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Pick Sequence and Replenishment to Pick Face

Use this guide to understand why Parcel Pilot suggests one pick location before another, and how to replenish stock from bulk storage into a pick face.

What Pick Sequence means

Pick Sequence is the warehouse pick-order number stored on a location.

It is configured on the Location record and is warehouse-scoped.

Current audited behavior:

  • lower sequence numbers are picked first
  • locations with no sequence are sorted after locations that do have a sequence
  • if two locations tie, Parcel Pilot falls back to location code ordering

Where it is configured

You can configure it in Locations.

Verified current UI labels include:

  • Pick Sequence on the location form
  • Generate Pick Sequence
  • Export Pick Sequences CSV
  • Import Pick Sequences CSV

The current form helper text says:

Optional. Lower sequence numbers are picked first. Leave blank to keep the existing location-code ordering fallback.

New locations and default values

When a warehouse is selected and the field is blank, the current form uses the next available warehouse sequence.

Current verified default behavior:

  • if the warehouse already has pick sequences 10, 20, 30, the next default is 40
  • if the warehouse has no existing sequence values, the starting default is 10

How the picking order is determined

The current location ordering logic is:

  1. locations with a numeric Pick Sequence first
  2. lower sequence values before higher sequence values
  3. locations with no sequence after numbered locations
  4. location code as the fallback tiebreak

This means 10 is picked before 20, and a blank sequence usually comes after both.

Which current workflows use it

The audited implementation uses pick-sequence-aware ordering in the warehouse picking path and related pick-planning logic.

Current confirmed consumers include:

  • the mobile picking location flow
  • automatic pick-location suggestion logic
  • eligible location ordering for Pick Location Override

Existing allocation or an explicit override can still supersede the normal planned location.

Pickable vs non-pickable locations

Pick sequence does not make a location pickable by itself.

These are separate concepts:

  • physical location: where the stock currently sits
  • pickable / non-pickable: whether the location is part of normal outbound picking
  • pick sequence: the order in which pickable locations are preferred

Practical rule:

  • use pick sequence to order real pick faces
  • keep bulk, reserve, staging, quarantine, and returns locations non-pickable unless they are intentionally part of live picking

Replenishing a pick face

Parcel Pilot does not currently auto-replenish stock into a pick face.

Instead, it gives you the tools to do replenishment with normal stock-transfer workflows.

In practice, replenishment means:

  1. identify that pickable stock is low or exhausted
  2. find bulk or reserve stock in a non-pickable location
  3. use Transfer Stock to move the quantity into the correct pick face
  4. if reservations should follow the stock, enable Move reservations with stock

See Inventory Units - Transfer Stock.

Transferring reserved stock

Reservation and transfer are different concepts.

  • A reservation says an order is holding stock.
  • A transfer moves the stock to another location.

When using Transfer Stock:

  • leave Move reservations with stock off for ordinary tidy-ups or relocations
  • turn Move reservations with stock on when reserved stock must become pickable in the destination location

This is the normal pick-face replenishment case for live outbound work.

Worked example

Bulk stock exists in a non-pickable storage location.

The pick face is running low.

  1. The bulk location holds the stock physically, but it is non-pickable.
  2. The pick face is a pickable location used by outbound picking.
  3. You transfer stock from bulk into the pick face.
  4. If open orders already reserve that stock and it needs to become pickable immediately, use Move reservations with stock.
  5. The pick face's lower Pick Sequence helps it appear earlier in the warehouse pick path.

Why a different location may be suggested

Parcel Pilot may suggest a different location because:

  • that location has a lower pick sequence
  • the other location is pickable and this one is not
  • the lower-sequence location has the available stock
  • there is an existing allocation for the line
  • a saved Pick Location Override is active
  • the other location wins on the code fallback when sequence is blank or tied

CSV tools and sequencing maintenance

The current system includes warehouse-scoped sequence-maintenance tools.

Generate Pick Sequence

This can:

  • Fill blanks only
  • Rebuild all

The preview is built in location-code order before you apply the changes.

Export Pick Sequences CSV

Current export columns are:

  • warehouse_code
  • location_code
  • pick_sequence
  • location_type
  • storage_type
  • pickable

Import Pick Sequences CSV

Current import behavior is warehouse-scoped and preview-first.

  • You preview the CSV before applying it.
  • Blank sequence values can clear a stored sequence.
  • The preview warns if duplicate sequence values will remain.

Common problems

We have stock, but Parcel Pilot suggests another location

Check whether the suggested location has a lower pick sequence, better availability, or an existing allocation or override.

The stock is in bulk, but it is not being suggested

Bulk is usually non-pickable. Replenish the pick face first instead of expecting Parcel Pilot to pick directly from bulk.

A location has no pick sequence

That location falls back behind numbered locations and then uses location code ordering.

We imported a CSV and the order still looks odd

Check the preview summary for duplicate sequence values, blank values, or warehouse mismatches.

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