The Packout Flow

The packout flow is the fulfillment engine at the center of the ShipGenius OMS. It's designed around a single principle: the operator should have to do as little work as possible to fulfill an order accurately and quickly. In our own warehouse, implementing this flow reduced the per-order error rate from 2.2% to 1 in every 10,000, and cut average packout time from 2 minutes per order to under 45 seconds.

This article covers every part of the packout interface -- what each section does, how scanning works, how cartons are managed, how the system connects to scales and printers, and how batch fulfillment modes work.

The Packout Interface

The packout screen is divided into four main sections: the order header, the carton manager, the scan field, and the item and carton panels.

Order Header

The top of the screen shows the order being packed -- recipient name, ship-to address, address validation status, and the shipping service selected for the order. This gives the operator a quick confirmation they're working the right order before scanning begins.

Carton Manager

The carton manager sits below the header and shows all cartons currently assigned to the order. Each carton starts unnamed -- you assign a carton type or custom dimensions either by scanning a carton barcode or by selecting one manually. You can add multiple cartons to a single order for multi-carton shipments.

Each carton has a Delete and an Assign button. Delete removes the carton and all items assigned to it. Assign opens the carton picker where you can select from your configured carton types or enter custom dimensions.

Keyboard shortcuts for carton actions -- add carton, delete carton, remove last scanned item -- are coming in a future release.

Scan Field

The scan field accepts any barcoded value: SKU, UPC, ShipGenius item ID, or carton barcode. It works with all standard barcode formats and QR codes. Physical scanners are the primary input method -- the field stays focused so scans register immediately without the operator clicking anything between items.

Manual keyboard entry into the scan field is also supported, but only if enabled in the operator's user settings. This is an admin-controlled setting -- by default it is off to prevent accidental manual entry during scanning workflows.

Items to Pack Panel

The left panel shows every item on the order that still needs to be packed. Each line shows the item SKU, description, total quantity required, and a packing counter showing how many have been scanned into the active carton so far. The packing counter starts at zero and is highlighted in red. As items are scanned correctly, the counter increments. When all items on a line are packed, the counter turns green.

If a scanned value doesn't match any item on the order, an audible warning plays and a warning toast appears on screen. The scan is ignored and the operator tries again. This immediate feedback loop is what keeps error rates low -- bad scans surface instantly rather than at the end of the packout.

Active Carton Panel

The center panel shows the currently active carton -- the one items are being packed into. It displays the carton's assigned type (if set), current weight, volume, and item count, along with a list of every item scanned into it so far. If you have multiple cartons on an order, you switch between them here to direct items to the right box.

Space Utilization Panel

The right panel shows volume utilization for the active carton. This only activates once a carton type is assigned or custom dimensions are entered -- without dimensions the system has no reference to calculate against. Once dimensions are set, it shows a visual volume bar, how much space is still available, which items can still fit, and an estimated total weight. This helps operators catch overpacking before it becomes a problem.

Carton Assignment and Label Printing

A shipping label prints automatically as soon as all items on an order are packed and a carton type or custom dimensions are assigned. For multi-carton orders, the label prints when all cartons have items assigned and dimensions set. The operator doesn't need to trigger printing manually -- the system detects the completed state and sends the label to the configured printer immediately.

The system tracks exactly which items were packed into which carton. This item-to-carton assignment is recorded against the shipment so you have a precise record of what went in what box.

Scale Integration

ShipGenius integrates with connected scales to auto-populate package weight at shipment time. When a scale is connected and a package is placed on it, the weight reads automatically and overrides the calculated item weight. This means the shipping label uses the actual physical weight of the packed carton rather than the sum of item weights on file.

Scale integration works across all ShipGenius app types -- web, desktop, and the Tauri desktop app. For web app users, scale connectivity requires the ShipGenius Device Server application to be downloaded and running on the local machine. The desktop app connects to scales directly without additional setup.

Short Shipping and Admin Approval

Short shipping means shipping an order without all items fully packed -- for example, when an item is out of stock and the operator needs to ship what's available. By default, operators cannot short ship without explicit permission.

If an operator attempts to ship before all items are packed and they don't have short ship permission, an admin approval panel appears. An admin can approve the action directly in the panel using a quick login or MFA confirmation. This grants the operator temporary permission to complete that specific ship action without changing their underlying role or permissions. The approval is logged against the shipment.

Batch Fulfillment Modes

When working a batch of orders rather than a single order, ShipGenius automatically detects the characteristics of the orders in the batch and selects the most appropriate fulfillment interface. The goal is to match the workflow to the work -- operators don't have to configure this or make a choice, the system figures it out.

There are five batch modes:

Singles Mode

Triggered when every order in the batch contains exactly one line with a quantity of one. This is the classic one-item-per-order scenario. The interface shows a scan field, a list of scannable orders, and a completed orders column. The operator scans items one at a time -- each scan is matched to the correct order automatically by SKU, UPC, or item ID. No order selection required.

SKU Bulk Mode

Triggered when every order in the batch contains the same SKU. The interface is the same as Singles but the system tracks scan counts per order rather than per item. The common SKU is displayed prominently. The operator scans the same item repeatedly -- the system counts scans and advances to the next order when the required quantity for the current order is reached.

Mass Mode

Triggered when every order in the batch is identical -- same items, same quantities, same carton. Because all orders are the same, individual scan verification isn't required. The operator assigns one carton configuration that applies to all orders, and labels are generated in bulk. This mode is designed for high-volume scenarios where you're shipping the exact same thing to many recipients and label assignment to a specific box doesn't matter.

Standard Mode

The default mode for batches that don't meet the criteria for Singles, SKU Bulk, or Mass. Orders are worked one at a time using the full single-order packout interface. A batch list sits alongside the active order panel so the operator can see all orders in the batch and where they are in progress. The URL drives which order is active -- navigating to the next order advances the list.

Note: if an operator navigates directly to a single order rather than through the batch view, they see only the order packout interface with no batch list alongside it.

Completed Mode

Shown when all orders in a batch have been fulfilled. Displays a completion screen summarizing the batch results.

FAQs

What barcode formats does the scan field support?

All standard barcode formats and QR codes. The scanned value is matched against SKU, UPC, and ShipGenius item ID. As long as the barcode encodes one of those values, it will work.

What happens if I scan the wrong item?

An audible warning plays and a warning toast appears on screen. The scan is ignored -- nothing is added to the carton. The operator scans again.

Can I type into the scan field instead of using a scanner?

Only if your administrator has enabled manual entry in your user settings. By default it is disabled to prevent accidental input during scanning workflows.

When does the label print?

Automatically, as soon as all items are packed and a carton type or custom dimensions are assigned. For multi-carton orders, when all cartons have assignments. No manual trigger required.

Do I need special hardware for scale integration?

A compatible scale connected to your machine. For the web app, the ShipGenius Device Server application must be downloaded and running. For the desktop app, no additional setup is required.

How does admin approval for short shipping work?

An approval panel appears in-app when an operator without short ship permission attempts to ship an incomplete order. An admin enters their credentials or completes MFA directly in the panel. This grants temporary permission for that specific action only -- it doesn't change the operator's role or permanent permissions.

How does the system decide which batch mode to use?

Automatically, based on the characteristics of the orders in the batch. Singles: every order has one line, quantity one. SKU Bulk: every order has the same SKU. Mass: every order is identical. Standard: everything else. The operator doesn't configure or select this -- the system detects it and shows the right interface.