Step-by-step workflow guide

Pack and check each order

Check the items, quantities, and shipping requirements before closing the carton.

Implementation effort: Moderate · Reviewed July 2026Not sure about a term? Open the plain-English glossary
Run the diagnostic
What this fixes

Packing becomes the final catch-all for upstream errors and then gets blamed for missed cutoffs.

Works well whenSmall-parcel or parcelized orders
Usually a poor fit whenSealed full-case or full-pallet flow already verified upstream
Example

The packer scans every item, selects the carton, adds the required paperwork, seals it, and applies the label.

When this method works well—and when it does not

Works well when

  • Small-parcel or parcelized orders
  • Operations with wrong-item or missing-item exposure
  • Multi-client documentation rules
  • Processes where packing gates carrier close

Usually a poor fit when

  • Sealed full-case or full-pallet flow already verified upstream
  • Items packed at the point of pick
  • Freight requiring specialized engineering or hazmat controls beyond this guide

Show exactly what happens at each step

Write down actions that someone can see or confirm: what the worker does, what moves, who owns the next step, and what happens if something goes wrong.

Before: common problem process
  1. 1Receive tote
  2. 2Search screen
  3. 3Pack
  4. 4Discover mismatch
  5. 5Call lead
After: better-controlled process
  1. 1Identify order
  2. 2Verify contents
  3. 3Choose carton/rules
  4. 4Close + label
  5. 5Route problem

Get these basics right before adding technology

  • One named person owns the process, and everyone agrees what one task includes
  • Current time, accuracy, problem, and volume numbers collected using written rules
  • One named person corrects product and location information
  • A written backup method and a clear path for getting help
Fix this first

If workers cannot reliably identify the item, order, or location, correct that problem before expecting new guidance equipment to improve accuracy.

Step-by-step procedure

  1. 01

    Present one positively identified order

  2. 02

    Verify according to risk rather than repeating pointless scans

  3. 03

    Separate item, quantity, condition, and documentation checks

  4. 04

    Capture weight/dimension variance when useful

  5. 05

    Close shipment only after problem resolution

Information the process must track

For each task, decide what item or order is being worked, where it comes from, where it goes, how much is expected, how the worker confirms completion, what happens when something goes wrong, and which system records the final result.

Technical notes for the warehouse software or IT team

Use one unique task ID. Re-sending the same message should not create a duplicate move or pick. Keep a way to compare records and repair differences when messages are delayed, repeated, or missed.

Decide what workers should do when something goes wrong

What the worker seesWhat the worker should do
Pack queue grows after pick-rate improvement

Balance release to demonstrated pack capacity.

Workers bypass scans

Analyze barcode quality, prompt timing, ergonomics, and legitimate problem paths.

Weight check creates false rejects

Review tolerances, packaging variation, weighing-scale setup, and stored item information.

Numbers to watch

Orders packed/labor-hourPack queue wait timeVerification reject rateFalse reject rateShipment complete on the first tryCutoff attainment

Before the test starts, write down what is counted, what it is divided by, when the clock starts and stops, what is excluded, and where the data comes from. Keep those rules the same through the test.

Test it on a small scale before a full rollout

Trial steps

  1. Choose one realistic area, shift, and order mix
  2. Watch the current method long enough to include normal work and a busy period
  3. Test the new method using exactly the same measurement rules
  4. Review every problem and worker workaround before expanding the change

What must be true before rollout

  • The target output is maintained for one full, realistic shift
  • Accuracy and problem recovery meet the written target
  • New workers can follow the process without unwritten tips from experienced workers
  • The backup method works, and the team can return cleanly to the normal process

Voodoo is one possible way to guide the work—not the answer to every problem.

Where it may help

Displays can show packing instructions, guide verification positions, and support pack-to-light or closure acknowledgements.

See how Voodoo works

When to choose something else

A well-designed single-station scan UI may be sufficient when location guidance is not needed.

Read how recommendations are made

Use these calculators to check the numbers