A pick bin holds 60 units and normally uses 40 before a refill arrives, so the refill task is sent before stock falls to 40.
When this method works well—and when it does not
Works well when
- Forward pick faces supplied from reserve
- Meaningful peak and cutoff windows
- Case-pack replenishment into each-pick faces
- Operations with recurring short picks caused by face depletion
Usually a poor fit when
- All inventory picked directly from reserve
- Single deep pallet locations with no forward area
- Demand too intermittent to justify a dedicated forward face
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.
- 1Face empties
- 2Picker shorts
- 3Call supervisor
- 4Find reserve
- 5Refill during picks
- 1Predict need
- 2Release refill
- 3Confirm source
- 4Confirm face
- 5Resume protected picking
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
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
- 01
Measure usable—not theoretical—face capacity
- 02
Define normal, top-off, and urgent trigger logic
- 03
Schedule safe windows or separate replenishment paths
- 04
Confirm source, destination, and quantity
- 05
Escalate imminent stockouts before the face is empty
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
Check demand timing, usable capacity, trigger system delay, and case-pack assumptions.
Treat as an inventory-control problem, not a replenishment productivity problem.
Change timing, path, equipment, or face access before adding labor.
Numbers to watch
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
- Choose one realistic area, shift, and order mix
- Watch the current method long enough to include normal work and a busy period
- Test the new method using exactly the same measurement rules
- 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 signal refill priority and destination at pick locations that can change by task or flow racks, with acknowledgement callbacks.
See how Voodoo worksWhen to choose something else
Voodoo cannot calculate a good reorder point without sound demand, lead-time, and capacity data.
Read how recommendations are made