Auftragsdurchlaufzeit
Also: Durchlaufzeit, Order Lead Time, Auftragsdurchlaufzeiten, Order Cycle Time, Auftragsdurchlaufzeit (ADZ)
AI-generated
Order throughput time refers to the total time from the receipt of an order to its dispatch to the recipient. It encompasses all waiting, processing, and internal transport steps, and serves as a key indicator of the performance of a warehouse or fulfillment process.
Key facts
- Order throughput time measures the entire period from order receipt to shipping readiness, including all waiting, processing, and internal transport times.
- Idle periods without active processing frequently account for the largest share of total throughput time and offer the greatest optimization potential.
- Fluctuations in throughput time often impair planning reliability more severely than a consistently elevated level.
- Granular measurement of each individual step is a prerequisite for identifying actual bottlenecks.
- A uniform internal measurement definition is necessary, as different systems may define the term in different ways.
What is order throughput time?
Order throughput time captures the entire period an order requires from its entry into the system to the completion of shipping preparation. It typically begins with the timestamp of order capture — for example, in an ERP or WMS system — and ends with the handover of goods to the carrier or their provision for pickup. Within this time window, waiting times for approvals, processing times for picking and packing, and internal transport times between warehouse areas all accumulate.
It is important to distinguish this from pure processing time: order throughput time also includes all idle periods during which no active step is taking place. These idle periods often account for the largest share of total time and simultaneously represent the greatest optimization potential.
How does order throughput time play out in practice?
In warehouse operations, order throughput time directly affects the service level toward customers and trading partners. Tight time windows apply particularly in e-commerce and B2B fulfillment: orders received by a specific cut-off time must be ready for dispatch on the same day. If this window is not met, additional costs arise through express shipping or contractual penalties.
Throughput time typically consists of the following phases:
- Order capture and approval: Transfer from the sales system, credit check, inventory reservation
- Picking: Travel times, pick times, waiting times at bottleneck stations
- Consolidation and packing: Merging of partial deliveries, shipping preparation
- Shipping processing: Labeling, carrier handover, document creation
Fluctuations in throughput time — i.e., low stability — are often more problematic than a consistently higher overall level, because they make planning more difficult for customers and downstream processes.
What matters when it comes to assessment and optimization?
Anyone seeking to systematically reduce order throughput time should begin by measuring each individual step separately, rather than looking only at the overall figure. Only a granular analysis reveals whether delays originate in IT processing, physical picking, or the shipping process. Automation solutions such as conveyor systems, sorters, or automated picking systems can accelerate certain steps, but often simply shift bottlenecks elsewhere.
Order structure is equally relevant: many small individual orders behave fundamentally differently from a few large pallet orders. A solution that works for one scenario may fail in the other. How systems define and measure throughput time also varies by vendor — a consistent measurement definition within one's own operation is therefore a prerequisite for any meaningful comparison.
Related terms
- ABC-Analyse
ABC analysis is a method for classifying items, vendors, or processes into three priority classes (A, B, C) based on their economic significance. It forms the basis for differentiated decision-making in warehousing, inventory management, and procurement.
- Absatzplanung
Sales planning refers to the systematic forecasting of future sales volumes for defined products, regions, or channels. It forms the foundation for all downstream planning processes in production, procurement, and logistics.
- Auftragsabwicklung
Order fulfillment refers to the complete process from receiving a customer order through to its successful delivery and invoicing. It encompasses all operational and administrative steps required to fulfill an order on time and without errors.
- Cross-Docking
Cross-docking refers to a goods handling process in which items are transferred directly from inbound receiving to outbound shipping without interim storage. The goal is to reduce throughput times and avoid warehousing costs.
- Cross-Docking
Cross-docking is a logistics method in which goods are transferred directly from inbound to outbound transport at a transshipment point, without going through conventional put-away and storage.
- Kommissionierung
Order picking is the process of assembling individual items from warehouse stock to fulfill a specific customer order — the most labor-intensive step in the warehouse.