What is a pick list?
A pick list is a document, on paper or on a screen, that tells a warehouse picker which items to collect for one or more orders: the product or SKU, the bin location it is stored in, and the quantity. A good pick list is sorted in the order the picker walks the aisles, so each bin is visited once.
In software such as Salesforce or Excel, a “picklist” is a dropdown field. This page is about the warehouse document.
How a pick list works in an Indian D2C or omnichannel warehouse
What goes on a pick list
- Pick list number, date and the picker’s name
- Order number, or the batch of orders it covers
- Bin location for each line
- SKU and a short description, with size and colour
- Quantity to pick
- Batch or lot, and expiry date, where the product has them
- A space to mark each line picked, short or substituted
Example: a batch pick list for four orders, sorted by bin. The data is illustrative.
| Bin | SKU | Description | Qty | Batch / expiry | For orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-01-A-1 | FW-100 | Face wash 100 ml | 3 | B2409, exp 08/2027 | 1041, 1043 |
| A-01-C-2 | SR-30 | Serum 30 ml | 2 | – | 1041 |
| A-04-B-1 | CR-50 | Cream 50 g | 1 | B2411, exp 10/2027 | 1042 |
| B-02-A-3 | TS-M-BLK | T-shirt, M, black | 4 | – | 1042, 1044 |
The picker collects 10 units in one walk through aisles A and B, then sorts them into the four orders at the packing table.
Types of pick list
- Single-order: one list per order. Simple, but the picker walks the aisles once for every order.
- Batch: one list covers several orders, and items are sorted into orders afterwards, as in the example.
- Zone: each picker has a list for one zone only; orders are combined at packing.
- Wave: lists are released in timed waves, for example to meet each courier’s pickup time.
Order picking explains when each method fits.
Paper or phone. A printed list relies on the picker reading the right bin and the right item. On a phone with a scanner, the picker scans the bin label first, then each item’s barcode; a wrong bin or a look-alike item is flagged before it reaches the box.
Short picks. When the bin is empty or holds fewer units than the list asks for, the picker marks the line short and records why: not found, damaged, or wrong item in the bin. The order is then held, picked from another bin, or split, and the bin is queued for a count.
Common mistakes
- Lists not sorted by bin. The picker zig-zags across the warehouse and takes longer for every order.
- Printing lists too early. Stock moves or sells between printing and picking, and lines come up short.
- No batch or expiry on the line for dated goods, so the wrong batch is picked.
- Short picks noted on paper only. The stock record still shows units that aren’t there.
- Using the pick list as the packing check. Picking and packing are separate checks; scan again at the pack bench.
Related metrics
- Lines picked per hour = pick list lines completed ÷ picker hours. Example: 360 lines in 6 hours is 60 lines an hour.
- Short-pick rate = lines marked short ÷ lines on pick lists. Example: 12 short of 1,200 lines is 1%.
- Mis-pick rate = wrong items found at packing or by customers ÷ items picked. Example: 6 of 3,000 is 0.2%.
Pick lists in the Indian context
Pick list, packing slip, packing list and invoice compared
| Document | Who uses it | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Pick list | The picker | Which items to collect, from which bins |
| Packing slip | The customer | What is in the parcel; usually no prices |
| Packing list | Courier, buyer’s warehouse or customs | What is in each carton of a shipment |
| Tax invoice | The buyer and the tax authorities | The sale, with GST details |
- GST invoices. A taxable sale is billed on a GST tax invoice; CBIC’s invoice rules list its particulars, including the HSN code of the goods. The pick list is an internal document and carries no tax role.
- Marketplace fulfilment. When a marketplace fulfils the order itself, it picks from its own warehouse. Amazon.in’s FBA FAQ says FBA orders ship in Amazon-branded boxes, with the packing slip and invoice showing the seller’s name.
How Fretron CommerceOS handles picking
Fretron CommerceOS covers pick and pack. The warehouse team works the floor on a phone, without handheld hardware, and picking is scan-guided: bin, then item. There is no offline mode, and labels print from the web, not the phone. If an item isn’t found in its bin, the picker records a reason. The CommerceOS page lists the pack, label and invoice steps as “In launch verification”.
Questions and answers
- What is a pick list in a warehouse?
- A pick list is the instruction a picker follows to collect stock for orders. Each line names a product or SKU, the bin location where it is stored and the quantity to take. It can be printed or shown on a phone or handheld scanner. One list may cover a single order or a batch of orders picked together and sorted at the packing table.
- What information is on a pick list?
- At minimum: the order or batch number, the bin location, the SKU with a short description, and the quantity. Good lists add the size and colour, the batch or lot and expiry date for dated goods, the picker's name and the date, plus a way to mark each line as picked, short or substituted. Lines should be sorted by bin.
- What is the difference between a pick list and a packing slip or packing list?
- A pick list is an internal warehouse document that tells the picker what to collect and from where. A packing slip goes in the parcel and tells the customer what was shipped, usually without prices. A packing list describes the contents of each carton in a shipment for a courier, a buyer's warehouse or customs. The tax invoice is separate again.
- What are the types of pick lists (single-order, batch, zone, wave)?
- A single-order list covers one order. A batch list covers several orders whose items are collected together and sorted afterwards. A zone list covers only one area of the warehouse, so several pickers each pick part of an order. A wave list is released at set times, for example so orders are ready before each courier's pickup.
- How should a pick list be sorted?
- By bin location, in the order the picker walks the aisles, so each bin is visited once and nobody walks back. That depends on bins being numbered in walking order: zone, aisle, rack, level. For dated goods, the list should also name the batch to take, so the picker doesn't choose by what is easiest to reach.
- What happens when a picker finds the bin empty (a short pick)?
- The picker marks the line short and records a reason, such as not found, damaged or wrong item in the bin. The order is then picked from another bin if stock exists elsewhere, held, or split and part-shipped. The bin should be counted soon, because the stock record and the shelf disagree, and other orders may be relying on that stock.
- Is a paper pick list or a scan-based pick list on a phone better for a small warehouse?
- Paper is cheap and works when one or two people pick a few dozen orders a day and know the shelves. Once order volume, SKUs or staff grow, scanning helps: the picker scans the bin, then the item, so a wrong bin or a look-alike product is flagged before packing. A phone with a camera scanner can be enough to start.
- Is a pick list the same as a picking slip or pick ticket?
- Usually, yes. Pick list, picking list, picking slip and pick ticket all name the document that tells a picker what to collect and from where. Some teams use "pick ticket" for one order's slip and "pick list" for a batch of orders, but the content is the same: the bin location, the SKU and the quantity for each line.
Last reviewed: by Fretron.
Sources
- Invoice Rules: Tax Invoice (CGST Rules, 2017). CBIC. https://cbic-gst.gov.in/gst-invoice-rules.html (accessed 5 Nov 2026).
- Fulfillment by Amazon: Frequently Asked Questions ("What about my branding?"). Amazon.in. https://sell.amazon.in/shipping-and-fulfillment/fulfillment-by-amazon/fba-faq (undated page; accessed 5 Nov 2026).