Creating and printing batches

Introduction: What are batches?

A batch is a group of orders you bundle together to pick (prepare) them all at once in the warehouse. Instead of picking each order separately, you pick multiple orders at the same time. This makes work faster and more efficient.

Why use batches?

You want to use batches because:

• You can prepare multiple orders at the same time
• Employees don't have to walk back and forth for individual orders
• You save time by walking smart routes through the warehouse
• You have an overview of which orders need to be done and which are still waiting
• You can set priorities (e.g., rush orders first)

How do you create and print batches?

Step 1: Create a batch

Go to the batch menu

1. Go to "Logistics distribution"
2. Click on "(Batch) Create"

Select customers

1. You now see a list of customers who have orders
2. Select the customers you want to bundle in one batch (e.g., 5 customers who all need to go the same direction)

Extra options (not required)

1. Employee: You can indicate which employee should pick this batch (leave empty if it doesn't matter)
2. Order: Fill in a number to determine the order
   • 0 = This batch is executed first
   • 1, 2, 3, etc. = The batch is executed later (the higher the number, the later)

Save batch

1. Click "Apply" to create the batch
2. The batch is now ready to be executed

Step 2: Understanding colors

In the overview you see colored bars for each customer. These colors tell you important information.

First bar: Order status

• Green: The order is completely ready and complete
• Orange: The order still has open lines that can be picked (grabbed from stock)
• Red: The order has lines with products that still need to be checked in (products aren't there yet)

Second bar: Availability (cancellation time)

• Green: The order is available to pick (the customer can no longer cancel)
• Red: The customer still has cancellation time and can still make changes, wait with picking!

Third bar: Corrections

• Red: There is a correction (change) to the order, this appears at the top of the screen
• No bar: There is no correction, everything is in order

Example:

• Green-Green-No bar = Perfect! Ready to pick
• Orange-Green-No bar = Products can still be grabbed, but it may already be executed
• Red-Red-Red = Don't pick! Products are missing, customer can still cancel AND there's a correction

Step 3: Change batch order

Sometimes you want to adjust the order of batches. For example: a rush order needs to go earlier after all.

Edit the batch

1. Click on the batch you want to move
2. A screen with buttons now appears

Move with arrows:

• 2 arrows up (⇈): The batch is moved to the very top and is executed first
• 1 arrow up (↑): The batch moves one spot up (repeat until the batch is in the right place)
• 1 arrow down (↓): The batch moves one spot down (repeat until the batch is in the right place)
• 2 arrows down (⇊): The batch is moved to the very bottom and is executed last

Delete batch:

• Delete icon (🗑️): The batch is deleted and must be recreated if you still need it

Step 4: Print orders

When the batch is ready and in the right order, you can print the labels.

Go to the print menu

1. Go to "Logistics distribution"
2. Click on "(Batch) Print"

Enter employee

1. Enter the employee code of the person who will pick this batch
2. Click "Apply"

Print labels

1. The labels are now printed
2. The employee receives the orders to pick (prepare)
3. The employee can now start collecting the products

Practical examples

Example 1: Batch for rush orders

• Select 3 customers with rush orders
• Fill in order "0" (first)
• Assign employee "Jan"
• Result: Jan picks this batch first

Example 2: Batch for regular orders

• Select 8 customers who need to go the same direction
• Fill in order "2" (executed later)
• Leave employee empty (anyone can do it)
• Result: This batch is only executed after batches with order 0 and 1

Example 3: Change order

• You've created 5 batches
• Batch 4 suddenly becomes urgent
• Click on batch 4 and use "2 arrows up"
• Result: Batch 4 is now at the top and is executed first

Tips for efficient batching

Tip 1: Group smartly

• Bundle customers who live in the same region
• Or bundle customers who order the same types of products
• This way the employee walks an efficient route

Tip 2: Watch the colors

• Red second bar? Wait with printing (customer can still cancel)
• Red first bar? Products still need to be checked in
• Only green bars? Go!

Tip 3: Use priorities

• Rush orders: order 0
• Normal orders: order 1 or 2
• Orders for later: order 3 or higher

Tip 4: Check corrections

• See a red third bar? First check what the correction is
• Solve the correction before printing the batch
• Prevent employees from picking wrong products

Summary

Batches help you smartly bundle and execute orders:

• Create batches by selecting customers and optionally assigning an employee and order
• Three colored bars tell you the status: order ready/not ready, available/cancellation time, correction/no correction
• Change the order with arrow buttons to adjust priorities
• Print the batch by entering the employee code, then they get the labels to work with