Digital 2 Go Logo
Digital 2 Go

Mastering the Final Step: The Goods-Out Process

Goods -out marks the final step in your warehouse operations. With a well-designed dispatch process, you can ensure that every delivery arrives at the customer on time, in full, and as ordered. But what defines an optimal goods -out process, and how can you lay the foundation for satisfied customers and sustainable growth?

Everything at a glance - from packing station to dispatch.

Direct dispatch: How a Digital Goods-Out Works.

Clearly defined processes and clean data are the foundation for a smooth goods -out process. Intelligent digitalization solutions help you pick orders error-free, track shipments transparently, and avoid bottlenecks in the dispatch area. Solutions such as automated scanning, digital checklists, and real-time tracking create the basis on which you can grow flexibly. So what does that look like in practice?

1. Dispatch Staging

As soon as a dispatch order is submitted, employees receive precise instructions detailing the required articles and quantities for assembly. Mobile scans and digital pick lists ensure that no item is forgotten and that every order is fulfilled flawlessly.

1. Dispatch Staging

As soon as a dispatch order is submitted, employees receive precise instructions detailing the required articles and quantities for assembly. Mobile scans and digital pick lists ensure that no item is forgotten and that every order is fulfilled flawlessly.

2. Dispatch Data Capture

All data relevant for dispatch—from the type of packaging to handling instructions—is stored digitally in the system. Scans automatically record shipment numbers, weights, and special requirements. This means that every delivery can be easily identified and all information is available for downstream processes.

2. Dispatch Data Capture

All data relevant for dispatch—from the type of packaging to handling instructions—is stored digitally in the system. Scans automatically record shipment numbers, weights, and special requirements. This means that every delivery can be easily identified and all information is available for downstream processes.

3. Final Inspection

Before the shipment leaves the warehouse, it is checked for damage and accuracy. Digital checklists and photo documentation make any discrepancies immediately visible. Errors are corrected on site so that everything is in order for the recipients.

3. Final Inspection

Before the shipment leaves the warehouse, it is checked for damage and accuracy. Digital checklists and photo documentation make any discrepancies immediately visible. Errors are corrected on site so that everything is in order for the recipients.

4. Loading & Dispatch Notification

After the inspection, the items are packed securely for transport, labeled, and loaded. The shipment is digitally confirmed in the system, so everyone involved knows at all times which goods left the warehouse and when. Real-time tracking ensures transparency – both internally and for the customer.

4. Loading & Dispatch Notification

After the inspection, the items are packed securely for transport, labeled, and loaded. The shipment is digitally confirmed in the system, so everyone involved knows at all times which goods left the warehouse and when. Real-time tracking ensures transparency – both internally and for the customer.

How to Master the Most Common Challenges in Goods-Out

In the dispatch area, routine and stress often collide – from urgent last-minute orders to sudden changes in delivery notes. To help you keep track of things even in hectic times, we have summarized the most common stumbling blocks and our best practical tips for you. Here you will find clear, well-founded answers to the questions that really concern you in your everyday work, such as: What can you do to ensure that all shipments are reliably and traceably documented in the system? Or: How do you react when a delivery does not arrive as planned? And what do you do when last-minute changes require flexibility?

In manual warehouses, delays in goods -out are mainly caused by three bottlenecks: time-consuming accuracy checks, creating shipping documents (which is prone to errors), and coordinating pickups. Instead of reorganizing the entire warehouse, you can eliminate these bottlenecks with individual digital tools. Photo documentation with solutions such as ivii photostation, for example, can replace the manual checking of packing lists. Tools such as CartonScan take care of dispatch preparation by eliminating manual weighing and measuring and providing accurate master data. If this data is also transferred to a dispatch system, labels are created automatically. By specifically optimizing these time-consuming, manual steps, you can achieve enormous speed and quality advantages even without a Warehouse Management System.
Especially in a manual warehouse where double-checking is often time-consuming, packing errors can easily occur. A simple and effective solution is a system like the ivii photostation. This is a workstation where a high-resolution photo is taken of every open package before it is sealed. This image is saved along with the order number and serves as clear, visual proof of the correct and complete contents at the time of shipment. If a customer complaint arises later, the photo can be immediately retrieved to prove what exactly was in the package. This allows you to resolve discrepancies quickly without relying on complex software.
Learn more about ivii photostation
Manually weighing, measuring, and entering shipping data is not only slow, but also one of the biggest causes for errors in goods -out. Tools such as CartonScan offer a solution that addresses this issue. Their main task is to automatically capture the exact master data of a package—i.e., weight and dimensions—in a matter of seconds. This step alone eliminates manual and error-prone measurement and ensures correct data for billing. For further automation, this precise data can also be transferred to connected dispatch software. There, it is linked to the respective order in order to automatically generate and print the correct shipping label. Manual input errors in weight and size, which often lead to expensive recalculations by the service provider, are now a thing of the past, and the process is significantly accelerated.
Learn more about CartonScan
The most expensive filling material in your parcels is air. Freight costs are often calculated based on the volumetric weight, which is determined from the parcel dimensions. If the box is too large, you pay more than necessary, but manual measurement is too slow and susceptible to errors. This is where systems for automatic recording of weights and parcel dimensions come in handy. A solution such as CartonScan accurately records the dimensions and weight of each package as it passes through. This data not only forms the basis for an exact freight cost calculation, but also reveals potential for optimization: you can systematically evaluate which items regularly use oversized packaging. Based on these findings, you can switch to more suitable box sizes and thus save on shipping costs in the long term.
Learn more about CartonScan