By Dan Cluderay, Founder, Dark Store Systems Ltd

Pick queue — supervise and rebuild fulfilment work

The pick queue is the control surface for releasing and rebuilding pick work. Supervisors see bundle validity (Valid, Short pick, Not valid), run pickface checks including V2 prefix replay, and rebuild queues after rebundle. Daily summary tabs tie orders to cost and sell values for operational review.

What is the pick queue in Dark Store Systems?

The pick queue is where supervisors control which fulfilment work reaches the floor. It sits downstream of the order pool — orders release into bundle building, then bundles appear on the queue with validity status before pickers assign them.

Backend jobs include PickQue_* operations, queue rebuild, daily summary, and pickface bulk check. The queue is the morning stand-up screen: what is ready, what is blocked, and what needs a supervisor action before volume releases.

Status labels are text-first — not colour alone. Bundles display Valid, Short pick, Empty, or Not valid so supervisors and pickers share the same vocabulary.

How does pick queue supervision work?

1. Review bundle validity — Each bundle shows line-level OrderBundleItemsStatus and overall pick-face gate results. Only Valid bundles should be assigned to pickers.
2. Run pickface checks — Supervisors trigger PickFace Check on orders or bulk V2 prefix replay on the queue. Gates include assert_bundle_pickface_pickable and PreBundlePick validation against location types 7 and 8.
3. Release or hold work — Ready bundles move to picker assignment on the bundle pick station. Blocked bundles stay on the queue until stock replenishes or lines are adjusted.
4. Rebuild after exceptions — Missing item confirm, rebundle, and forced skip quantities change bundle structure. Rebuild pick queue refreshes work units so pickers see current lines — not stale jobs.
5. Review daily summary — Summary tabs tie orders to cost and sell values for operational review. Parked orders with despatch status can remain visible while totes sit in consolidation.

Pick queue supervision connects directly to pick-face validation and assisted fill when stock needs replenishing before release.

Why does the pick queue matter before peak volume?

Releasing work that cannot be fulfilled from current pick-face stock floods the floor with empty-bay walks and silent short picks. The pick queue is the gate between "orders exist" and "pickers should move."

In our experience, the managers who win peak days run validity checks before the first bundle assigns — not after pickers report problems. A five-minute queue review beats an hour of consolidation dwell time.

The queue also surfaces Short pick and Not valid bundles that need supervisor decisions: hold, rebundle, or trigger replen before release.

What should I evaluate next?

• Order pool — upstream release timing into picking
• Pick-face validation glossary — definition of gates and status labels
• Bundle picking — what pickers see after queue release
• Warehouse picking hub — full picking capability map

For procurement security review, see Security.

Frequently asked questions