Warehouse automation that delivers results on the warehouse floor

One of the most common mistakes in warehouse automation is focusing on the technology instead of the people who use it. Automation only delivers value when it aligns with how work gets done on the floor. 

That starts with understanding where warehouse teams lose time and momentum—not just physically, but mentally. Walking distance matters, but the bigger constraint is cognitive load. Every unnecessary decision slows execution. 

Every time a warehouse team member has to stop and figure something out, productivity slows. Thoughtful automation removes that friction by embedding decisions into the workflow, allowing teams to move faster and work more consistently. 

The following real-world examples show how this plays out in practice. 

Smarter pick lists 

Here’s an example of how Sikich used automation to remove friction from the picking and packing workflow for one customer. 

Before the solution was implemented, warehouse team members followed their picking routes—often with hundreds of items on a single pick list—adding items along the way into large yellow bins that were later sent to the packing station. 

Each bin frequently contained items for multiple orders and multiple customers, all mixed together. A single bin could hold anywhere from a handful of unique items to more than 100, spanning as many as 150 sales orders. 

That complexity didn’t slow workers down during picking, but it did create a bottleneck downstream. 

When a bin reached the packing station, teams had to manually sort items and assign them to the correct orders. Doing so accurately, without creating duplicate or short shipments, was time-consuming and error-prone. In some cases, items were accidentally dropped during picking and never made it into the bin, a problem that often went undetected until packing, when discrepancies surfaced. 

The solution was a smart, code-driven “container” that automatically connects each item to the correct order as it’s removed from the bin. Packers simply scan the UPC code. Many of these were single-line orders, which allowed the system to intelligently assign scanned items without requiring workers to manually match products to specific customers.  

Each scan assigns the item to the right order and clears it from the list in real time. If an item from the pick list is missing, the system flags it immediately, allowing the team to resolve the issue before shipment, not after. 

By removing the need for workers to figure out which item belonged to which order, and whether anything was missing, the automation eliminated the bottleneck and delivered a significant productivity gain. 

Wave label enhancements  

Typically, labels are printed at the start of a wave, essentially a picking route. The wave label lists everything a team member needs to pick for shipment and is generated using ZPL code. 

Sikich extended the wave label to include critical information. These enhancements added customer names, customer-specific packing and shipping preferences, and clear indicators for delivery modes such as will-call, LTL, and parcel orders. 

By putting this context directly on the label, warehouse team members no longer had to stop and interpret exceptions or look up instructions. The result was less guesswork, faster execution, and fewer errors along with improved customer satisfaction as packing and shipping preferences were consistently followed on every order. 

Intelligent LTL rate lookups  

Sikich helped our customer streamline carrier rate selection by engineering a tighter integration between RateLinx and Redwood Logistics, the distributor’s LTL rate broker. This integration required custom architecture and close collaboration between Sikich, the customer’s internal architect, and both platforms. 

Sikich enabled RateLinx to automatically apply shipping rates inside Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management. Instead of manually comparing options, team members trigger an automated call to Redwood Logistics as part of the workflow. 

The result is a single step that returns the optimal carrier, the best available rate, and the bill of lading. That eliminates manual lookups, reducing decision time, and accelerating shipment processing. 

Building better boxes 

Learning Resources, a leader in innovative educational toys and learning kits, needed to fulfill large-volume orders using different workflows for full-case and partial-case shipments. Managing those parallel processes added complexity and slowed execution. 

Sikich simplified the operation by implementing a system that delivers clear, step-by-step instructions to warehouse workers. The system tells team members exactly what to pick, which items belong in which boxes, and where each box should go next. It also handles label generation, ensuring each carton moves correctly along the conveyor. 

When a box is complete, the system signals completion and automation takes over—closing the box, taping it, and applying the shipping label. 

A key benefit for the workers is eliminating unnecessary handling. Full boxes are no longer opened and split unless required. By guiding workers precisely and only opening cartons when necessary, the system reduced repacking, minimized rework, and improved overall throughput. 

Taking the paper out of replenishment 

For a supply chain solutions provider, Sikich automated the replenishment process in a way that did more than save effort: It removed paper and replaced it with clarity. 

Previously, warehouse team members printed lists of items that needed to be moved and then returned those sheets after the work was completed to confirm execution. The process was slow, manual, and generated significant paperwork. 

With the new system, replenishment instructions appear directly on the scanners workers already use. Team members are told what to move and where to take it, with confirmation handled digitally: eliminating paper, reducing delays, and keeping the workflow moving. 

Drilling into the details 

For a drill and tooling manufacturer, improving efficiency came down to one thing: consolidating sales orders more intelligently. 

The company had already reduced inventory by applying specialized coatings to semi-finished drill bits after orders were received. Instead of stocking hundreds of finished SKUs, GFI kept “blank” drill bits that could be customized based on the coating required for each order. 

Managing that process became significantly easier after Sikich helped implement smarter, order-aware labels at the start of production. Labels were generated as soon as orders were placed and included all necessary customer and shipping information, eliminating the need to relabel items later in the process. 

The new system also improved how products and materials were built and picked. Rather than picking materials one order at a time, team members could batch-pick materials for up to 50 orders in a single pass. One trip to a bin replaced a dozen or more individual trips. 

Consolidation was simplified, as well. Semi-finished items are now automatically routed to a designated consolidation shelf, and team members completing items for the same order are directed to the same location. Once all components are complete, the system notifies the team that the order is ready to pack and ship. 

Orders made up entirely of finished items can bypass consolidation altogether and move straight to packing. 

By giving team members clear direction and visibility into where each item belongs, the system removed guesswork, reduced unnecessary movement, and kept work flowing smoothly through the operation. 

Humans at the heart of successful automation 

As these examples show, the real value of warehouse automation comes from how it supports the people doing the work. When tools like RateLinx and Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management are thoughtfully applied and integrated into the process, automation does more than remove steps: It makes every step count. 

The result is faster execution, less wasted effort, and processes that scale without adding friction. 

If you’d like to explore how Sikich can help your warehouse team work more efficiently and consistently, get in touch to start the conversation.