Picklisten

Picklisten (plural of Pickliste) is a term used in warehousing and manufacturing to describe a document or digital dataset that guides the picking of items from inventory to fulfill orders or assemble kits. It lists items to be retrieved, quantities, and related attributes, and is often generated by an ERP or Warehouse Management System and presented on a handheld device or printed sheet.

Typical content includes the order number, item number and description, requested quantity and unit, storage location (bin or shelf), batch or serial numbers when required, due date or priority, and packaging unit. Some lists also display the path or zone in the warehouse to optimize travel and improve picking efficiency.

Creation and use: Picklisten are generated from sales orders or production orders. They can be issued per order, per batch, or in pooled form for multi-order picking. They support picking strategies such as discrete, batch, wave, or zone picking and may be updated in real time to reflect stock changes.

Relation to other concepts: They differ from bills of materials, which specify components for manufacturing, and from inbound receiving lists. In practice, picklists are a core element of warehouse management and order-fulfillment workflows and are integrated with scanning, inventory updates, and shipping processes.

Benefits and challenges: A well-designed pickliste improves picking accuracy, productivity, and on-time delivery, while poor data quality or out-of-date stock can cause errors, delays, and increased labor costs. Ongoing data maintenance and process optimization are important for effectiveness.