Split Order Fulfillment

September 16, 2025 07:29

Introduction

Prerequisites

Access to the fulfillment module.
Basic understanding of order processing.

Learning Outcomes

Understand how to remove items from a picklist.
Learn how removing items affects the packing screen.
Know how to remove items from the packing screen.
Understand potential implications of item removal on order fulfillment.

Key Features

Create new fulfillment jobs.
Select multiple orders for a single fulfillment.
Generate picklists based on selected orders.
Input picked quantities for each item.
Remove items from a picklist or fulfillment.
Update item status to 'Picked' or 'Pending'.
Finalize picking and fulfill orders.

Procedure / Steps

Step 1: Navigate to the Fulfillment section.

From the main dashboard, select 'Inventory 360' from the left-hand navigation menu, then click on 'Fulfillments'.

Step 2: Initiate a New Fulfillment Job.

On the Fulfillment screen, click the 'New Fulfillment Job' button to begin creating a new fulfillment.

Step 3: Select Orders for Fulfillment.

On the 'Order Selection' screen, choose the desired orders by checking the checkboxes next to them. Then, click the 'Pick Order' button.

Step 4: Choose a Location.

A 'Choose Location' modal will appear. Select the appropriate store or warehouse from the list. For example, select 'Fly LLC'. Then, click 'Create Picklist'.

Step 5: Access the Picklist.

After creating the picklist, you will be directed to the 'Pick Orders' screen, displaying the items for the selected orders.

Step 6: Record Picked Quantities.

For each item, enter the quantity that has been picked in the 'Picked' field. For example, enter '1' for '10 Pc Nuggets'.

Step 7: Remove an Item from the Picklist.

To remove an item from the current picklist, locate the 'REMOVE' button associated with that item and click it. A confirmation prompt will appear.

Step 8: Confirm Item Removal.

In the confirmation prompt, click 'REMOVE' to confirm the removal of the item from the picklist. This action will update the fulfillment details.

Step 9: Save Changes.

After making any necessary adjustments, including item removals, click the 'Save' button to apply the changes to the fulfillment.

Step 10: Proceed to Packing.

Once picking is complete and saved, you can proceed to the packing stage by clicking 'Pack Orders' or navigating to the 'Finalize Orders' section.

Step 11: Mark Items as Picked for Packing.

On the 'Finalize Orders' screen, for each item that has been picked, click the 'Mark as Picked' button. This action updates the item's status.

Step 12: Fulfill the Order.

After marking all picked items, click the 'FULFILL ORDER' button to complete the fulfillment process for the order.

Step 13: Finalize Picking.

To finalize the picking process for all items in the fulfillment, click the 'Finalize Picking' button. A confirmation prompt will appear.

Step 14: Confirm Finalization.

In the confirmation prompt, click 'FINALIZE PICKING' to confirm the finalization of the picking process.

Features

The fulfillment workflow consists of three main stages:

Order Selection: Warehouse staff select a batch of orders to be fulfilled.
Picklist Generation: The system generates a consolidated picklist for all items in the selected batch.
Packing: Picked items are sorted by order and packed for shipment.

The split fulfillment process is initiated when an item on the picklist is found to be unavailable or has an insufficient quantity during the picking or packing stages.

Handling Item Shortages: Split Fulfillment Methods

When a required item cannot be fulfilled due to a stock shortage, it must be removed from the current fulfillment batch. This action flags the item to be fulfilled in a subsequent batch.

There are two approved methods for this process.

Method 1: Removing Items at the Picking Stage

Who: Picker
When: During the physical picking process.
Process:
1. The picker works from the consolidated picklist.
2. If an item is completely unavailable (e.g., required quantity is 6, available is 0), the picker removes the item from their picking device/sheet.
3. If an item is partially available (e.g., required quantity is 6, available is 4), the picker updates the picked quantity to what is available (4).
4. The picker proceeds with the rest of the picklist and delivers the collected items to the packing station.

Method 2: Removing Items at the Packing Stage

Who: Packer
When: During the packing and order verification process.
Process:
- The picker is instructed not to remove items from the picklist. If an item is unavailable or has insufficient quantity, they simply record the actual quantity picked (e.g., 4 out of 6, or 0 out of 2).
- All picked items are delivered to the packing station.
- At the packing station, the system displays the details for each individual order, showing what was required versus what was actually picked.
- This gives the packer full visibility to see which specific orders are affected by the shortage. The packer can then make an informed decision:
  - If enough stock was picked to fulfill one order completely, they can allocate the items to that order.
  - They will then officially remove the missing item(s) from the other,

System Behavior and Finalizing the Batch

This section explains what happens in the system after an item is removed and how to finalize the process.

4.1 How the System Handles a Split Order

When a packer removes an item from an order on the packing screen, the following automated workflow occurs:

Partial Fulfillment: The system generates a fulfillment record for the items being shipped. The packing slip for this shipment will correctly exclude the removed item.
Order Remains Active: The original order returns to the Order Selection queue for a future fulfillment batch.
New Picklist is Created: When the order is selected again in a future batch, the new picklist will only contain the remaining items that were not previously shipped.

This automated process ensures that all items are eventually fulfilled without requiring manual tracking.

4.2 Removing an Entire Order vs. a Single Item

It is important to understand the difference between removing an item and removing an entire order from the packing screen:

Removing an Item: Splits the order for partial fulfillment (as described in 4.1).
Removing an Entire Order: Cancels the current fulfillment attempt for that specific order. The order will no longer appear on the packing screen for the current batch, but it will become available again in the Order Selection queue with its original, complete item list.

4.3 Finalizing the Batch

To complete the packing process for the current batch, the packer only needs to click the main "Finalize" button on the packing screen. It is not necessary to go into each order and click "Fulfill" individually.

Conclusion

Effectively managing items within the fulfillment process, including their removal from picklists and packing screens, is essential for accurate order processing. By following these steps, users can ensure that their fulfillment operations are streamlined and that order discrepancies are minimized.

Always verify that removed items are correctly accounted for in inventory and that the fulfillment status accurately reflects the final order contents.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How does removing an item from a picklist affect the packing screen? A: When an item is removed from a picklist, it will no longer appear on the packing screen for that specific fulfillment. The system will only display the items that remain in the fulfillment.

Q: Can I remove an item that has already been picked? A: Yes, you can typically remove an item even after it has been marked as picked. This action may trigger a confirmation prompt and will update the fulfillment details to reflect the removal. The item will then not be included in the final packed order.

Q: How can an order be fulfilled twice if items are removed?

A: An order might be fulfilled twice if an item is removed from a fulfillment, but the original order is then processed again as a separate fulfillment. This can happen if the system does not correctly track the removal or if the order is re-added to a new fulfillment process without proper reconciliation. It is crucial to ensure that removed items are accurately reflected in the fulfillment status and that the original order is not processed again unless intended.

Q: What happens to the 'Total Needed' and 'Picked' quantities when an item is removed? A: When an item is removed, the 'Total Needed' and 'Picked' quantities for that item within the fulfillment will be updated to zero or removed entirely, depending on the system's implementation. The overall fulfillment summary will also be adjusted accordingly.

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