Mann-zur-Ware
Also: Mann zur Ware, Mann-zu-Ware, MzW, Person-zur-Ware, Picker-zur-Ware, Mann-zur-Ware-Prinzip, Kommissionierprinzip Mann-zur-Ware
AI-generated
Person-to-goods is an order picking principle in which the picker actively travels to the storage locations and manually retrieves items there. The goods remain stationary in the rack or bin.
Key facts
- In the person-to-goods principle, the picker moves to the stationary storage locations, not the other way around.
- Travel time accounts for a large share of total picking time and is the central area for optimization.
- Assistance systems such as scanners, voice picking, or pick-by-light improve accuracy but do not eliminate the fundamental need for walking.
- Person-to-goods requires low investment and offers high flexibility, but reaches economic limits at very high order volumes.
- An ABC-based slotting strategy is one of the most effective measures for systematically reducing travel distances.
What is person-to-goods?
In the person-to-goods principle, the picker moves through the warehouse, travels to the designated storage locations, and manually retrieves the required items. The goods themselves remain at their storage location – in contrast to the goods-to-person principle, in which automated systems transport the load unit or container to the operator. Person-to-goods is historically the oldest and most widely used picking principle in the world, and in many warehouses it still forms the operational foundation today.
How does person-to-goods work in practice?
Order data is provided to the picker via a guidance system. Common forms of process guidance include:
- Paper pick list: simple, error-prone, almost no real-time feedback
- Barcode scanner with handheld terminal: scan confirmation at each pick location reduces errors
- Voice picking: voice-guided retrieval with verbal confirmation, leaving both hands free
- Pick-by-light: light displays on rack compartments signal the pick location and quantity
- Augmented reality (AR): smart glasses project retrieval information into the field of view
The picker either completes a full order individually (single-order picking) or processes multiple bundled orders simultaneously (batch picking). In larger warehouses, zones are established so that each person is responsible for only a defined area, which reduces travel distances.
Travel time is the decisive cost driver in the person-to-goods principle. Studies and practical experience consistently show that the proportion of pure walking time in total picking time is significant – exact figures vary depending on warehouse layout, product range, and order structure. A well-thought-out ABC analysis for positioning fast-moving items in short-reach zones noticeably reduces travel times.
What matters when making a selection?
The decision for or against person-to-goods depends on several factors:
- Product range and variety: For highly heterogeneous assortments with bulky or heavy items, person-to-goods is often the only practical solution.
- Order volume and pick frequency: At low to medium order volumes, the principle is economical; at very high volumes, it is worth evaluating automation alternatives.
- Investment readiness: Person-to-goods requires no investment in conveyor technology or automated storage systems, making it significantly less expensive to implement.
- Flexibility: Assortment expansions, seasonal peaks, and layout adjustments can be realized without rebuilding conveyor infrastructure.
- Ergonomics and staff availability: Long walking distances and physically demanding retrieval tasks can strain employees; assistance systems and ergonomic rack design help mitigate this.
Whether and when a switch to goods-to-person makes economic sense can only be assessed through a robust business case that weighs investment costs, ongoing operating costs, error rates, and scalability against each other.
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.
- Akustische Kommissionierung
Acoustic order picking is a paperless picking method in which warehouse employees receive pick instructions via voice and confirm each step using spoken responses. Both hands remain free throughout the actual picking process.
- Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) overlays the real environment in real time with digital information such as text, graphics, or 3D models. In intralogistics, AR primarily supports picking, maintenance, and the onboarding of new employees.
- AutoStore
AutoStore is a cube-based automated storage system in which driverless robots traverse an aluminum grid to stack plastic bins and retrieve them on demand for delivery to picking ports. The system is considered one of the most space-efficient automated small-parts warehouses available for standardized bin-compatible goods.
- Automatisches Kleinteilelager (AKL)
The Automated Small Parts Warehouse (AKL) is a fully automated storage system for totes, trays and small parts, in which storage and retrieval operations are performed without manual intervention by stacker cranes or shuttle systems.
- Barcodescanner
A barcode scanner is an optical reading device that captures printed barcodes and converts them into machine-readable data. It is used in intralogistics for the seamless identification of goods, load carriers, and storage locations.
- Batch-Kommissionierung
Batch picking is a method in which multiple customer orders are consolidated into a single pick run. This allows the picker to travel one route while simultaneously covering positions from different orders.
- Beleglose Kommissionierung
Paperless picking refers to the assembly of orders in the warehouse without paper pick lists, where all instructions are transmitted digitally via terminals, displays, voice, or optical signals.
- Chaotische Lagerhaltung
Chaotic storage is a warehousing principle in which items are not stored in fixed, pre-assigned locations, but are instead dynamically placed in any available, suitable slot in the warehouse. A warehouse management system handles the control and tracking of all storage locations.
- Pick-by-Light
Pick-by-Light is an order picking method in which light modules mounted at storage locations indicate the pick position and quantity, with each pick confirmed by pressing a button or triggering a sensor. The method replaces paper- and scanner-based guidance with visual signals directly at the storage location.