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How to Get Started with Location Aware Picking

Location Aware Picking is enabled through a guided setup process with your Customer Success Manager (CSM) and ShipHero's implementation team. This article walks through what to expect, from confirming prerequisites to going live.

For an overview of Location Aware Picking's benefits and fit criteria, see Overview: Location Aware Picking in ShipHero.

Table of Contents

Location Aware Picking Prerequisites

Confirm your warehouse meets these requirements before starting setup.

Requirement Details
Active ShipHero WMS account Your account must be live and active, not a trial or setup-only account.
Mobile app version Pickers must run ShipHero mobile app version 2.9.22 or later. Location Aware Picking map guidance does not appear on older versions. If a picker is already on a current version and still doesn't see the map, contact ShipHero support.
Warehouse CAD file A .dwg or .dxf CAD file that accurately represents your warehouse floor layout. If you don't have one, ShipHero's mapping team can work from detailed floor plans or blueprints instead.
Consistent location naming Your pickable locations need a naming convention that matches your physical rack and bay layout. ShipHero maps locations by bay, so individual bin-level CAD detail isn't required, but location names must match the bay labels on your CAD file.
Depot location A depot is the location closest to your packing station, where pickers start and end each run. You need to identify this location before configuration begins.

CAD File Tips for Location Aware Picking

Keep these in mind when preparing your CAD file:

  • Draw physical walls as closed shapes on the non-walkable layer. ShipHero's mapping tool doesn't read a separate walls layer.
  • Include north-arc references if you want your warehouse map to auto-rotate on pickers' mobile devices.
  • Flag any zones with overlapping bay names during setup. Zone configurations take extra work to map.
  • If a picker's route looks inefficient after go-live, it's usually a CAD accuracy issue. Contact ShipHero support with the specific location barcodes so the mapping team can review it.

How to Get Started with Location Aware Picking

Here's what to expect once you've confirmed fit and pricing with your CSM.

  1. Contact your CSM to express interest. Your CSM confirms Location Aware Picking fits your warehouse and sets up an intro call with ShipHero's sales team.
  2. Complete a discovery call. ShipHero reviews your daily order and pick volume, number of pickers and shifts, current batch sizes, and depot location to confirm fit and pricing.
  3. Sign the contract addendum. ShipHero handles pricing and the contract update, so you don't need to complete separate forms.
  4. Provide your warehouse CAD file. Submit a .dwg or .dxf file, or work with ShipHero's mapping team if you don't have one. Provide a list of your pickable locations mapped to physical bays, and identify an on-site contact who can validate the map and answer layout questions.
  5. Validate the warehouse map. ShipHero processes your CAD file and generates a map for your warehouse. Review each version ShipHero sends. Multiple revision rounds are normal.
  6. Confirm configuration. ShipHero's team configures your batch settings, routing, and depot location, then activates Location Aware Picking on your account.
  7. Test before going live. Run a short picking test with one or two pickers to confirm everything works as expected, then roll out to your full team.

Location Aware Picking Setup Responsibilities

What ShipHero Handles What You're Responsible For
  • Processing your CAD file and generating the warehouse distance map
  • Uploading map files and activating your account settings
  • Configuring batch and routing settings
  • Troubleshooting map issues and corrections
  • Providing an accurate CAD file and validating each map version
  • Keeping location naming consistent with your CAD file
  • Letting ShipHero know when you add new pickable locations
  • Keeping picker mobile devices updated to version 2.9.22 or later
  • Notifying ShipHero of warehouse changes, such as new racks, relocated sections, or new access restrictions

Ongoing Location Aware Picking Maintenance

Any pickable location you add after Location Aware Picking goes live needs a map update. Contact your CSM or ShipHero support to submit an updated CAD file or request new coordinates. Locations that aren't mapped show as "not mapped" to pickers and reduce the quality of your batch optimization until they're added.

More Resources

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