Distribution
Table of Contents
1. Use Cases
Quick links: Sorting after wave picking ｜ Many orders, several devices at once ｜ Scanning an item that isn't in the wave
Case 1: Wave picking is done — sort the mixed items back into each order
Situation: On the morning shift you picked the items for twenty-odd orders in a single wave, all mixed together in one picking tote and wheeled back to the packing area. Now every item has to go back to the order it belongs to before you can pack and ship.
Use this feature: Scan the wave barcode to load the batch of orders into the Distribution Area, where each slot represents one order; then scan items one by one — the system announces the slot number and you drop each item into the matching slot (see Load a wave and start distributing).
Result: Each order's items collect into their own slot; a slot turning green means that order is fully distributed and ready to pack.
Case 2: Many orders — distribute on several devices at once
Situation: During a promotion a single wave holds hundreds of orders. One person working alone at one slot rack can't keep up with the shipping cut-off.
Use this feature: Several devices scan the same wave barcode and work together — every item scanned on one device updates the slot progress on the others in real time, so several people can split the same batch of orders.
Result: Multiple people work at the same time on one shared progress view, so even a large batch gets sorted before the shipping deadline.
Case 3: Scanning an item that shouldn't be here
Situation: Halfway through sorting you scan an item and the system beeps "not found" — it might be left over from the previous batch, or over-picked or mis-picked earlier. It simply isn't in this wave.
Use this feature: Turn on the Exception Zone; these off-wave items are no longer rejected but placed into empty slots instead, with identical items automatically grouped into the same slot.
Result: Exception items don't break your distribution rhythm — they all collect in exception slots, and once this batch is done you decide together whether to return them to the shelves or handle them separately, without mixing into someone else's order.
2. Features
Distribution is the step after picking: wave picking pulls the items for many orders at once, all mixed together, and distribution "sorts" those items back into each order. The left side of the screen is the Distribution Area slot rack (one slot per order); the right side is the Barcode Scanner panel. Scan a wave to load the orders, then scan items one by one — the system uses voice announcements and slot highlighting to tell you which slot each item belongs in.
Quick jump: Load a wave and start distributing ｜ Grid and order details ｜ Exception Zone ｜ Jump mode and Reset
2.1 Load a wave and start distributing
Distribution has two steps, both done in the Barcode Scanner panel on the right:
▸ Step 1: Load a wave
Scan a wave barcode (starts with PW) to load this batch of orders; you can also scan a fulfillment barcode (starts with FL) and the system will find its parent wave. Once loaded, the grid arranges itself by order.
A picking list barcode (starts with PL) cannot load the grid — a picking list can't be matched precisely to each order's slot. Scan a wave or fulfillment barcode instead.
▸ Step 2: Scan items one by one
Pick up an item and scan its barcode; the system matches which order needs it and announces the slot number (e.g. "Slot 3"), and you place the item in that slot. If several orders need the same item, the system guides you in order — fill one slot before moving to the next. When the last item of an order is placed, the voice announces "Slot X complete" and the slot turns green.
The Statistics panel on the right shows the total order count and the number completed, live.
2.2 Grid and order details
The Distribution Area on the left shows each order as a slot — the color and numbers tell you the progress at a glance:
| Slot appearance | Status |
|---|---|
| Gray empty slot | No order at this position |
| Shows a "distributed / required" number | Order in progress; the numbers are the amount placed so far and the total required |
| Green slot | Order fully distributed |
| Highlighted slot | The target slot you just scanned into |
Click any slot to open the Order Details, showing the order number, merchant, overall progress, and for each item its required quantity, distributed quantity, batch, and last scan time.
The slot rack size is adjustable: set the Rows and Cols at the top-right of the Distribution Area (each 2 to 10) so the on-screen slots match the physical rack you use. If an order's slot number is higher than the current slot count, it won't fit on screen — increase the rows and columns to show it (see FAQ).
2.3 Exception Zone
The Exception Zone collects items you scan that aren't in this wave; the wave must be loaded before you can turn it on. When it's off, scanning such an item beeps and shows "not found"; when it's on, those items go into empty slots, get marked "Exception", and identical items are grouped into the same slot.
Click an exception slot to see the Exception Item Details: items the system recognizes show the product name and SKU, while unrecognized ones are marked as unknown with the scanned code listed. After distribution, review the exception slots and decide one by one whether to return them to the shelves or handle them separately.
2.4 Jump mode and Reset
Jump mode
Turn on Jump Mode at the top-right of the Distribution Area, and each scan shows a large full-screen slot-number animation — easier to read than voice in a noisy warehouse.
Reset
The Reset button at the top-right of the Distribution Area clears all current distribution progress for this wave, returning every slot to unfilled. To prevent accidental clicks, you must type "clear" in the confirmation dialog before it runs. This only clears the progress record — it does not change inventory or fulfillments (see Important notes).
3. FAQ
Quick jump: FAQ ｜ Important notes
3.1 FAQ
▪ The scan beeps and shows "no matching data"?
It means the item can't be matched to any slot that still needs it. Common reasons: the item isn't in this wave, every order that needs it is already filled, or the barcode/SKU doesn't match. If it's genuinely an extra item that doesn't belong to this wave, turn on the Exception Zone to collect it into an exception slot.
▪ An order doesn't appear in the grid?
When the slot count (rows × columns) is smaller than the slot number an order was assigned, that order can't fit on screen. Increase the rows and columns so the total slot count covers all orders.
▪ Does distributing change inventory or fulfillment status?
No. Distribution is a live sorting guide and progress record — scanning only tells you which slot an item belongs in and updates the slot's progress. It does not change inventory quantities or fulfillment status. The actual shipping confirmation happens in Fulfillment QC.
▪ If I leave halfway through, is the progress lost? Can several people distribute together?
Progress is kept for a while — re-scan the same wave within 24 hours and your earlier progress is restored. Several devices scanning the same wave also sync in real time, which is ideal for several people splitting one batch of orders.
▪ Why can't a picking list load the grid?
The grid only accepts wave (starts with PW) or fulfillment (starts with FL) barcodes. A picking list can't be matched precisely to each order's slot, so it isn't supported — scan a wave or fulfillment barcode instead.
▪ Several orders need the same item — how does the system split it?
Just scan the same item repeatedly. The system guides you in order: it fills one slot (one order) first, then moves to the next, topping up each order that needs the item in turn.
3.2 Important Notes
⚠️ Important reminders
- Pressing Reset clears all distribution progress for the wave and cannot be undone — every filled slot is zeroed out. It only clears the progress record; it does not change inventory or fulfillments.
- Distribution progress is kept for only 24 hours. After that, re-scanning the wave won't restore the earlier progress and you'll have to distribute again.
💡 Tips:
- In a noisy warehouse, or with a large slot rack, turn on Jump mode for the full-screen slot number — more reliable than listening for the voice.
- Set the rows and columns slightly higher than your order count so orders never get squeezed off the grid.
- Remember to clear out the Exception Zone items after distributing — return them to the shelves or handle them separately, don't leave them on the rack.
4. Related Features
| Feature | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Picking Lists | The picking step before distribution — pull items off the shelves | Go |
| Fulfillment QC | After distribution, QC each order and confirm what ships | Go |
| Fulfillments | View and manage the fulfillments behind the distribution | Go |