Paperless picking: How mobile workflows transform fulfilment speed and order accuracy
2025-11-17
Written by Kimberley Hughes
Anyone who has worked on a warehouse floor knows the scene all too well: pickers juggling clipboards stacked with printed lists, searching aisles for products that may have already moved, while updates trickle through hours later.
Paper-based picking slows everything down. When each step depends on handwritten notes or printed slips, even small delays compound and orders fall behind while accuracy suffers. Fulfilment operations today move faster than ever, yet many teams are still bound to manual systems that leave them guessing about what's been picked or packed.
The good news is that a change is underway: retailers worldwide are adopting mobile, paperless workflows that provide teams with live visibility and accuracy at every stage of the process. Going digital means fewer mistakes, faster fulfilment, and a more connected, confident warehouse team ready to meet modern demand.
What is paperless order picking?
Paperless order picking replaces traditional printed pick lists with digital tools that guide warehouse staff through every step of the fulfilment process. Using mobile devices, barcode scanners, or tablets, pickers can view their assignments, scan product barcodes, and update order statuses instantly as they move through the warehouse.
Each scan feeds live data back into the system, allowing managers and other team members to see progress in real-time. In practice, the process removes the delays and guesswork that often occur when updates depend on manual paperwork.
A picker scans an item, the system validates it against the order, and inventory counts adjust automatically. When the last product in an order is picked, a shipping label can be queued for printing immediately.
Paperless picking is part of a broader shift toward fully digital warehouses, where every stage of fulfilment is connected through automation. Shipping labels, tracking updates, and stock adjustments are all generated within the same integrated system.
The environmental and financial benefits are also significant, as businesses reduce paper waste, remove costly WMS licensing, and streamline their overall operations. Going paperless creates a faster, cleaner, and more accurate way to manage orders while supporting more scalable warehouse practices.
The benefits of paperless warehouse workflows
Switching from paper-based processes to digital systems transforms how fulfilment operations run. The shift creates faster workflows, sharper accuracy, and better oversight for managers while empowering staff to work more efficiently.
Every scan, pick, and update occurs in real-time, creating a seamless connection between people, technology, and inventory.
Faster, more accurate fulfilment
Digital data updates the moment a picker scans an item, replacing static printouts that can become outdated within hours, e.g. if a customer updates an order or address.
Orders are updated automatically, guiding staff through the most efficient route and validating each product in real-time. The process becomes faster and smoother, catching errors before they reach the packing bench.
Warehouses that manage thousands of SKUs or coordinate across multiple carriers experience some of the biggest improvements. Complex environments rely on fast and accurate information, and paperless picking eliminates the lag that can cause miscommunication or double-handling.
Studies indicate that digital workflows shorten search and pick times, improve overall efficiency, and dramatically reduce error rates. When teams have the right data directly at their fingertips, fulfilment speed accelerates while mistakes nearly disappear.
Full visibility for warehouse managers
Real-time visibility gives warehouse managers the clarity they need to stay on top of every order without constant floor checks. There’s no need to chase down pick tickets or cross-check piles of paperwork.
Instant visibility helps identify bottlenecks before they turn into slowdowns so that if one section of the warehouse falls behind, managers can rebalance workloads or shift resources immediately. Centralised data also creates opportunities to analyse performance over time, helping identify any important trends in delays or recurring issues.
When every task and order update is recorded digitally, including which warehouse worker picked what order, managers gain a complete picture of operations and can make decisions based on accurate, up-to-date information.
Empowered warehouse teams
A paperless workflow removes tedious manual steps, so staff can focus on the work that matters. Automatic updates and barcode validation take care of the admin side of picking, reducing frustration, and keeping attention on accuracy and speed. Everyone operates on the same real-time system, eliminating any uncertainty about completed orders or subsequent tasks.
Mobile tools have made the process even simpler; now, pickers can scan items, confirm quantities, and print labels directly from a handheld device without needing to return to a central desk. This kind of flexibility is what helped the Luna Rae team maintain momentum and reduce onboarding time for new staff during peak season:
“Thanks to the ease of providing our temporary workers with Android or iOS devices where the app has been pre-configured to their specific role and tasks, we can get them up and running in the warehouse in less than 20 minutes. Training used to take several days. It’s also been great not needing to print picklists, and seeing product pictures in the app gives extra clarity.”
Chris Bradley – Managing Director at Luna Rae.
A smoother process leads to happier, more confident employees who take ownership of their work. When repetitive admin tasks disappear, productivity and morale rise together, and the entire warehouse benefits from the improvement.
Starshipit tip: The Starshipit mobile app allows teams to pick, pack, and print labels directly from a phone or tablet, syncing live with your main dashboard so you’re always working with the latest order data.
How to move towards a paperless picking system
Shifting to a paperless workflow is a process that takes planning, testing, and steady improvement. The transition doesn’t happen overnight, but when each stage is managed carefully, the payoff can be substantial.
Warehouses that take a structured approach often find that small changes quickly lead to faster fulfilment, happier staff, and clearer visibility across the entire operation.
1. Start with a process audit
Every paperless transition begins with a clear understanding of where paper slows things down. Printed pick lists, handwritten notes, and manual label creation often create friction that goes unnoticed in the daily rush. Mapping out each stage of the fulfilment process helps reveal exactly where time and accuracy are being lost.
Many teams discover that a surprising amount of effort goes into double-checking, rewriting, or re-entering data that already exists elsewhere. A simple clipboard might represent hours of repetitive work later on.
Replacing one printed step, such as paper packing slips, can save hours each week and remove the need for reprints. The goal of the audit is to spot these small inefficiencies before they add up to bigger problems.
2. Choose the right technology
Once the problem areas are identified, the next stage involves selecting a paperless picking solution that fits the operation’s scale and workflow. The best tools connect easily with existing eCommerce, inventory, and order management systems, so information can move freely across every part of the business.
Real-time syncing between mobile devices and desktop dashboards is another essential capability. When a picker marks an order as completed on their phone, the update should instantly appear on the main fulfilment screen. This shared view keeps everyone aligned and reduces the chance of duplicate work.
Connectivity is also a practical consideration to keep in mind. Warehouses often experience patchy Wi-Fi coverage, so having a mobile network fallback or offline mode prevents interruptions.
For example, Starshipit’s mobile app allows teams to pick, pack, and print shipping labels directly from standard mobile devices, maintaining workflow continuity even when the network drops. The outcome is straightforward: less paperwork, fewer steps, and built in contingency for busy teams.
3. Integrate and automate
The next phase involves connecting it to the wider fulfilment ecosystem. Linking the picking process to inventory, carrier, and order systems allows information to flow automatically between platforms.
Stock counts are updated as soon as items are scanned, shipping labels are generated the moment an order is packed, and dashboards display progress in real-time. The result is a single, connected process with no double handling or misplaced paperwork.
Every action in the warehouse triggers the next step automatically, creating continuous movement from order to dispatch.
4. Test the new workflow
Introducing digital tools across an entire warehouse at once can feel overwhelming, so starting small is usually the smarter move. Run a pilot program within a single team, product category, or section of the facility to observe how the new system performs.
During the test phase, track measurable outcomes such as picking accuracy, time per order, and the number of label reprints required.
Gathering feedback from pickers who use the system every day is equally valuable. Their insights often reveal ways to make the interface smoother or adjust device placement for better convenience.
When teams see data proving faster performance and fewer mistakes, enthusiasm for wider adoption naturally follows.
5. Train and empower your team
Technology succeeds when people understand and trust it. Training sessions should be brief, practical, and hands-on, allowing staff to work with the devices in real fulfilment scenarios. Demonstrating how the system eliminates repetitive paperwork and streamlines picking gives the team a clear reason to support the change.
Encouraging open communication helps smooth the learning curve, as some employees will adapt quickly and can act as floor “champions” who assist others during the rollout. Recognising their contribution builds confidence across the workforce and helps the whole team see the benefits firsthand.
When training emphasises empowerment instead of mere compliance, people engage more deeply and adoption follows naturally.
6. Measure and optimise
Finally, continuous measurement helps maintain the benefits of going paperless over time. Track performance indicators such as picking accuracy, orders fulfilled per hour, time saved per order, and reductions in paper and consumable spending.
Comparing pre- and post-adoption data highlights where the most significant gains have occurred and where further refinement might help achieve additional improvements.
A successful paperless picking system is an evolving process that grows stronger through ongoing review. Consistent monitoring transforms data into insights, which can then lead to improvements.
Starshipit tip: Use Starshipit to monitor warehouse KPIs! Check out this blog for practical guidance on analysing results and identifying new optimisation opportunities.
Retailer spotlight: Luna Rae’s mobile pick & pack transformation
Based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Luna Rae has earned recognition for elegant, sustainable jewellery that stands the test of time.
As demand surged, the team found themselves at a turning point. Their legacy warehouse management system relied on paper pick slips, manual validation, and a lengthy onboarding process for new staff.
During busy sales periods, such as Black Friday, these inefficiencies created bottlenecks that made it hard to maintain accuracy and speed. To regain control, Luna Rae migrated over to a fully mobile, paperless workflow powered by the Starshipit mobile pick-and-pack app.
The team replaced paper lists with affordable Android and iOS devices, paired with barcode scanners, allowing each order to be scanned, verified, and updated in real-time. Every fulfilment step now syncs instantly with their eCommerce system, providing complete visibility across the warehouse.
The transformation has been successful in every sense – warehouse efficiency has increased by around 80%, and each team member now processes more than 150 orders a day, often completing up to 180.
Orders can be ready for carrier pickup within five minutes of purchase, and the business has saved over $20,000 in paper and technology costs within six months. New hires can be trained in under 20 minutes, achieving near-perfect accuracy almost immediately.
Read the full case study here to see how Luna Rae built a faster, smarter, and more sustainable fulfilment workflow using Starshipit’s mobile-first fulfilment tools. You can also watch the on-demand recording of their interview in our webinar ‘Go Mobile: The Secret to Saving 80% of Fulfilment Time’, featuring Luna Rae, Starshipit and Socket Mobile.
Wrap up: The case for going paperless
Paperless picking represents far more than a technology upgrade, signaling a shift toward a smarter, more scalable way to handle fulfilment where every task, update, and shipment moves in sync. Teams gain the speed and accuracy they need to meet growing demand, while managers gain full visibility without the need for extra layers of administration.
The advantages are clear: orders move faster, accuracy improves, onboarding becomes simpler, and teams work more confidently. Paper waste drops, operational shipping costs fall, and flexibility increases during busy periods when agility matters most.
The transformation achieved by Luna Rae proves that mobile, paperless workflows deliver measurable improvements in both performance and satisfaction. Ready to see the difference paperless picking can make? Book a demo or start a free trial of Starshipit today and discover how it can revolutionise your existing operations.
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Kimberley Hughes
Kimberley is Starshipit's Content Marketing Lead. Her days are filled with creative storytelling and innovative content strategies. Off the clock, she's an all-seasons iced coffee fan, a Catan strategist, and skincare explorer. For a peek into her world, find her on LinkedIn.
