Order Entry and Order Processing Tips
Order Entry System Suggestions
Here are a few tips for creating best practices around order entry and order processing.
Create an order entry system that allows for:
- Orders can be accumulated ahead of when they need to be picked
- Those orders can then be scheduled into picking waves
- Strict guidelines are in place for last minute order changes
- Do not allow changes or additions to an order less than a day before it is due to ship
- Send orders to warehouse picking in an orderly fashion
- Handling back orders
- Ship order and cancel back-order items
- Some suggest that if the inventory shows for a particular item out of stock at the time of order, it is better to ship the remainder of the order and request the customer to place the stock-out item on order again.
- If you hold the entire order until all items are in stock, this can cause inventory levels to rise
- Ship order and cancel back-order items
- Group picks by zone
- Track the number of picks by employee
- Time stamp pick tickets with the start and stop times of the order being picked
- This helps calculate employees’ pick rates and productivity levels
- Keep a record of shipments to customers by lot number
- Consider bar coding to reduce keystrokes,
- This helps you keep a tighter control on inventory levels
- Mispicks are usually only discovered when the mistakes are not in the customers’ favor – bar coding reduces picking errors
- Helps control inventory shrinkage due to mis-picks
- Scanning a bar code is 5 times faster than keystroke
- Knowing your inventory levels helps you keep your inventory turns up and inventory levels down