WMS Selection
Part of Warehouse management system selection
Pick-and-pack features to check in WMS demos
Run the same orders through WMS pick and pack demos, checking confirmations, short picks, pack corrections and the records left behind.
Run the same orders through each proposed WMS, from released warehouse work through mobile picking and packing to a closed container or parcel. Record what the worker must confirm, what can be skipped and how mistakes are corrected. Compare the steps and records left by each system.
Use orders that expose different controls
Prepare four orders: single-line, multi-line with similar-looking variants, multiple-unit line, and one with an unavailable pick location. If your operation handles partial shipments or tracked items, add one. Give every vendor the same item IDs, locations, quantities and expected parcel contents.
For each order, follow the released work, mobile pick, move to packing, item-to-container record and resulting order state. Note any preloaded data or manual resets between cases.
Inspect the pick, then the pack
| Checkpoint | What to ask | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Pick instruction | Which location, item and quantity does the worker see? | Work line and source order line |
| Confirmation | Is location, product, variant or quantity confirmed by scan, entry or button? | Enabled setting and completed work record |
| Short pick | How does the worker report less than instructed? | Exception, affected quantity and next owner |
| Pack selection | Must the packer identify each item, or can the system pack a remaining quantity together? | Packing policy and container contents |
| Pack correction | Can an incorrect item or quantity be removed before closure? | Corrected container record and visible change history |
In Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, the Warehouse Management mobile app supports piece-picking confirmation by barcode scan or manual entry. Enabling it also requires product confirmation; workers can confirm up to the quantity on the work, with a configurable maximum based on the current work unit.
A barcode can include quantity information, which the system converts between the barcode unit of measure and the work unit. With manual entry, workers enter the item number and quantity. Piece picking does not apply to serial-number-controlled items or to production or kanban picks from a license plate location when the item is set to staging.
The app's mobile device container packing policies include Item selection and Capture tracking dimensions. The policy can also set the first step in the packing flow, or ask workers to scan a shipment ID or license plate ID first; when the license plate is scanned first, all items packed must be on that license plate.
Key Checkpoints in Pick-and-Pack Process
- Pick InstructionLocation, item and quantity shown to worker
- Confirmation MethodScan, manual entry or button click
- Short Pick HandlingException logged, next owner assigned
- Pack Selection PolicyItem-by-item or bulk pack based on policy
- Pack Correction CapabilityRemove incorrect item/quantity before closure
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management: Key Pick-and-Pack Features
- Piece Picking Confirmation
- Barcode scan or manual entry
- Max Quantity Confirmation
- Configurable based on work unit
- Barcode Unit Conversion
- Automatically converts between barcode and work UoM
- Serial-Number Items
- Does not support piece picking
- Packing Policy Options
- Item selection, tracking dimensions, first step control
Force a recovery
At the suggested pick location, make one unit unavailable and ask for the worker's normal short-pick action. In Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, the Warehouse Management mobile app example records the target license plate, quantity picked and reason, then creates a work exception for the location. Handling is configurable, including adjusting inventory at an affected license plate or allowing automatic item reallocation.
At packing, present the wrong variant or an extra unit. Check whether the workflow detects it, allows a correction and retains final contents against a container or parcel ID. Record any need for an administrator to edit data behind the scenes. A shipping label alone does not show that contents were verified.
Compare the whole path
Class each case as completed correctly, completed with manual intervention, stopped safely or unverified. Record configured confirmations, bypass rights, worker steps, exception visibility and any extra system needed. Compare the complete path: extra prompts may improve one control while making recovery harder.
Use the outcomes to judge fit with your order mix. Choosing a picking method or designing a pack station calls for a separate assessment.
