Picking accounts for almost 50% of a warehouse's labor costs. Streamlining your batch picking processes minimizes non-value-added activities—such as manually routing orders to pickers—and ensures you get the most from a paperless picking solution.
Table of Contents
What is Batch Picking?
Batch picking lets you pick items for multiple orders at the same time, reducing the number of trips a picker must make through the warehouse. ShipHero offers two batch picking methods: Single Item Batch (SIB) and Multi-Item Batch (MIB).
- Single Item Batch (SIB): Groups single-item orders into batches. Ideal for high-volume sales of a specific SKU.
- Multi-Item Batch (MIB): Lets pickers pick multiple orders with different products into unique totes. Orders are separated during picking, eliminating the need to sort products at the packing station.
Batch Optimization Settings
Navigate to My Account > App Settings to configure batch optimization and order processing. These settings control how ShipHero selects and sequences orders within each batch.
Settings can be updated at any time. For example, use By Location Prefix in the morning for efficiency, then switch to By Required Ship Date, then Priority in the afternoon to focus on urgent shipments.
Requirement
To use specific Multi-Item Batch Picking Types, you must set When Picking Orders Sort By to ShipHero Optimized.
| Setting Name | Description/Action |
|---|---|
| Sort Orders By | Determines how line items are sorted within a picking batch (e.g., by SKU or BIN). |
| When Picking Orders Sort By | Determines which orders are pulled into batches (e.g., Order Date, Ready to Ship Date, or ShipHero Optimized). |
| Multi Item Batch Picking Type | The logic used to group MIB orders (e.g., minimizing walk distance by location). |
Sort Orders By
Controls the picking path by determining how line items are ordered within a batch or single order flow. Does not affect which orders are included in a batch — only the sequence in which items are picked.
| Sort Option | Operational Result |
|---|---|
| SKU | Sorts items alpha-numerically by SKU name. May cause inefficient travel if the same SKU is stored in multiple locations or if SKUs are not stored sequentially. |
| BIN | Recommended. Sorts batch items by location name alpha-numerically. Ensures a linear picking path and prevents the picker from returning to the same location twice within a single batch. |
When Picking Orders Sort By
Controls the order in which orders are pulled into Single Item Batches, Multi-Item Batches, and Single Order flows on the mobile app. Also determines which order is pulled up next on the Single Orders page when using the Get Next Order command barcode in the Packing App.
| Sort Option | Selection Logic |
|---|---|
| Order Date | FIFO (First In, First Out) based on order placement date. Oldest orders are prioritized for batching. |
| Ready to Ship Date | Prioritizes orders based on when they reached "Ready to Ship: Yes" status. |
| ShipHero Optimized | Uses Priority first, then Required Ship Date, across Single Item Batch, Bulk Ship Batch, and single order workflows. Required for advanced MIB logic. |
Note on Ready to Ship Date: If an order moves in and out of Ready to Ship status, the system uses the most recent timestamp for its place in the queue.
Multi Item Batch Picking Type
Determines which orders are grouped into Multi Item Batches (MIB). Does not affect sorting for Single Order flows.
| Picking Type | Best Use Case | Logic Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Optimize Batches by Location | Smaller warehouses with Mixed Bins (multiple SKUs per location). | Starts with the oldest order and adds other orders containing items in the same physical location. |
| Optimize Batches by Location Prefix | Larger warehouses where each SKU has a unique location. | Groups orders by the first 3 characters of a location name (e.g., location 020-10-A is grouped with other 020 locations). |
|
Optimize Batches by Required Ship Date, then Priority |
Time-sensitive operations focused on shipping deadlines. | Prioritizes the Required Ship Date. Does not attempt to minimize travel distance. |
Feature Walkthrough
Watch our video walkthrough on optimizing Multi Item Batches.