DirectPack is an alternative fulfillment method that lets you pick and pack an order at the same time, right from inventory locations at your packing station. A packer works one order at a time directly from a station stocked with the SKUs that order needs, so there's no separate picking batch.
Common Use Cases for DirectPack
Your use case determines which setup fits best, Basic or Advanced.
| Use case | Who it's for | Key benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative to Multi-Item Batch (MIB) picking for small warehouses | Smaller warehouses with a limited number of SKUs, each in a single pickable location. | Streamlines picking and packing when MIB is more setup than the warehouse needs. |
| Alternative to MIB for similar orders | Orders with similar items that would otherwise send a picker back to the same locations across multiple MIB batches. | Saves steps by avoiding repeat trips to the same locations. |
| Alternative to Bulk Ship for core products | Larger warehouses with a core group of SKUs that sell together often, but not often enough to make Bulk Ship efficient. | Delivers Bulk-Ship-style efficiency without needing enough identical orders to justify it. |
Before You Begin
- Packing App: The latest version installed at the packing station. Download it from the ShipHero Apps page.
- General hardware: A barcode scanner, printer, and scale. See Overview: Supported Hardware Devices for recommended models.
- Barcoded products: Required if you're using a scanner at your pack station.
- Recommended: Command barcodes or an Adaptive Packing Station.
Table of Contents
Basic DirectPack Station Setup
Basic DirectPack is the simplest setup for a customer working one order at a time, with a smaller warehouse footprint and each SKU assigned to a single pickable location at or around the packing station.
Step 1: Define and Stock Locations
Create your warehouse locations and assign inventory. Two rules matter here:
- Mark only the location or locations at the packing station as pickable.
- Mark every inventory location outside the packing station as non-pickable.
Critical Inventory Warning
When the same SKU sits in more than one pickable location, ShipHero randomly selects one of those locations to deduct inventory from. This causes inventory discrepancies across your warehouse.
See also: Creating and Managing Locations and How to Use Inventory Upload.
Step 2: Configure Packing Station
Set up the required hardware and supplies at your packing station. As a best practice, use Command Barcodes with a scanner, an Adaptive Packing Station setup, or Tap-to-Pack hardware. You'll also need a box barcode and labeled packaging material slots at the station: see How to Set Up Shipping Boxes in ShipHero.
| Command barcode | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Get Next Order | Requests the next shippable order to open automatically. | Essential for continuous processing. |
| Print Invoice and Labels / Print Labels | Prints shipping documents. | Use the command that fits your operation. |
| Okay/Confirm and Cancel | Acts as a mouse click for on-screen prompts, for example packing notes. | Reduces reliance on the mouse. |
| Get Weight | Triggers the scale and enters the package weight into the weight field. | Requires an integrated scale. |
| Send to Hospital | Sends an order for further review or correction. | See the Hospital flow. |
| Take ParcelView Snapshot | Captures a picture of the package contents. | Requires ParcelView setup. |
| Print Box Barcodes | Prints barcodes to label your packaging material slots. | Recommended optimization. |
| Add New Package | Lets a packer move to a second box for multi-package shipments. | For multi-package orders. |
Optional Optimizations
- Filter which orders reach the DirectPack station with order tags or statuses. Custom tags and statuses must be assigned to the user processing the orders.
- Use Automation Rules to cut repetitive tasks and reduce errors at the packing station. We recommend: Set Box to Use, Set Shipping Method, and AutoPrint Shipping Label.
Once your station is set up, pack orders using the standard packing flow in How to Pack Orders - Standard Flow. The only difference with DirectPack is where the inventory comes from: use the location shown on each line item to pull the item straight from the shelf at your station instead of from a separate pick.
Advanced DirectPack Station Setup
Important Note
Advanced DirectPack is ShipHero's Pack-to-Light system, so ShipHero Support must enable it on your account before you can set it up.
Advanced DirectPack assigns a group of DirectPack locations to each packing station, so only orders with every item available across that station's locations enter the order queue. Compared to Basic, it also gives you:
- Multiple DirectPack stations carrying the same products.
- Multiple pickable locations: assign inventory to DirectPack stations and to picking areas throughout the warehouse, so less common product combinations still process through MIB.
- Easier handling of lot-controlled items for customers without strict FEFO/FIFO requirements.
Advanced DirectPack adds LED-module hardware and a Force Allocate QR code or placard at each station, on top of the hardware and software in Before You Begin. Creating locations and assigning them to the Packing App follows the Pack-to-Light setup.
Continue with How to Install Pack-to-Light Hardware to wire up your station, then How to Ship with a Pack-to-Light Station for the day-to-day packing workflow. If something isn't working, see Troubleshooting a Pack-to-Light Station.