You can now use your mobile device or scanner to pick your ShipStation orders! Instead of printing pick lists and manually checking off items, Mobile Picking lets you can scan barcodes to verify products, track the picking progress, and report issues in real time. The app syncs with the ShipStation web platform, keeping everything up to date and logged automatically.
There are two Picking workflow options depending on your packing needs:
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Basic Mobile Picking: groups by order items so your Pickers can move through the warehouse and pick items in bulk to bring back to your packing station.
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Pick to Tote (Batch): lets you assign an order to a tote so your Pickers can pack individual orders as they move through the warehouse.
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IOS Devices using version 11.0 or later.
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Android mobile phone or tablet on version 10.0 or later.
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Android-based barcode scanners.
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Bluetooth handheld scanners that are paired with an Android or IOS Device.
Mobile Pick and Pick is supported on Android and iOS devices. To use this feature you will need to download the ShipStation Mobile app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store and login to the App with your ShipStation login credentials.
Account Admins can enable or disable access to the Mobile Picking flow for each user in their account as needed.
As each item is picked, the app uses barcode scanning to confirm accuracy. ShipStation will match the scanned value against the product’s SKU or UPC, which is configured for that item in your Product catalog. If a match is found, the app will:
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Confirm the item visually and with a sound.
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Track how many items have been picked.
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Move to the next item in the batch.
If the barcode does not match the SKU or UPC for the expected item, the app will display an error message and play an error sound.
If barcode scanning isn't possible you can also manually verify the item by typing in the SKU, UPS, or Fulfillment SKU.
To help you track the picking progress, the mobile picking workflow has picking-specific statuses for your orders:
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Ready to Pick: Orders are grouped into a batch and moved into this status. This status is set in the ShipStation web app. Once orders are marked as ready to pick, the batch will be visible and ready to be picked in the mobile app.
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Picking: Triggered automatically when a user begins picking the batch from the mobile app.
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Picked: All items in the order were successfully verified and picked.
These statuses are visible in both the mobile and web apps and help give you better visibility into your fulfillment operations, from the floor to the final shipment.
Once you have created totes in ShipStation you will need to mark your desired orders as ready to pick to start the Pick to Tote process.
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Select the desired orders.
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Click the Ready to Pick button.
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Adjust your Ship from location and batch name as needed in the pop-up menu, and click next.
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Review any order or inventory errors as needed.
Pick to Tote and ShipStation Inventory
If you are using ShipStation's Inventory feature order items must have inventory available to be able to mark orders as Ready to Pick.
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Click Continue to set your orders to the Ready to Pick status.
Once your orders are marked as ready to pick they will appear in the Picking tab of the ShipStation Mobile App.
Orders are grouped into a batch and sent to the mobile app. Pickers move through locations and pick items in bulk, verifying each product as they go. All items for the batch are picked together.
Orders must be marked as Ready to Pick
Only orders that have been marked as ready to pick will appear in the Pick section of the ShipStation mobile app. If you have not done so already please follow the steps in the section titled Mark your Orders as Ready to Pick before continuing.
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Open the ShipStation Mobile App.
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Select the Pick Tab.
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Select which batch you would like to pick.
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Select Start Picking.
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Go to the location shown on your screen and scan the location barcode.
You can also skip the scanning verification, by clicking the “Skip Locations Scan” option.
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Scan a tote to assign it for your first pick. You will need to scan a new tote for each item you're currently picking.
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Scan the SKU assigned for picking. The app will show how many of each item you need to pick and keep track of the remaining items as you scan.
Once you have picked all the items needed to complete your batch of orders you will see a confirmation screen. You can select the Back to Picking option to move on to your next batch of orders.
Instead of picking items order by order, warehouse staff can pick all items for a group of orders at once and place them into designated totes (bins) that correspond to individual orders. Each tote travels through the fulfillment process, keeping order items organized and reducing time spent walking and sorting. This method is particularly effective for high-volume warehouses where speed and accuracy are critical.
Currently in Beta
The Pick to Tote function is currently in BETA is available to accounts based in the US
To use ShipStation Pick to Tote, you must:
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Use Mobile Picking from ShipStation.
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Use a supported Mobile Picking device.
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Manage Inventory in ShipStation.
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Manage Warehouse Locations.
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Create and manage Totes in ShipStation.
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Maintain accurate SKUs and UPCs for all products in ShipStation.
To use the Pick to Tote picking method, you must first create and manage your totes in ShipStation. You can manage your totes in your ShipStation settings:
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Navigate to to the Warehouses section of your Inventory Management Settings and click on the name of the desired warehouse. The Warehouse Configuration screen will open.
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Select the Totes tab to view and manage totes. You can:
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Create a new tote(s) manually or via a CSV file.
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Print Barcodes for existing tote(s).
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Delete a single or multiple tote(s).
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Orders must be marked as Ready to Pick
Only orders that have been marked as ready to pick will appear in the Pick section of the ShipStation mobile app. If you have not done so already please follow the steps in the section titled Mark your Orders as Ready to Pick before continuing.
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Open the ShipStation Mobile App.
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Select the Pick Tab.
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Select which batch you would like to pick.
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Select the number of totes in your cart and click Next.
If fewer totes than orders are available, the system will automatically assign orders to totes using FIFO (first in, first out). The number of orders will match the available totes, and any remaining orders will stay in Ready to Pick status in the mobile app.
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Review the Picking Overview screen and click Start Picking when you are ready to begin picking your orders.
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Go to the location shown on your screen and scan the location barcode.
You can also skip the scanning verification, by clicking the “Skip Locations Scan” option.
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Scan an empty tote to assign it for your first pick. You will need to scan a new tote for each order that includes the item you're currently picking.
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Scan the item barcode and place it in the corresponding orders tote.
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Continue to Pick your order items by following the location prompts on your screen.
Once all order items have been picked and placed in their respective totes you will see a confirmation screen. You can select the Pick Another Batch option to move on to your next batch of orders.
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Orders must be in the Awaiting Shipping status to be eligible for Mobile Picking. Labels can only be created after picking.
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Partial picking is not supported. All order items must be picked, a partially picked order will be flagged as an exception.
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Camera-based scanning is supported natively on both Android and iOS platforms.
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Inventory and Mobile Picking If you’re using ShipStation Inventory, inventory is automatically allocated when orders are marked as Ready to Pick in the web app. This ensures that only orders with available stock are sent to be picked, helping your team avoid unnecessary trips to empty shelves.
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Order items must have inventory available to use the Mobile Picking flow with ShipStation Inventory.
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