Warehouse Management

Wave Picking

Organize fulfillment by carrier cutoffs and priorities. Release orders in coordinated waves to meet shipping deadlines and keep teams productive.

See How It Works

Why Random Order Release Creates Chaos

Missed Carrier Cutoffs

When orders release randomly, expedited shipments get stuck behind standard orders. 2-day promise becomes 4-day delivery.

Uneven Workload

Without wave planning, some teams idle while others overwhelmed. No coordination between picking, packing, and shipping.

End-of-Day Rush

All carriers leave at 5pm. Without waves, everything becomes urgent at 4pm. Staff scramble, errors increase.

How Wave Picking Works in Fulfil

Group orders by criteria, release at scheduled times, and track progress through fulfillment.

Key Capabilities

Carrier cutoff scheduling
Define pickup times for each carrier. System automatically prioritizes orders approaching cutoff.
Priority-based waves
Expedited, same-day, and VIP orders release first. Standard orders fill remaining capacity.
Order type grouping
Group by shipping method, destination region, or product category for efficient processing.
Real-time wave tracking
Monitor wave progress. See how many orders picked, packed, and shipped per wave.
Team assignment
Assign specific teams to waves. Coordinate picking, packing, and shipping resources.

Example Wave Schedule

Wave 1: Express

Next-day and 2-day orders

6:00 AM

Wave 2: FedEx Ground

FedEx Ground cutoff 2pm

9:00 AM

Wave 3: UPS

UPS cutoff 4pm

12:00 PM

Wave 4: USPS

USPS cutoff 5pm

2:00 PM

Wave 5: Overflow

Remaining orders for next day

4:00 PM

Benefits of Wave Picking

Meet Cutoffs

Never miss a carrier pickup. Urgent orders always prioritized.

Balanced Workload

Even distribution throughout the day. No more end-of-day chaos.

Predictable Output

Know exactly how many orders will ship each wave.

Team Efficiency

Coordinate picking, packing, and shipping teams.

Common Questions

Can I combine wave picking with batch picking?

Yes, and most high-volume operations do. Wave picking organizes what orders to release and when. Batch picking determines how to pick efficiently within each wave. Release Wave 1, then batch those orders for picking.

How do rush orders fit into waves?

Configure priority rules to always include rush orders in the next wave, or create a dedicated "hot" wave that releases continuously for urgent orders. VIP customers and expedited shipping can skip the wave queue entirely.

What if we don't finish a wave in time?

Unfulfilled orders roll to the next appropriate wave. The system tracks which orders missed their intended cutoff so you can identify bottlenecks. Over time, adjust wave sizes based on actual throughput capacity.

How many waves should we have per day?

Typically 3-6 waves based on carrier cutoff times and order volume. Small operations might use 2-3 waves. High-volume warehouses with multiple carriers often run 5-8 waves. Start simple and add complexity as needed.

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