Reduce picking errors in Business Central: Scan the bin and the item with a warehouse extension
Most picking errors in Business Central happen at the shelf, in the wrong bin or with a look-alike item. Warehouse Insight is a warehouse management app that works as an add-on to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Pickers scan the bin, then the item, and the device confirms both before the line updates.
Why do pickers still pull the wrong item?
Because the pick document tells them where to go, but nothing confirms what they actually touched. As Microsoft explains, “Bins represent the basic warehouse structure, and you use them to suggest where to place items.” The suggestion is accurate. The risk is in the walk between the list and the shelf.
A paper pick list depends on the picker reading a bin code correctly and matching an item by eye. Two items in similar boxes can sit side by side. Bin codes on a long aisle can look alike. A tired picker on a busy shift reads what they expect to see.
Those mistakes rarely show up at the shelf. They show up later, at packing, at the customer, or during the next count. By then the cause is hard to trace.
How does scanning the bin and the item reduce picking errors in Business Central?
It turns each pick line into two physical checks. Warehouse Insight uses the same scan-to-confirm flow for warehouse picks and inventory picks. Here is what a picker does on each line:
- The picker walks to the bin and scans the bin barcode to confirm the location.
- The picker scans the item barcode to confirm the item.
- The picker enters or accepts the quantity, and Business Central updates the line in real time.
- The picker moves to the next line and repeats the same steps.
Say the bin and item combination is not on the pick document. The device rejects it at the time of the scan. The picker sees the problem while still standing at the shelf. Nothing incorrect reaches the document.
Pickers also do not have to tap the right line first. When they scan a bin and item, Warehouse Insight finds the matching line on the pick. They can start in whichever aisle they are standing in.
Do pickers have to scan both the bin and the item?
By default, yes. The bin scan is required when Warehouse Insight is first set up, so every pick starts by confirming the location. The item scan then confirms the product itself.
There is one useful shortcut for lot-tracked items. When the lot number is printed in a barcode, the picker can scan the lot instead of the item. Warehouse Insight finds the matching item from the lot, which still confirms identity with one scan.
For anything that is not barcoded, pickers can still select lines and enter values on the screen. Scanning is the default path, not the only one.
How many scans does each pick line take?
Usually two scans and a quantity: the bin, the item, then the amount picked. How the quantity step behaves is a setting you choose in Business Central. That choice decides how much checking happens on each line.
| Quantity setting | What the picker does | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Default to remaining quantity | Presses enter to accept the full line | Experienced pickers and full-case picks |
| Default to zero | Types the quantity picked every time | Lines where counting matters |
| One scan per unit | Scans the item once for each unit | Small, mixed or high-value items |
The one-scan-per-unit option can be set per item or per item category. High-risk items get the extra check, and everything else stays fast. Units of measure add another layer, covered in units of measure when picking.
Can supervisors turn bin scanning on or off?
Yes. The bin scan requirement is a setting, and like every Warehouse Insight setting, it is configured inside Business Central. There is no separate portal or device-by-device setup to manage.
Most warehouses keep it on. Turning it off makes sense where bins do not have barcodes yet. Supervisors can configure pick behavior per device or user group, so one area can run differently from another.
Bin barcodes do not need a special format. Standard linear barcodes and two-dimensional codes both work, so you can label bins in whatever style suits your racking.
What else can a warehouse extension do to stop look-alike picks?
It can show the picker what the right item looks like. Warehouse Insight installs as an extension, and its screens are configured in Business Central. Tile View shows item pictures and color-coded rows, which reduces the chance of a wrong pick. An item picture can also appear when the item is scanned.
Card View shows one line at a time, with factboxes for pick instructions and the item picture. That suits forklift tablets and wearable scanners. Matching the mobile WMS interface to the worker explains how to choose a view.
Short bins are another source of errors. Sometimes the suggested bin cannot fill a line. Warehouse Insight can split the line so the picker finishes from another bin. See the Warehouse Insight picking page for the full workflow.
Frequently asked questions about picking errors in Business Central
How are wrong-item picking errors in Business Central caught?
The device reports a wrong item at the time of the scan and does not update the line. How Business Central handles picking wrong items covers this in more detail.
Does each confirmed scan update Business Central right away?
Yes. Business Central updates in real time as each line is completed. Posting can happen from the device or on close, depending on your setup.
Is Warehouse Insight an app, an extension, or an add-on?
All three describe the same product. It is a warehouse management app for Business Central, installed as an extension from Microsoft Marketplace. Resellers often call it an add-on.
To see how picking fits into the rest of the warehouse, visit the Warehouse Insight app page.