Pick-by-Paper
Also: Papierkommissionierung, papierbasierte Kommissionierung, Pickliste Papier, Kommissionierung mit Papierliste, Paper Picking
AI-generated
Pick-by-Paper refers to paper-based order picking, in which employees receive printed pick lists and manually check off each item retrieved. It is the simplest and most IT-independent form of order processing in the warehouse.
Key facts
- Pick-by-Paper is the most analog form of order picking and requires no digital hardware at the workstation.
- The key disadvantage is the media break: inventory postings do not occur in real time but are recorded with a delay after the tour is completed.
- With Pick-by-Paper, errors such as incorrect retrieval quantities or mixed-up items are often not identified until the goods issue inspection.
- The method is best suited to small warehouses, transitional phases, or locations without sufficient IT infrastructure.
What is Pick-by-Paper?
Pick-by-Paper is the classic method of manual order picking based on printed pick lists. Before starting a picking tour, employees receive a printout containing article numbers, storage locations, and retrieval quantities, work through the list physically, and mark each pick by hand or with a stamp. Confirmation to the warehouse management system (WMS) or ERP is typically recorded in bulk at the end of the tour or after an order is completed — not in real time.
The process requires no specialized hardware at the workstation and no training on mobile devices or voice systems. As a result, Pick-by-Paper remains in use in many small and medium-sized warehouses, even though modern alternatives such as Pick-by-Scan, Pick-by-Voice, or Pick-by-Light offer significantly greater process reliability.
How does Pick-by-Paper work in practice?
The typical workflow looks like this: the WMS or a dispatching software generates picking orders, which are output as PDFs or directly via a printer. Depending on the operation, the pick list contains varying information — from simple storage location labels to barcodes that can be scanned afterward. Once the tour is complete, the picker hands in the list; an office employee or shift supervisor then enters the data into the system.
This media break between physical retrieval and digital posting is the core problem of the method. Inventory changes only become visible with a delay, errors such as incorrect quantities or mixed-up items often go unnoticed until the goods issue inspection, and the manual data entry creates additional effort that is eliminated in digital processes.
What matters when evaluating and selecting this method?
Pick-by-Paper is justifiable when the following conditions apply:
- Order volumes are low and the cost of errors is manageable.
- Real-time inventory management is not required — for example, because stock is counted on a daily basis anyway.
- The IT infrastructure for mobile devices, Wi-Fi, or voice systems is lacking or not economically viable.
- The warehouse is undergoing restructuring or is in a transitional situation where a temporary solution is sufficient.
As soon as error rates, rework costs, or inventory discrepancies increase, a comparison with paperless methods becomes worthwhile. It should be noted that investment in scanner hardware or voice systems is often recouped quickly through reduced error costs and shorter picking cycles — but this depends on the vendor and the operation, and should always be evaluated based on your own key performance indicators.
Related terms
- 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.
- 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.
- Barcode
A barcode is a machine-readable optical code that represents information as a pattern of bars and spaces or as a two-dimensional matrix. It enables the automatic identification of items, load carriers, and documents along the entire supply chain.
- 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.
- Bestandsführung
Inventory management refers to the system-supported administration and continuous updating of all warehouse and material stocks within a company. It forms the basis for planning, procurement and accounting – and ensures that the book inventory and physical inventory are in agreement at all times.
- Datenfunkterminal
A data radio terminal is a mobile device for wireless data capture and transmission in the warehouse, combining a display, input, and scanner in one unit. It typically communicates with a warehouse management system via Wi-Fi and supports processes such as goods receipt, picking, and inventory counting.