Directed Picking – Rule-Driven, Scan-Verified Fulfillment from the Right Bin, Every Time

This topic is part of the SG Systems Global regulatory glossary series.

Updated October 2025 • Warehouse Execution • WMS / MES / QMS

Directed Picking is the WMS/MES function that tells an operator what to pick, from where, how much, and in what sequence—and then verifies each step by barcode scan and system rules before allowing the pick to complete. Unlike “paper pick lists,” directed picking is an interlocked workflow: location, lot, status, and quantity are validated in real time; dynamic lot allocation selects the best inventory by FEFO/priority; barcode validation prevents wrong-lot errors; and Bin / Location Management ensures the pick honors temperature, allergen, and hazmat zoning. In regulated industries, this is what turns inventory accuracy into defensible genealogy for BMR / eBMR, CoA, and recalls.

“Don’t trust memory in the warehouse. Direct every pick, scan every move, and let the rules say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.”

1) What It Is

Directed picking converts a demand signal—production order, kitting job, or sales order—into a step-by-step route. The system chooses lots and locations according to policies (FEFO, FIFO, potency/assay targeting, allergen compatibility, quarantine avoidance) and then pushes a sequenced task list to a handheld. Each task specifies the exact bin and lot; the operator must scan the bin location barcode and the pallet/lot label to proceed. Quantity is validated against the task and against remaining on-hand. If the scan doesn’t match, the transaction is blocked and a reason-coded exception can be captured or escalated to QA for disposition. Completed picks post inventory moves instantly and write to the audit trail (GxP) for review and traceability.

Why it matters. Picking is where most warehouse errors start: wrong lot from a nearby bin; picking from “quarantine by mistake”; ignoring FEFO because the older pallet is hard to reach; grabbing a similar label; double-counting a partial. Each small error becomes a large one in production records, cross-contamination control, allergen declarations, and recalls. Directed picking replaces “tribal knowledge” with software-enforced discipline.

2) Core Controls & Configuration

Policy-driven allocation. Lots are selected by FEFO/FIFO, quality status, assay/potency bands, and release state. For temperature-controlled or allergen-sensitive items, allocation is filtered to compatible zones, honoring allergen segregation and storage classes set in Bin / Location Management.

Handheld guidance. The device displays a route (pick path optimization), the target bin, and the exact lot. Operators must scan bin → lot → confirm quantity. Barcode validation checks symbology, GS1 fields (GTIN/lot/expiry), and customer-specific labels when picking for shipment.

Status as a hard gate. Tasks will not allocate from Quarantine, Hold, Expired, or Blocked lots. If an operator finds only blocked stock in the bin, they can trigger a substitution request; QA must approve via workflow in QMS.

Partial and pallet-split control. The system supports catch-weight and partials. After each pick, the remaining balance is re-labeled automatically; genealogy records reflect splits for forward/backward trace.

Exception capture. Mismatches (wrong lot, short quantity, damage discovered) raise deviations or material nonconformances, tied to photos and reason codes. These feed supplier performance and CAPA.

3) Practical Implementation & Flows

For production (line-side kitting). A work order generates component demands. Directed picking chooses FEFO lots, then creates a route that minimizes travel while honoring zone changes. Each confirmed pick decrements on-hand and issues a staged to work center move. When the batch starts, the eBMR step can require dual verification (Dual Verification) before dispensing—closing the loop between WMS and batch weighing.

For distribution (customer orders). Directed picking enforces customer shelf-life rules (min. remaining days), label/marking requirements, and carrier constraints. Tasks group by zone, then wave or cluster-pick to reduce travel. Packing verification scans ensure that the right lot ends up in the right carton, preserving traceability for downstream recalls.

Inventory health integration. Location accuracy is protected by opportunistic cycle counting prompts: if a bin is expected to hit zero after a pick, the device asks for a confirmation scan and photo of the empty location.

4) Metrics That Matter

• Pick accuracy (lot-level) and first-time scan pass rate by area and shift.
• FEFO compliance (% of picks that obey target FEFO window) and expired/short-dated escapes.
• Quarantine leakage attempts (blocked picks) as a leading indicator of training and process discipline.
• Travel time per line and lines/hour before vs. after route optimization.
• Exception rate (damage, mislabel, short) feeding CAPA and supplier scorecards.

5) Common Failure Modes & How to Avoid Them

• Paper “assist.” Operators copy tasks to paper and pick out of sequence. Fix: disable paper pick generation; handheld is the source of truth; enforce scan-to-start.
• Look-alike labels. Similar SKUs or fonts cause mis-picks. Fix: GS1 barcodes with GTIN/lot/expiry; approval workflow for label changes; scanner validation.
• Zero-bin ghosts. Inventory shows on hand but bin is empty. Fix: opportunistic cycle counts at zero-cross, and Dock-to-Stock discipline to prevent early put-aways without scans.
• Ignoring FEFO for convenience. Forklift can’t reach the oldest pallet. Fix: slotting/put-away rules to avoid burying short-dated stock; route tasks that make FEFO the easy path.
• Picking from Hold/Quarantine. Happens when status is tracked on paper. Fix: status-based allocation and scanner hard-stops; show big red banners on device for blocked lots.

6) How It Relates to V5

V5 by SG Systems Global delivers directed picking as an integrated capability across WMS and MES with QMS interlocks:

• Rule engine for allocation. FEFO/FIFO, storage class, allergen/temperature zones, assay targeting, and release state.
• Handheld workflows. Scan bin → scan lot → confirm qty. Errors open deviations in V5 QMS with photo evidence.
• eBMR linkage. Picks for production post to the batch’s material genealogy in the BMR/eBMR; dispensing steps can require Dual Verification.
• Audit & compliance. Every scan writes to the audit trail with Part 11 e-signatures where required.
• Analytics. FEFO compliance, blocked picks, and exception heatmaps drive slotting changes and CPV-style monitoring of warehouse performance.

7) FAQ

Q1. Can operators choose a different lot than the one allocated?
Only through a controlled substitution. The handheld requests approval; the system re-checks FEFO/status/compatibility; QA or a supervisor approves via workflow. All changes are audit-trailed.

Q2. How does directed picking handle short picks?
If the scanned quantity is less than requested, the task auto-reallocates to the next valid lot or creates a back-order line. Reason codes (damage, count variance) are captured and can trigger cycle counts.

Q3. What if barcodes are missing or unreadable?
The device supports a controlled override with manual entry, photo capture, and supervisor e-signature. The system immediately flags the lot for relabel under approval workflow.

Q4. Does directed picking slow us down?
No—done right it speeds you up. Route optimization reduces travel; scans prevent rework; fewer deviations mean faster batch release and fewer shipments returned for lot/expiry errors.

Q5. How do we prove control to auditors?
Show the pick history for a batch or order: allocation policy, bin/lot scans, exceptions, and user/time stamps from the audit trail—tied through to genealogy and the finished-goods CoA.

Related Reading
• Warehouse: Bin / Location Management | Dynamic Lot Allocation | Cycle Counting | Dock-to-Stock
• Quality & Records: Barcode Validation | Audit Trail (GxP) | CAPA
• Production: BMR | Automated Batch Records (eBMR) | Batch Weighing