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NAVIGATION

System Overview

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The Outbound Process in a Warehouse Management System (WMS) encompasses all activities involved in fulfilling orders and dispatching goods from the warehouse to their final destination. It is a critical component of warehouse operations that directly impacts customer satisfaction, order accuracy, and delivery speed.

Key Stages of the Outbound Process:

  1. Sales Order Creation:

    Outbound begins when an order (e.g., sales, transfer, claim) is created in the system. The WMS identifies the required SKUs, quantities, and destination details.

  2. Order Allocation & Picking Plan:

    Inventory is reserved based on availability and picking rules (e.g., FIFO, FEFO). The system generates optimized picking tasks for warehouse staff.

  3. Picking:

    Items are retrieved from storage locations using system-guided methods such as fast, wave, or standard order picking—often supported by RF devices or mobile scanners.

  4. Packing & Verification:

    Picked items are verified against the order, packed according to defined packaging standards, and prepared for shipping. Barcodes and labels are applied as required.

  5. Shipping Documentation:

    The system generates necessary shipping documents such as invoices, delivery orders, or bills of lading. Shipments may also be linked to a specific carrier or route.

  6. Staging & Loading:

    Packed goods are staged at designated dock areas and loaded onto outbound vehicles for dispatch.

  7. Shipment Confirmation & Inventory Update:

    Once loaded and shipped, the system confirms dispatch, updates inventory balances, and sends shipping notifications to integrated systems or customers.

End to End Process Flow

Outbound Process.drawio.png

Types of Outbound Orders Handled:

Order Type Description
Sales Order Goods shipped to customers for sale or fulfilment
Transfer Order Inventory moved between internal warehouses or locations
Return Order Replacement goods shipped in response to a customer return
Claim Order Items shipped as replacements for damaged, lost, or warranty-claimed products
Work Order Goods picked and issued to support production, assembly, or repair activities
Cross Dock Order Inbound goods routed directly to outbound shipment without warehouse storage

Types of Outbound Order Status:

Status Code Description
New N Sales order is newly created and pending wave planning.
Waved W Sales order has been assigned to a wave for picking.
Released R Picking tasks have been released to warehouse staff.
Picked P All items in the sales order have been picked from inventory.
Staged G Picked items are staged and awaiting packing or loading.
Audited T The order has been audited for quantity and/or quality before packing.
Packed A Items have been packed and are ready for shipping.
Loaded L Packed goods have been loaded onto the delivery vehicle.
Shipped S Order has been shipped out and is in transit to the customer.
Cancelled C Sales order has been cancelled and will not be processed.
Partial Picked H Only part of the sales order has been picked; awaiting remaining items.
Partial Packed I Only part of the order has been packed; other items are pending.
Partial Released K Only part of the order has been released for picking.
Partial Loaded Y Only part of the order has been loaded onto the vehicle.
Partial Shipped V Only part of the order has been shipped out.
Shorted X Some ordered items are out of stock or unavailable; not fulfilled.

Benefits of a Streamlined Outbound Process:

Further Reading

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Outbound Processes