In every warehouse that holds items to ship, there must be a way to tell their staff what inventory to pick off the shelves and pack for shipment. That’s where a pick ticket comes in.

Basically, a pick ticket is a piece of paper that lists all the parts of your order that need to be found, put together, and shipped. In the fulfillment world, it is also referenced as a packing slip, or pick slip. Usually, it is a piece of paper. However, it can also be a large sticker (especially if part of the pick ticket is used for the shipping label), or it may actually take the form of an electronic file. In today’s technological world, many warehouse managers and operators like using tablets or mobile devices to manage their inventory.

On a typical paper pick ticket you will see:

• A logo
• Where the shipment will be delivered
• Who placed the order
• Date and time of order placement
• Date and time of order fulfillment
• The list of items ordered
• The quantity of each item ordered

The accuracy of the pick ticket is crucial. The warehouse operator is going off what is provided. It tells them what to pick and how many. The ticket needs to be clear in terms of items, with any special instructions included. Inaccurate picking will lead to inaccurate deliveries. That opens the door for unfulfilled or inaccurate orders and unsatisfied customers.

The paper pick ticket can also double as a packing list. Check out the next package you receive. There should be a piece of paper alongside the item(s) ordered and it should be pretty clear in terms of quantity and item. It may have other wording and text that is gibberish to you, but it means quite a bit to the warehouse staff. Certain codes may indicate where the item is located in the warehouse and certain letters may indicate the initials of the warehouse staff picking your order.

The end result is that the pick ticket has information that is imperative to the efficient running of the warehouse.