How Does a Warehouse Worker Spend a Workday?

Pulling Orders

When you arrive to the warehouse in the morning, a supervisor will give you two copies of each pull ticket. These are computer printouts of orders that have been placed. The pull ticket will list the name of each item ordered, the quantity ordered, and the item's bin number. The bin number will tell you the specific aisle, shelving section, and row where the item is located in the warehouse. Your job is to go to the bin location on the pull ticket, verify that the item on the shelf is the same one that was ordered and then remove the appropriate number of items. Repeat this process for each item on the pull ticket. Carry a box with you and place all of the items into the box as you remove them from their bin locations.

Packing Orders

Take the box of items to the packing area. Remove the pull ticket and items from the box. If the size of the box is inappropriate, then find a box that all of the items will fit into comfortably. Place the items into the shipping box and use Styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap, air pillows or heavy duty paper to wrap and protect any breakable items. Put one copy of the pull ticket on top of the packed items and close the box. Seal it securely with packing tape and use a permanent marker to write the order number on the box. If the order consists of multiple boxes, then you will need to identify each box in the shipment. For example, if there are two boxes, then write "Box 1 of 2" on the first box and "Box 2 of 2" on the second box. Staple or tape the other copy of the pull ticket to the top of the first box.

Shipping Orders

Now that the order is packed and ready to go, carry it to the shipping station. The shipping station has a computer that uses special shipping software that is compatible with the shipping company that the warehouse uses, such as UPS or FedEx. Enter the shipping address where the boxes are going into the computer. This address can be found on the pull ticket, which is attached to the top of the first box of the shipment. Weigh the boxes on a scale and enter their weight into the computer. Tell the computer whether you want the package to be shipped overnight or ground. Print out the shipping labels and affix them to the top of each box. Remove the extra copy of the pull ticket and place it in a pile next to the shipping station. At the end of the day all of the pull tickets of shipped orders will be filed away.