Picking with a PDA: what it is, how it works step by step and which terminal you need

November 2, 2026 · 6 min read

Picking with a PDA means preparing each order guided by a handheld terminal: the PDA tells the operator which bin to go to, which item to take and how many units, and checks every pick with a scan. It is the most direct way to bring picking errors down and to make the stock in the software match the stock on the shelf.

What a PDA is and what it does in picking

A PDA is a handheld terminal, usually Android, with a barcode scanner. In picking it does three jobs that, on paper, depend on the operator's memory: it decides the order of the route, it checks that the item taken is the one on the order, and it records on the spot what has left each bin.

How it works, step by step

→The operator opens the PDA and asks for work. The software gives them an order, or a group of orders, according to the day's priorities.
→The PDA shows the first bin to go to, with the bins ordered to avoid extra walking.
→On arrival, they scan the item. If it is not the one on the order, the PDA warns them and does not let them continue: the error stays on the shelf and does not leave in the box.
→If the item carries a lot or an expiry date, the PDA says which lot to take from (the one that expires first) and checks it.
→They confirm the units and move on to the next bin. What was picked is deducted from stock at that moment.
→When finished, they take the order to the packing table, where the box is closed and the carrier label is printed.

What your warehouse gains over the paper sheet

→Fewer errors: the scan catches the wrong item before it leaves the warehouse.
→Less walking: the order of the bins is set by the software, not by each person's habit.
→Stock up to date: every pick is deducted immediately, with no sheets to type up at the end of the shift.
→New people who perform sooner: one action per screen, without having to know the warehouse.
→A record of who picked what and when, which is what you need when a client complains.

What you need to get started

→Items with a barcode. Those that come without one get a label of your own.
→Bins labeled with their code, so the software knows where everything is.
→One terminal per operator: an Android with a scanner or, to begin with, a phone that reads with its camera.
→Warehouse software that guides the picking and keeps stock by bin.

The most common mistakes when rolling it out

→Bin labels badly placed or hard to read: if scanning is a struggle, people stop scanning.
→Opening stock that was never counted: the PDA sends people to a bin with nothing in it and trust is lost on day one.
→Leaving shortcuts to “confirm without scanning”: the error comes back that way.
→Not deciding what happens when goods are missing. There has to be a button to say so and someone who reviews it.

Picking order by order or in batches

With few orders a day, or large orders, the usual way is to pick one at a time. When there are many small orders, picking them in batches pays off: a single trip for several orders, separated afterwards. The PDA serves both ways; what changes is how the software hands out the work. If you want to see why picking errors happen and how to tackle them, we cover it in how to reduce picking errors.

How it works in Ubika

In Ubika the PDA is a web page: it opens on any Android with a scanner or on a phone, with nothing to install, and each operator signs in with their PIN. It reads with the terminal's scanner or with the camera, asks for the lot when the item carries one, picks order by order or in batches and, if goods are missing from a bin, flags that bin to be counted. How stock is controlled with a PDA.

Frequently asked questions

What is picking with a PDA?

It means picking orders with a handheld terminal (PDA) instead of a sheet of paper. The PDA tells the operator which bin to go to, which item to take and how many units, and checks with a scan that the right item was taken before letting them continue.

Which PDA do you need for picking?

Any Android terminal with a barcode scanner will do. If the warehouse software runs in the browser, an ordinary phone reading with its camera also works: it is slower than a scanner, but enough to get started or for warehouses with few orders.

Do you have to label the whole warehouse before starting?

You need two things: every bin with its own coded label, and every item identifiable by a barcode. Items that come without a manufacturer barcode get a label of your own.

How long does a new operator take to learn?

Not long, because the PDA shows one action per screen: go here, scan this, take this many. There is no need to know the warehouse by heart or to know the items.

What happens if the bin does not hold what the PDA asks for?

The operator reports it as short from the PDA itself. The order is not marked complete and that bin is flagged to be counted, so the stock gets corrected instead of carrying the error forward.

Can several orders be picked at once with the PDA?

Yes. That is batch picking: the operator makes a single trip taking the goods for several orders and separates them afterwards, at the packing table or in totes. It saves walking when orders are small and similar.

Keep reading

What Ubika does: warehouse management software · software for 3PLs · WMS for e-commerce