists | Prints a packing list for every order |
| Download / print forms | Downloads or prints commercial invoices, if any were generated |
| Close batch | Closes all orders (see below) |
Orders you have already packed or labelled yourself are skipped by these actions.
A tracking number column on the pack screen shows which orders have labels and which have errors.
Closing a batch
A batch closes in one of two ways:
- Automatically, when the last order in it is closed
- Manually, with Close batch. Every order must be packed first. You'll be asked to confirm closing any orders without labels, then to confirm closing the batch.
Once closed:
- The batch moves to Completed and its orders move to the Completed tab
- The batch opens in read-only view
- Picked by and packed by are recorded for each order and included in dashboard fulfilment reports
- Any configured order charges are applied
Cancelled, deleted and on-hold orders in a batch
Any order in a batch that hasn't been closed can be deleted or put on hold, during picking or packing. Deleting returns its stock to its source location.
If an order in the batch is cancelled, the pack screen shows a banner, and the order can be deleted from there. Deleting it:
- Voids its label
- Returns its stock to the LPN and inventory
- Removes the order from the batch
Working on an existing batch
Open any batch from the Batches directory.
If it is assigned to someone else, you'll see a notice and can assign it to yourself to continue picking. Use View progress to see which orders and totes have already been handled.
Packing does not require reassignment.
Roles and permissions
Warehouse users
- Create, pick and pack batches
- Reassign batches to themselves or other warehouse users
- Apply charges and generate labels
Customers
- Do not see batches
- See orders in a batch as in progress, and completed orders the same way as any other completed order
Administrators
- Configure batch grouping settings on warehouses and customers
- Maintain location path sequences used for routing
Common batch picking issues
| Issue | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| An order is not offered for batching | It needs replenishment, is already in a batch, is not Open, or doesn't match the batch type (single-SKU vs multi-SKU) |
| Can't create a custom batch | Orders are from different warehouses, or a SKU needs replenishment |
| A pick card can't be picked | Stock was moved or adjusted after the batch was created. Choose an alternate location. |
| An alternate location is greyed out | It doesn't hold the full quantity needed |
| Generate labels is disabled | Not all orders in the batch are packed yet |
| Close batch shows an error | One or more orders are still unpacked |