Versand
Also: Warenversand, Versandabwicklung, Shipping, Versandprozess, Outbound, Warenausgang
AI-generated
Shipping encompasses all process steps from the completed picked order to the handover of goods to the carrier and the final documentation in the system. This includes packing, labeling, loading, and the status feedback to the ERP or WMS.
Key facts
- Shipping encompasses all steps from completed picking through to carrier handover, including all system status updates.
- Mis-loads and label errors are among the most important quality metrics in the shipping area.
- The carrier's cut-off time determines the operational pace of the entire shipping process.
- WMS, ERP, and carrier interfaces must be integrated in real time to avoid system breaks.
- Shipping cost per order is a key control variable for the cost-efficiency of the goods issue process.
What is shipping?
In intralogistics, shipping refers to the entire process segment between the completed picking order and the physical handover of the shipment to a transport service provider. The term is broader than simple goods issue: while goods issue primarily describes the physical departure of goods from the warehouse, shipping additionally encompasses all administrative and system-side steps that ensure seamless shipment documentation and status reporting.
How does shipping work in practice?
A typical shipping process begins as soon as picked goods arrive at the packing station. There, items are checked, placed into suitable packaging, weighed, and measured. Based on these values, the system — typically a WMS or a connected shipping system — automatically selects the appropriate carrier and service level and generates the shipping label as well as accompanying documents such as delivery notes, customs papers, or hazardous goods documentation.
After labeling, goods are loaded onto pallets or directly into vehicles. Simultaneously, the system transmits a dispatch advice (DESADV) to the recipient and reports the order status back to the ERP. Scan checks at the loading gate ensure that only the correct parcels leave the building. Typical metrics in the shipping area include throughput time at the packing station, mis-loading rate, and shipping cost per order.
In high-volume operations, weighing terminals, automatic dimensioning devices, and labeling stations are used, seamlessly integrated into the WMS logic. The carrier's cut-off time sets a hard deadline: all orders must be ready for dispatch by this point in order to meet the promised delivery time.
What matters when designing the shipping area?
Three aspects are critical:
- Process integration: WMS, ERP, and carrier interfaces must communicate in real time so that labels, documents, and status messages are generated without any system breaks.
- Flexibility: Different order types — parcel, pallet, direct delivery, express — require adaptable stations and rule sets within the system.
- Error prevention: Scan verification at every critical station reduces mis-loads and incorrect labeling, which lead to complaints from recipients or carriers.
The choice of packaging materials, carrier terms, and service level agreements significantly influences both costs and customer experience. Which solution best fits a given situation depends strongly on the product range structure, order volume, and target regions.
Related terms
- 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.
- Avisierung
Pre-advice refers to the advance notification of a delivery by the supplier to the recipient before the goods arrive. It enables the warehouse to plan staffing, dock capacity, and put-away processes in a timely manner.
- Carrier
A carrier is a transport service provider that physically moves goods from a point of origin to a destination. It assumes operational responsibility for the actual transport – as opposed to freight forwarders or logistics service providers, who often only coordinate.
- Colli
Colli refers to a single package within a shipment – such as a carton, a crate, or a bundle. The number of colli represents the package count in shipping documents and serves as the basis for labeling, loading, and freight billing.
- 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.
- Cut-off-Zeit
The cut-off time is the latest point by which an order must be received in order to be processed, picked, or shipped on the same day. Orders arriving after this time are generally not considered until the next processing cycle.
- DESADV
DESADV (Dispatch Advice) is a standardized EDI message in EDIFACT format that electronically announces an upcoming delivery. It transmits structured information on packaging units, items, quantities, and identifiers such as the SSCC to the goods recipient.
- Direktbelieferung
Direct delivery refers to the shipment of goods directly from the vendor to the end customer or production facility, bypassing any intermediate warehouse.
- Disposition
Disposition refers to the operational planning and control of resources, quantities, and orders in logistics – for example in transport or materials disposition. It encompasses capacity assignment, scheduling, prioritization, and response to disruptions.
- Distributionslogistik
Distribution logistics encompasses all processes that move goods from the manufacturer or warehouse to the end customer – from network planning through storage and transportation to order fulfillment.