FAQ

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Please see our most frequently asked questions about PickingPal.

I’ve noticed WooCommerce has stopped selling PickingPal. Is it still available for purchase?

Yes. PickingPal for WooCommerce is now exclusively available for sale on PickingPal.com. We no longer sell it through the WooCommerce Extension store.

Is PickingPal still being developed & supported?

Yes. Please see the Changelog for the latest updates on PickingPal and PickingPal Pro.

Is PickingPal compatible with the latest versions of WordPress & WooCommerce?

Yes. PickingPal is compatible with the latest and most current versions of WordPress & WooCommerce.

If we learn of any incompatibility as a result of a new release of WordPress or WooCommerce, we will update our plugin and put out a new point release.

Do you have a trial version or demo of PickingPal or PickingPal Pro?

We do not offer a trial version of our software, and unfortunately we do not have a self-guided demo site at this time.

If you have specific questions about capability or functionality, or would like to request a screen-share demonstration, please contact us.

You can see all of the functionality of PickingPal on our PickingPal Documentation page.

In addition, below you can see a video example of how PickingPal looks/works from a mobile phone using manual input of order numbers and product skus. (In normal operation, a barcode scanner would be used in place of manual input).

What is your refund policy?

We have adopted the same purchase & refund terms as other online software platforms such as Envato. Please see our purchase/refund terms & conditions page for details.

What’s the difference between PickingPal & PickingPal Pro?

PickingPal Pro has more features than PickingPal, and can be used on up to two (2) sites. For the full list of differences, please visit the description section of the PickingPal Pro product page.

If we purchase the base version of PickingPal first, can we upgrade to PickingPal Pro?

Yes, you may upgrade from PickingPal to PickingPal Pro. The easiest and quickest way to upgrade to Pro is to purchase a Pro license, and email us to request a refund on your base license order.

Is PickingPal compatible with my specific theme?

PickingPal is theme independent. If the theme is developed using proper WordPress and WooCommerce development standards, there should be no conflicts. Support does not include any debugging related to theme incompatibility.

Does PickingPal generate product barcodes or product barcode labels?

We do not generate any product barcodes or product barcode labels primarily because every shop has a different method for designing & printing barcode labels. Some use standard 1-D barcodes, others use 2-D barcodes such as QR Codes.

Can PickingPal add the product barcode / QR code on each WooCommerce product page in the admin backend?

PickingPal does not generate product barcodes for the reasons noted previously.

There are plugins available that will create & show product barcodes, based on the WooCommerce SKU, within the product page in the admin backend. You may use one of those if you need or want to store barcodes within the product itself on the backend.

To locate those plugins, simply use your favorite search engine and search for: woocommerce product barcodes.

We currently are using YITH WooCommerce Barcodes and QR Codes. Is this plugin compatible with PickingPal?

PickingPal scans/verifies using barcode values from the native WooCommerce SKU field or the PickingPal “Additional Sku” field(s) of each product or product variation. So, all you need is to make sure that any barcode values generated by YITH are present in one of those fields within the product or product variation.

Can I create product barcode labels myself?

Yes! There is a great Free Online Barcode Generator tool available at BarCodesInc.com. Simply enter your product SKU into the field provided to generate a valid barcode image.

Repeat the process for each SKU you have, save the barcode images, then print them when you need them.

There is also a variety of label stickers available at your local office supply store that may be used to print your product barcode labels on a laser, inkjet, or thermal printer. Just find the size that best suits your needs.

How We Design & Print Product Barcode Labels

One method we’ve used rather successfully is to use a DYMO 4XL with small labels, design the product barcode labels using the DYMO software, and just save them to a folder. Then, when we need any number of barcode labels, we simply open up the appropriate barcode label file, and print as many as we need on demand. It’s quite simple actually.

What is the best way to export product information for product barcode label printing?

We provide an export facility (please see our documentation) that is available to save barcode label data to a CSV. Once in CSV, you may use any facility to print barcode labels.

In addition, WooCommerce provides an export facility, under WooCommerce > Products > Export

I don’t want to create my own product barcode labels. Can anyone help me purchase barcode labels?

Yes! There are many online companies that can help you with your barcode label printing needs, such as OrderBarcodeLabels.com, as well as many others.

We’d recommend doing a search using your favorite search engine, and search using the following phrase: barcode label printing service.

Our products have barcode labels with barcodes that aren’t the same as the internal SKU configured in WooCommerce. How are we able to use the existing barcodes?

There are many cases where physical products are labeled with barcode labels (barcode values) that do not match the internal SKU for the product. For example a business may receive products that contain a manufacturer barcode such as a UPC, EAN, etc., but the internal SKU is unique to the business itself.

In these cases, a business may use our “Additional SKU” function to associate other SKUs (like UPC, EAN) to each product. PickingPal is able to scan based on SKU, or any Additional SKU.

Please see our Documentation for details.

Can PickingPal be used without a Pick Ticket, Pick List, or other manual print out?

In order to use PickingPal, the first step is to pull up an order in PickingPal using the order number (via a barcode scan of the order number barcode). As such, there is currently a requirement to have a list of order numbers or order number barcodes so the individual orders may be pulled up in PickingPal for scanning. This is usually in the form of some print-out.

Can the order barcode be printed on any packing slip or invoice or label?

An order barcode is just the order number displayed using a barcode font. To show the order number as a barcode, on our documents we output this HTML and load the font as follows:

<font face="IDAutomationHC39M">(<?php echo $order_number; ?>)</font>

Please see this article on the ID Automation website for more information. 

If you are using an alternate plugin to print a packing slip, invoice, or label, that plugin should be able to provide information as to how to display an order barcode on their documents.

Is there a way to import barcode values into the PickingPal Additional SKUs field(s)?

Yes, please see this article for details.

Is there a way to import warehouse location information into the PickingPal Warehouse Location field(s)?

Yes, there is a way to import warehouse location data into PickingPal! Please see this article for details.

What barcode scanners is PickingPal compatible with?

PickingPal should work with any wireless or wired barcode scanner that will successfully connect to a PC, MAC, or Mobile device / Tablet (via Bluetooth or MicroUSB). See our article about barcode scanners for additional information.

Where do I find a barcode scanner?

You can find a selection of corded and wireless hardware barcode scanners on Amazon, eBay, Office Depot, Walmart, NewEgg, POSGuys, etc.

Can I use PickingPal from a tablet using wifi?

Yes. This is possible with the use of one of the following barcode scanner configurations:

  • a bluetooth or wireless scanner (Android & iOS)
  • a microUSB scanner (Android)
  • a tablet barcode scanner sled

We have tested this configuration with some finger/mini/handheld laser barcode scanners.

Can I use PickingPal from my mobile phone?

Yes. This is possible with the use of a bluetooth or wireless (Android & iOS) or microUSB (Android) scanner. We have tested this configuration with some finger/mini/handheld laser barcode scanners. PickingPal has been tested on mobile devices with screen sizes as small as 5″.

Is there a PickingPal mobile app for iOS or Android?

Not at this time. PickingPal is browser-based and works in conjunction with a connected or paired hardware scanner.

Note: We have found camera-based scanning to be much slower than using hardware scanners. As such, we don’t have any immediate plans to support camera-based scanning via a mobile app.

Can I use a mobile scanning app with PickingPal?

No. Mobile scanning apps do not have a way to transfer barcode scans into our browser-based web application.

What does the PickingPal interface look like from a mobile phone?

This example video was taken using a Samsung Galaxy S9+, using manual input (versus using a barcode scanner) to demonstrate what the PickingPal interface looks like from a mobile phone. A barcode scanner was not available at the time of making the video. Note: PickingPal should be used with a barcode scanner.

My barcode scanner doesn’t seem to be working with PickingPal. What could the problem be?

More than likely your barcode scanner is mis-configured, not paired/connected to the device properly, or is not working correctly.

To test your barcode scanner, do the following:

On the same device/computer you have your hardware barcode scanner connected to, open up a Notepad, Word document, or the equivalent. Find one of your physical products that has a barcode label on it, or print out a barcode on a piece of paper, and scan the barcode with your barcode scanner.

Two things must happen to confirm that your scanner is working correctly:

  • (a) The value of the barcode should appear in your Notepad/Word document, and
  • (b) the cursor should have moved to the next line – meaning your barcode scanner added an {ENTER} after scan.

If you cannot perform the steps as stated above, then your barcode scanner is not working or configured properly.

What hardware configuration is needed to utilize PickingPal in a large mobile warehouse with multiple pickers?

PickingPal is a browser-based software, designed with a responsive, mobile friendly interface.

While it can be operated on a large mobile phone using a mobile browser such as Chrome, the interface will be easier to interact with on a slightly larger screen such as a mini tablet or a tablet (i.e. iPad Mini, iPad, or Android tablet).

Outside of the requirement of a reasonably current handheld device and a browser, the only other requirement would be a scanner that can be paired to the device by way of bluetooth/wireless, or other means such as a scanner docking station (i.e. iPad barcode scanner, tablet barcode scanner, barcode sled).

Each picker will need a login to your WordPress/WooCommerce store, with a minimum of “Shop Manager” access.

From a efficiency configuration perspective, any setup that leaves the pickers with their hands mostly free is likely most desirable.

For example, you could use an iPad mini, with a bluetooth-paired finger-mount (ring-type) barcode scanner. In addition, you could use an iPad either mounted on a cart, or on the picker’s forearm.

Please note, we do not endorse or recommend any specific hardware configuration. Links provided are for illustration purposes only.

Is PickingPal compatible with QR codes?

PickingPal is barcode format independent. Meaning, the input to our software is an actual value, and not based on the format of the barcode.

So, if you have a QR code representing your SKU/UPC/EAN, and you have a barcode scanner that will scan QR codes (i.e. 2-d scanner), then that would be a configuration that would work with PickingPal.

When all items are picked, is there an option to print out a shipping label automatically?

PickingPal does not print shipping labels and is not integrated with any shipping label providers.

One option that is available in PickingPal Pro is to automatically move the order to a new order status upon 100% pick complete. It may be possible within WooCommerce to trigger the automatic printing of a shipping label upon being moved to a specific order status. However, that would likely be part of a separate plugin/extension for WooCommerce that prints shipping labels, such as WooCommerce Shipping.

Alternatively, you can use a shipping label provider (like ShipStation, Shippo, Shipping Easy, etc.) and only pull down orders in certain order statuses (after 100% pick complete).

Does PickingPal work with shipping software solutions such as ShipStation or Ordoro?

PickingPal is a perfect complimentary tool to use in conjunction with your favorite shipping software. Once you’ve verified your Order items have been properly picked through PickingPal, you can use any shipping software to generate the needed shipping labels.

Check with your shipping software provider to see if they support Order barcodes. If they do, you can use the Order barcode on the PickingPal Pick Ticket to quickly look-up orders when generating shipping labels.

What is the difference between a Pick Ticket & Packing Slip?

In PickingPal, a Pick Ticket is similar to, and formatted like an invoice. It contains all the items that were purchased in the order. Invoices show line item pricing, order subtotal, taxes (if applicable), and the order total.

A Packing Slip represents what was actually picked/scanned. For example, if an order contains 4 items, but only 3 can be shipped initially. A shipping person may scan those 3 items, and then print a Packing Slip for the items that will be in the initial shipment.

Packing Slips do not contain any line item prices, taxes, or totals.

Can I add additional order information to the PickingPal Pick Ticket or Packing Slip?

Yes. Please refer to the “Customizing Your Pick Ticket Layout” section in our online documentation.

Can Pick Tickets or Packing Slips be automatically printed?

PickingPal does not include any feature to enable automatic printing of Pick Tickets or Packing Slips.

There may be ways to automatically print Pick Tickets via a cloud-print service such as directprint.io, PaperCut.com, ezeep.com, or Printix.net.

Can Packing Slips be printed for partial shipments?

Yes, if you are processing a partial shipment, once you scan the last item in the partial shipment, you may print a packing slip — which will only include the items that have been partially picked.

Does PickingPal support orders that must be shipped in more than one box (a multi-piece or multi-package shipment)?

You may print more than one Packing Slip for an order that is split into two cartons/boxes, however, PickingPal does not have a feature to print packing slips specific to a multi-carton shipment.

To accomplish this simply pick/scan the items that will be placed in the first carton, then print a Packing Slip for those items. Reset the picking status of the order, pick/scan the items that will be placed in the second carton, then print a Packing Slip for those items.

To ensure the order shows a pick-complete status, the items in the first carton will need to be scanned a second time.

We use the WooCommerce Print Invoice & Packing List (PIP) Extension. Can an Order barcode be added to those documents?

Yes. While we do not have a direct integration to PIP, nor do we provide any support for PIP, we understand that there are ways to configure & customize the PIP invoices and packing slips.

Please refer to our Adding a Barcode to WooCommerce PIP Invoices article for some reference information. Should you need additional help, please contact the authors of PIP or review the Customize the Template section of the PIP documentation.

Can a WooCommerce order status be automatically updated to Completed (or any other status) after an order has been picked via the barcode scanner?

Yes. This feature is available in PickingPal Pro.

Is there a way to prevent picking/scanning orders that are in certain order statuses?

Yes. This feature is available in PickingPal Pro.

Is there a way to prevent picking/scanning orders based on shipping method?

Not at this time. However, PickingPal Pro does have a feature to prevent scanning orders in certain order statuses.

It may be possible to utilize that feature to achieve the intended goal. Please contact us to discuss your specific use-case, and we’ll be happy to assist you further.

Do you have a video or demo showing how the PickingPal Pro Pick-to-Bin feature works?

Pick-to-bin usually requires some discussion for it to be fully understood, because it cannot be demonstrated solely via a screencast recording.

However, our online documentation explains how the pick-to-bin pick list works.​ Please visit the above link, then search for “pick-to-bin” and you will find the section that provides more details about the feature.

How does Pick-to-Bin work without paper picking list?

The pick-to-bin capability is largely a paper-only print-out solution to help improve the efficiency of the picking process. Of course, you can print the pick-to-bin document to PDF and view it on a portable device if you prefer not printing physical documents.​

We do not provide any pick-to-bin scanning verification capability where PickingPal verifies items against an order as they are placed in the individual bins. Once bins contain all the order items, they can be verified at that time with PickingPal.

Can the picking scan logs be exported?

At this time PickingPal does not provide any facility to export the picking log within the software. However, the log data is stored in the WordPress database.

PickingPal line item log data is stored in the table named $wpdb->prefix + ‘pp_pick_order_status’ where $wpdb->prefix is “wp_” by default. Picked line items, are identified by the “_wc_pick_arr” post meta key.

Does PickingPal support translations?

PickingPal is designed to support translations, but we have not created any translation files ourselves. The language files are located in the \i18n\languages folder of the PickingPal installation directory.

Does PickingPal store customer order information on your servers at all (even temporarily)?

No. No order data is passed to our server.