Picking & Dispatch Operator
Department: Warehouse & Logistics
Level: Operational
Primary objective: Prepare and dispatch customer orders — from any channel — with complete documentation and correctly decremented stock
What this role does
The Picking & Dispatch Operator turns orders (from Sales or OMS) into physical shipments: picks the order from the system, collects items from the warehouse (picking), verifies with a scanner, packs, creates the delivery note and packing list, and dispatches. They are the link connecting the customer order with physical stock and the transport document.
Modules used daily
| Module | Where to find it | What you use it for |
|---|---|---|
| OMS Orders | OmniSales → Orders | Queue of orders from external channels (WooCommerce, marketplace) |
| Sales Orders | Sales → Orders | Orders from the internal sales team |
| Delivery Notes | Warehouse → Delivery Notes | The shipping document accompanying the dispatch |
| Packing Lists | Warehouse → Packing Lists | Consolidate multiple delivery notes into a single manifest |
| Commodities | Warehouse → Commodities | Check available stock before picking |
| Delivery Returns | Warehouse → Delivery Returns | Process returns from customers |
| Warehouse History | Warehouse → History | Track full traceability of any outgoing movement |
| OMS Sync Audit | OmniSales → Sync Audit | Check if orders synced correctly from external channels |
Barcode scanner at picking
During picking, the scanner eliminates wrong-item-picked errors — the most common cause of returns and complaints.
Picking flow with scanner:
- Open the Delivery Note created for that order
- Go to the physical location in the warehouse
- Scan the barcode on the item on the shelf / package
- Platform confirms: scanned item = item on delivery note? ✓ or ✗
- If ✓ → enter quantity picked (or scan multiple)
- If ✗ → you picked the wrong item → return to the correct location
- Scan each line → complete picking
At packing/final verification:
- Before sealing the box: scan each item in the package
- System validates that everything in the box matches the Delivery Note
- Generate Packing List → attach to package
Order queue — where you pick from
Orders from internal Sales
→ Sales → Sales Orders — filter by status "Confirmed" or "To dispatch"
Orders from OMS (WooCommerce, marketplace, B2B portal)
→ OmniSales → Orders — all external channels centralised
OMS statuses you monitor:
| Status | Your action |
|---|---|
| New | Order arrived — check available stock |
| Confirmed | You can start picking |
| In picking | You've taken the order — update status |
| Packed | Picking and verification complete |
| Dispatched | Delivery note issued, courier collected |
| Delivered | Delivery confirmation at destination |
Update the OMS order status as you progress — the customer can see status in their own portal.
Daily routine
Morning — day's queue
- Open OmniSales → Orders + Sales → Orders → filter orders with status "Confirmed" / "To dispatch"
- Sort by priority: nearest promised delivery date first
- Check Commodities — do you have available stock for each order? If not → notify Warehouse Manager and Sales immediately
During the day — picking and dispatch
- For each order: create Delivery Note associated with the order
- Do picking with scanner — verify each item
- Pack → scan final verification → generate Packing List (if you have multiple delivery notes per run)
- Print delivery note → attach to package
- Hand package to courier or place in dispatch area
- Update order status in system → "Dispatched"
End of shift
- Check OMS Sync Audit for any orders with sync errors (orders that came from WooCommerce but aren't visible in system)
Key workflows
Workflow 1 — Standard order (1 item, 1 destination)
Confirmed Sales Order (or OMS status: Confirmed)
→ Check stock in Commodities → available ✓
→ Create Delivery Note → associate order
→ Fill in lines: item + quantity (with scanner or manually)
→ Stock decrements automatically on delivery note finalisation
→ Print delivery note → attach to package
→ Hand to courier → update status → "Dispatched"
→ Invoice generated automatically from delivery note (in Sales)
Workflow 2 — OMS order from WooCommerce or marketplace
Order enters automatically from channel → appears in OmniSales → Orders
→ Verify all data is complete (delivery address, items, quantities)
→ Check stock → available ✓
→ Update status → "In picking"
→ Create Delivery Note → picking with scanner
→ Pack → Packing List if needed
→ Update status → "Dispatched" + add courier tracking number
→ Customer sees updated status in their portal if they have one
Workflow 3 — Consolidate multiple orders into one shipment
5 orders for the same city, same courier, same day
→ Create Delivery Note for each order separately
→ Warehouse → Packing Lists → Add
→ Associate the 5 delivery notes → Packing List consolidates them
→ Print Packing List → driver/courier has complete run manifest
→ Each order remains individually traceable through its own delivery note
Workflow 4 — Insufficient stock at time of picking
Confirmed order → at picking: stock missing or insufficient
→ Do NOT create an incomplete delivery note
→ Notify immediately: Sales (client to inform), Acquisitions (urgent PO?)
→ Check Warehouse History: does stock exist but not in usual location? (unregistered internal transfer?)
→ If stock arrives within a day → hold order "Awaiting stock" and dispatch upon arrival
→ If client can't wait → Sales handles alternative with client
Workflow 5 — Customer return
Customer returns goods (defect, wrong order, change of mind)
→ Warehouse → Delivery Returns → Add
→ Associate original delivery note (or OMS order)
→ Enter returned items and quantities
→ Select destination warehouse: active stock or quarantine (for quality check)
→ Stock increments back in selected warehouse
→ Notify Sales: return processed → they issue Credit Note for client
→ If goods are defective: send to quarantine warehouse, not active stock
Complete traceability of a dispatch
Every Delivery Note created automatically links:
Customer Order (Sales or OMS)
↓
Delivery Note #[number]
→ Client, delivery address, items, quantities, dispatch date
↓
Stock decremented in Commodities (SKU + quantity + source warehouse)
↓
Warehouse History: outgoing movement recorded with operator + timestamp
↓
(optional) Packing List: run manifest
↓
Invoice generated from Delivery Note (in Sales → Invoices)
Key metrics
| Metric | What it means | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Orders dispatched on time | % orders delivered within promised timeframe | > 95% |
| Picking errors | Delivery notes corrected post-issue (wrong item) | < 0.5% of total lines |
| Unsynced OMS orders | Orders in external channel not pulled into system | 0 |
| Returns due to warehouse fault | Returns caused by wrong item / missing item | < 1% of orders |
| Average order → delivery note issued time | From confirmation to finalised delivery note | < 4h |
Practical tips
Update OMS status immediately when you dispatch. A customer who bought from WooCommerce or marketplace sees the status — an unupdated status generates unnecessary support calls.
Check OMS sync first thing in the morning. If the overnight sync failed, orders haven't come in — check in Sync Audit and alert IT if necessary.
Don't dispatch without a finalised delivery note. Stock doesn't decrement without a delivery note — a package that leaves without one means "ghost" stock in the system.
For large or palletised orders, create a Packing List. The driver needs a manifest, customs needs a manifest, the B2B client needs a manifest. One delivery note per package + one Packing List for the shipment = complete documentation.
Check OMS sync first thing in the morning before starting picking — if the overnight sync failed, orders may not have arrived and the team could spend the day idle while customer orders are waiting. Alert IT immediately if errors are found.
Never dispatch goods without a finalised delivery note. Stock does not decrement in the system without a confirmed delivery note — a package that leaves without one creates phantom inventory that will surface as a discrepancy at the next count.