In the building materials supply chain, order picking and staging are critical to getting the right products to the right job site—on time and without costly errors. But not all ERP systems are ready out of the box to handle the real-world complexity of these workflows.
The good news? With the right customizations, your ERP can become a powerful tool to streamline picking, improve staging accuracy, and speed up dispatch.
Here’s how to do it right.
- Map Your Current Workflow (and Identify the Gaps)
Before customizing anything, document how your team currently handles picking and staging. Start with questions like:
How are pick tickets generated?
Is picking done by order, by route, or by item type?
How are partially available orders handled?
What systems or paperwork are used during staging?
This helps you identify exactly where your ERP needs to support (or improve) the flow—not just mimic what you’re already doing.
- Configure Picking Rules Based on How You Move Materials
Your ERP should allow you to define how orders are picked:
Zone picking: Ideal for large yards or warehouses with dedicated sections
Wave or batch picking: Useful when pulling multiple orders headed to the same delivery route
FIFO/LIFO or lot-based picking: Crucial for dated or batch-sensitive materials
Customizing these rules within the ERP ensures pickers follow the most efficient and accurate path every time.
- Customize Pick Ticket Layouts and Data Fields
Make your pick tickets easy to follow—whether they’re printed or viewed on a handheld device. Include:
Bin locations or yard zones
Unit of measure (e.g., pieces, bundles, linear feet)
Special handling notes (e.g., fragile, requires strapping)
Order priority or delivery time window
A clean, custom ticket layout reduces mistakes and saves time during fulfillment.
- Enable Real-Time Scanning and Item Confirmation
Integrate barcode scanning into your ERP workflow so that items are confirmed as they’re picked. With scanning:
The system can validate correct SKUs and quantities
Users can flag shortages or substitutions on the spot
Staging can begin immediately after verification
Custom scan prompts and alerts can help guide new or seasonal workers with minimal training.
- Staging Area Visibility and Tracking
ERP customizations should allow you to assign picked orders to staging zones or delivery queues. This is especially helpful if:
Multiple orders are being staged for one delivery route
Some orders require special packaging or loading instructions
You want to track how long orders wait in staging before dispatch
Make sure your ERP includes timestamps, user tracking, and real-time visibility into staged inventory.
- Add Exception Handling and Partial Fulfillment Logic
In the real world, not every order is 100% ready to go. Customize your ERP to:
Flag backordered items separately
Allow partial shipments with clear communication to sales or customer service
Trigger automatic restock or transfer requests if items are short
This keeps your team agile without losing sight of open commitments.
- Build Reports and Dashboards to Monitor Workflow Health
Custom dashboards can show you:
Orders waiting to be picked
Average pick and stage time by team
Missed or delayed shipments
Inventory movement by location
These insights help you fine-tune your process and identify where improvements (or more training) are needed.
Final Thoughts
Order picking and staging aren’t just warehouse tasks—they’re the last mile of your internal process before the customer sees the result. When your ERP is customized to match your operation, you’ll see faster turnaround, fewer errors, and a smoother path from quote to delivery.
Don’t settle for generic workflows. Build a system that reflects how you really work—and watch efficiency take off.
