Wave Picking
Plan and process picking waves with visually prioritized deadlines. The three-color badges immediately tell you which waves are urgent, which need to be completed today, and which you can calmly plan.
Overview
Wave Picking is the wave picking mode of SiltaFlow. The waves are created and planned in advance by the warehouse manager in Odoo, grouping the orders into time windows with defined deadlines. The mobile operator sees their list of waves, understands at a glance which ones are urgent thanks to the colored badges and starts the withdrawal with a touch.
Unlike Smart Batch Picking — which aggregates orders in real time — waves are always planned in advance. This makes them ideal for scheduled logistics: shipment consolidation, fixed warehouse shifts, truck loading windows.
Once started, the wave uses the same processing engine as Smart Batch Picking: optimized path, cluster picking with colored bins, scanner, voice picking, electronic signature. All features are available for waves too, without having to learn a new flow.
To use Wave Picking, the Wave module must be enabled in Odoo (Configuration → Warehouse Settings → Operations → Wave Picking). Waves must be created from Odoo desktop or automations — the app displays and processes them, but does not create them.
The Wave List
By opening Wave Picking from the Warehouse Hub, you will find the list of available waves. The app loads only the waves assigned to you (or all the waves in the warehouse, if the operator filter is not active in the settings). Regular Smart Batch Picking waves do not appear here: the two lists are always separate.
Each wave is shown as a card with all the necessary information: the name of the wave assigned by Odoo (e.g. WAVE/2024/0042), how many withdrawal operations it contains, the assigned operator, the colored expiration badge and the button to start it immediately.
The list automatically updates every 90 seconds. If new waves or changes are detected, a warning appears at the top of the list with an "Update" button — you can ignore it and continue working, or update the list immediately.
Quick status filters
At the top of the list you will find five quick filters that operate instantly, without having to reload data from the server:
| Filter | Show | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| All of them | All waves without filter | You want to have a complete overview |
| Draft | Waves created but not yet started | Start of shift: see what you have to do |
| In progress | Waves started and processing | You want to resume a withdrawal that has already started |
| Complete | Wave closed with all withdrawals validated | End of shift: Check what you processed |
| Cancelled | Waves deleted by manager in Odoo | You need to check your cancellation history |
Badge Expiration: the Three Colors
The expiration badge is the most useful feature of Wave Picking. Each wave with a configured deadline shows a small colored badge that immediately tells you how much time you have: no manual calculations, no date reading. Color is the priority.
| Color | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Red — Expired | The deadline has already passed | Start now, it has top priority |
| Amber — Today | The deadline falls on the current day | Complete before end of turn |
| Blue/Grey — Futura | The deadline falls on a later day | You can plan calmly |
| No badge | No deadlines configured for this wave | Free order, you decide the priority |
Work the red waves first, then the amber ones, then the blue ones. The system does not change the order of the list automatically so as not to interfere with your manager's planning — you choose where to start from.
The color of the badge is calculated by comparing the expiration of the wave with your device's clock. Make sure your phone's time zone is correct and synchronized: if your device's time is off from the server Odoo, the colors may not match the actual priority.
The States of a Wave
Each wave goes through a life cycle defined in Odoo. The app shows the current status via a colored chip on the wave board. Statuses change in Odoo and are synced to the app at the next automatic update (every 90 seconds) or when you open the screen.
| State | What does it mean | Can you launch it from the app? |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Wave created but not yet started. Withdrawals are assigned but no one has started. | Yes — tap "Start" |
| In progress | The sampling has begun. One or more operators are working on wave picking. | Yes — you can continue or join other operators |
| Completed | All pickings have been validated. The wave is closed. | No — it's already over |
| Cancelled | The manager canceled the wave in Odoo (e.g. reorganization of orders). | No — it cannot be processed |
How to Process a Wave
When you tap "Start" on a wave card, the withdrawal screen opens. In the top bar you will see the name of the wave (e.g. "Wave: WAVE/2024/0051") so you always know which wave you are working on.
The processing flow is identical to Smart Batch Picking. If you've used batch picking before, you'll find everything familiar:
- Optimized route — Locations are automatically sorted to minimize journeys. On waves with a lot of picking, this saves tens of minutes per shift.
- Aggregated Quantities — If multiple orders require the same product from the same location, the app shows them as a single row with the total quantity. Withdraw everything in one go.
- Cluster Picking — If enabled in settings, each order in the wave receives a colored bin on the virtual cart. Physically separate items by order during picking, without subsequent sorting.
- FEFO Rotation — For products with batch and expiry, the app always suggests the batch with the closest expiry date first. No rotation errors.
- Built-in scanner — Scan barcodes with the device's camera. On terminals Zebra it also works with the physical reader (DataWedge).
- Voice Picking — The device reads picking instructions aloud and accepts voice confirmations. Useful when you have your hands full or are working with gloves.
- Electronic signature — Upon completion of the wave you can collect the operator's signature directly on the touch screen. It is saved on Odoo with date and time.
- Photo — Take a photo to document any discrepancies or damage found during collection.
- Scrap — If you find a damaged item, you can declare the scrap directly from the picking screen, without leaving the wave.
Enable Cluster Picking for waves that contain orders for different customers. The colored bins physically separate the items already during picking, eliminating the sorting work in the packing area.
When to Use Wave Picking
Wave Picking is ideal whenever warehouse work is planned in advance and has defined deadlines. Here are the most common use cases:
Shipment consolidation with loading window
The manager creates a wave in Odoo with all the orders for the 2pm truck. The amber badge warns operators in the morning. If the time approaches without the picking being completed, the badge turns red. The operator starts the wave, travels through the warehouse with the optimized route, signs at the end and the wave closes.
Scheduled shift collection
In warehouses with fixed shifts (e.g. 6:00–14:00, 14:00–22:00), each shift has its own waves assigned to the operators of that shift. By using the "Draft" or "In Progress" filter, each operator sees only their own active tasks, without getting confused with the waves of other shifts already completed or yet to come.
Management of emergencies and critical deadlines
A supervisor looks at the wave list filtering by "In Progress": the red waves at the top indicate delays. You can intervene by assigning a second operator or by contacting the shipping manager. The color of the badge updates in real time with each poll, without having to manually reload.
E-commerce with hourly waves
The ERP system automatically creates a wave every hour with orders confirmed in the last window. The app receives new waves via automatic polling and displays the notification banner. Operators see the next wave to process without having to consult Odoo from the computer.
Practical Example
Here's how a typical wave picking session goes from opening the app to closing the wave.
Start an urgent wave
- Open Wave Picking from the Warehouse Hub. See the list of waves. The first one on the list has the red "Expired" badge: she was supposed to leave an hour ago but no one had seen her.
- Tap "Start" on the tab. The withdrawal screen opens with the title "Wave: WAVE/2024/0051". The route is already calculated: 4 locations in optimal sequence, 3 different products to collect.
- With cluster picking active, you see 3 colored bins — one for each order in the wave. You scan each product and the system automatically assigns it to the correct bin.
- Last completed location: summary and signature appears. You sign on the touch screen, confirm and the wave changes to "Completed". The manager also sees it immediately from Odoo desktop.
Manage multiple waves in one turn
- Start of round: you have 8 waves on the list. Press the "Draft" filter: 5 waves left to start. One has the amber badge (expires today at 4pm), the others have the blue badge (expires in the future).
- Start the amber wave first. While you process it, the polling detects 2 new waves created by the manager: the banner at the top appears. You ignore the notification and finish picking.
- Once the amber wave is complete, you return to the list and tap "Refresh" on the banner. The list now shows 9 waves: the 2 new ones have the blue badge expiring tomorrow. Put the "Draft" filter back on and proceed in order.
- At the end of the round, filter for "Completed": 6 waves closed, 1 still in draft that you will move on to the next round. The supervisor sees the same information in Odoo without having to question you.
Limits and Requirements
Before you start using Wave Picking, keep these limitations in mind:
- Wave module Odoo mandatory — Wave functionality must be enabled in Odoo (Configuration → Warehouse Settings → Picking Wave). Without this flag the wave list will always be empty.
- Wave creation only from Odoo — The app displays and processes existing waves, but cannot create new ones. Creation, picking assignment and deadlines are configured in Odoo desktop or via automations.
- Undoing only from Odoo — You cannot undo or reset a wave from the app. In case of a scheduling error, the manager must intervene in Odoo and the app will update the status on the next poll.
- Update latency: 90 seconds — New waves and status changes arrive on the app with a maximum delay of 90 seconds. For emergencies, you can manually update the list via the refresh button in the top bar.
- Connection Required — Wave picking requires active connection to Odoo throughout picking. Offline mode is not supported (unlike Excel Mode for other streams).
- Operator assignment from Odoo — The assignment of a wave to an operator is managed in Odoo. The app shows the assigned operator but does not allow you to change the assignment from the device.
- Very Large Waves — There is no technical limit to the number of pickings per wave, but waves with hundreds of pickings can slow down the calculation of the optimized route. We recommend keeping within 50–100 pickings per wave.
Tips
Set the wave deadline equal to the loading closing time, with a little margin (e.g. 30 minutes before the truck leaves). The amber badge will give operators a visual warning ahead of time, without them having to check the time.
An optimal wave takes between 30 and 90 minutes to complete. Waves that are too short create opening and closing overheads. Waves that are too long make it difficult to meet shipping windows. Monitor average times and adjust wave size accordingly.
Activate the operator filter in the settings: each operator only sees the waves assigned to him, not all those in the warehouse. This reduces confusion in busy shifts and helps everyone focus on their workload.
To get started: 1) Enable the wave module in Odoo (Configuration → Warehouse Settings → Picking Wave). 2) Create a wave in Odoo (Operations → Picking Wave → New), add pickings and set the deadline. 3) Open Wave Picking in the app from the Warehouse Hub. 4) Start the wave with the colored badge and process like a normal batch.