Behind every shipped parcel is an order picker who walks, searches, picks, checks, packs and starts all over again. But what does their day really look like? To find out, let’s follow the same order picker through two parallel warehouses: one operates without a WMS (Warehouse Management System), while the other uses Satelix WMS.
In summary
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What Is the Role of an Order Picker?
The order picker is an essential link in the supply chain. Their role is to pick the right products, in the right quantities, then check, pack and label the orders before they are shipped.
Depending on the company’s organisation, they may also use a pallet truck, a handling trolley or a mobile terminal. They may also take part in stock counts, storage area organisation and the replenishment of picking locations. A missing item, an incorrect quantity or a product stored in the wrong location can therefore slow down the entire preparation process.
To make the comparison more concrete, let’s imagine Alex 🧑🦰, an order picker working for an SME. The times below are illustrative: every warehouse obviously has its own pace!
7:45 a.m.: Reviewing the Orders
The day begins with a quick briefing with the logistics manager. Several orders need to leave before the carrier arrives. Some are urgent, while others contain a large number of items.
Without Satelix WMS: Priorities Must Be Organised Manually 🤏
Alex collects the printed picking lists or checks a list generated by the ERP. He must identify urgent orders, check the item references and organise his own route through the warehouse.
On paper, everything seems simple. In reality, a last-minute order, a change in quantity or poorly communicated information can quickly disrupt the schedule.
Alex knows the warehouse well. He knows that the most frequently ordered products are located at the end of aisle B and that item 4587 was recently moved to a new location. This knowledge saves him time, but it is difficult to pass on to a new employee.
With Satelix WMS: Information Is Sent to the Terminal ✅
In the second warehouse, Alex opens Satelix WMS on his terminal. The orders to be prepared are assigned to him according to the priorities and organisation defined by the company.
For each line, the terminal indicates:
- the item reference to pick;
- the required quantity;
- the storage location;
- any batch or serial number information;
- the next stage of the preparation process.
Satelix WMS can also organise a logical picking route and enable several orders to be prepared at the same time. Alex therefore begins his round with clear instructions, without having to reconstruct his route using several different documents.
🔗 Read also: Order Picking : A Real Challenge for Warehouses
8:15 a.m.: Walking Through the Aisles and Picking Items
It is time to start picking. Alex takes his trolley and heads towards the first storage locations.
Without a WMS: Knowledge of the Warehouse Makes the Difference 🧠
Alex reads the first line of his picking list: ten units of item AX-240.
He goes to the usual location, but the bin is empty. There are several possible explanations: the recorded stock level is incorrect, the products have been moved or the picking area has not been replenished.
Alex asks a colleague, checks another location and eventually returns to the reserve storage area.
A few minutes later, he finds the items. The order preparation can continue, but the search has created an unnecessary detour. Over the course of a full day, these small issues can accumulate, slow down operations and make it more difficult to meet shipping deadlines.
With Satelix WMS: Every Pick Is Guided and Checked ✅
In the equipped warehouse, the terminal tells Alex exactly which location to visit.
Once he reaches the shelf, he scans the location and then the product barcode. The WMS checks that the item picked matches the order. Alex then confirms the quantity.
Barcodes make it possible to identify products and automate various operations related to inventory management and logistics traceability. In particular, they avoid relying solely on visually reading an item reference that may be long or very similar to another one.
If the wrong item is selected, the terminal can flag the inconsistency before the product is placed in the parcel.
👉 The error is therefore detected during picking, rather than several hours later following a customer complaint.
10:40 a.m.: Managing a Stock Discrepancy
Even in a well-organised warehouse, unexpected situations can occur. Today, the available quantity does not match the expected quantity.
Without a WMS: An Investigation Is Required 🕵️
Alex must determine whether the products have been picked for another order, moved without being recorded or counted in the wrong location.
He checks the stock in the system, reviews the available documents and asks the logistics manager for assistance. In the meantime, the order remains on hold.
A difference between recorded stock and physical stock can have several causes: a receiving error, an unrecorded movement, an incorrect pick, unreported damage or an error during a stock count.
With Satelix WMS: The Discrepancy Is Reported Immediately ✅
With a WMS, the movements carried out on the warehouse floor are recorded as operations take place. The manager therefore has a more accurate view of quantities, locations and the history of completed actions.
If Alex identifies a discrepancy, the information can be reported directly within the process. The team can then correct the stock level, carry out a check or review the latest movements associated with the item.
With Satelix WMS, warehouse operations are tracked and synchronised with the ERP. The objective is not to claim that discrepancies will never occur, but to make them easier to detect, analyse and correct.
🔗 Read also: 5 Logistics Scenarios Where a WMS Changes Everything
1:20 p.m.: Checking and Packing Orders
After the break, Alex returns to the packing area. The picked products must be checked, protected and placed in suitable packaging.
Without a WMS: A Second Check Is Often Necessary 🔍
Alex reviews the picking list and counts the products again. He checks the item references, the visible condition of the goods and the quantities.
If he has any doubts, he reopens a parcel or returns to the warehouse aisles. A missing item can result in an incomplete shipment. Conversely, an extra item creates a stock discrepancy and a financial loss for the company.
Once the order has been approved, Alex prints or retrieves the shipping label, then manually updates the order status in the system used by the company.
With Satelix WMS: Checks Follow the Preparation Workflow ✅
In Satelix WMS, the items have already been validated during picking. Depending on the rules defined by the company, an additional check may still be carried out at the packing station.
Alex places the products in the parcel, confirms the preparation and launches the printing of the carrier label directly from the WMS.
The parcel therefore remains linked to the corresponding order. For flows that require it, logistics units can also be identified using an SSCC number, a unique identifier used to track parcels and pallets.
3:45 p.m.: Shipping Orders and Updating Stock Levels
The carrier will arrive soon. The parcels are grouped together in the shipping area.
Without a WMS: Updates Depend on Manual Data Entry 🪢
Alex and his manager check that all the expected parcels are present. The documents are matched with the shipments, then the orders are marked as completed in the management software.
If information has not been entered, or if it has been entered late, the digital stock level may temporarily show a quantity that differs from the stock that is actually available.
This can make the sales team’s work more difficult, as they use the ERP to confirm product availability or provide a delivery time to a customer.
🔗 Read also: Stock Discrepancies: Why Do They Happen and What Can Be Done?
With Satelix WMS: Warehouse Operations Communicate with the ERP ✅
In the second warehouse, Alex confirms the shipment in Satelix WMS. The information is then transmitted to the ERP according to the configuration of the connector in place.
Physical operations and management data therefore remain aligned: prepared orders, shipped quantities, inventory movements and logistics statuses.
Satelix WMS can be connected to Sage 200, EBP Elite, Cegid XRP Flex, Everwin or Nextlane. Other interfaces can also be considered depending on the project.
👉 For Alex, this means less duplicate data entry. For the logistics manager, it provides better visibility over operations. And for the other departments, the information available in the ERP reflects what is actually happening in the warehouse more quickly.
Without a WMS or With a WMS: What Does It Really Change?
| Stage | Without a Dedicated WMS ❌ | With a WMS ✅ |
|---|---|---|
| Order assignment | Paper lists, files or schedules to organise | Tasks sent directly to a terminal |
| Product location | Strongly dependent on knowledge of the warehouse | Storage location indicated to the order picker |
| Picking validation | Visual or manual checks | Location and item scanned |
| Quantity management | Updates may be delayed | Movement recorded during the operation |
| Discrepancy management | Searches across several documents or tools | Centralised history and information |
| Packing | Checks and labelling often handled separately | Stages integrated into the preparation workflow |
| Shipping | Status updated manually | Validation transmitted to the management system |
| Onboarding a new operator | Strong dependence on team habits and knowledge | Guided processes and standardised instructions |
A WMS Does Not Replace the Order Picker
A WMS does not pick products on its own and does not know every specific feature of the warehouse floor. It supports the order picker, secures certain stages and centralises information.
Alex’s experience remains essential for:
- handling goods correctly;
- identifying a damaged product;
- adapting the packaging;
- applying safety rules;
- reporting an unusual situation;
- contributing to improvements in warehouse organisation.
But with Satelix WMS, you can:
- display orders on a mobile terminal;
- indicate product storage locations;
- guide the picking route;
- validate items using barcode scanning;
- manage batches and serial numbers;
- group several orders together;
- support the replenishment of picking areas;
- launch the printing of carrier labels;
- track inventory movements;
- synchronise information with the ERP.
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