Introduction
This section describes how to create actions to pick inventory for orders.
Picking operators working with PVX are given instructions of which items to pick using actions created in the PVX web app. These actions replace the paper picking slips commonly used for this purpose in many warehouses.
When an action is created in the web app, it becomes available for completion using a suitable device equipped with the PVX mobile app. Actions can be released to certain groups of operators or to all operators, giving maximum flexibility in pick delegation and order fulfilment.
Actions can also be created automatically by PVX to replenish items in pick locations, if this option is enabled on your account.
We're in the process of significantly upgrading the action creation experience. While the core principles outlined here still apply, expect updated screens and enhanced functionality in the near future.
How actions work
An action must be created for a sales order to be picked. Sales orders and their associated actions are inter-dependent and it is important to understand how they affect each other:
Creating actions
Actions are created in the PVX web app to pick sales orders for which inventory has been allocated.
Go to the Actions tab in the Warehouse module of the web app.
Click Add. The Create actions wizard is displayed.
Select the picking method you want to create and click Next. You can find out more about the various picking methods available in PVX in this article.
Make sure that the correct site is shown in the top right of the dialog.
Select one or more sales orders from the list displayed in the dialog, and click Next. There are checkboxes available to select all the sales orders for the site that are either available or displayed. Depending on the picking method selected, multiple actions may be created if multiple sales orders are selected.
Check that the number of actions being created is correct (depending on your picking method). If not, adjust the parameters available such as the number of sales orders or items per batch.
Choose to whom the action will be released. The default is Anyone but you can choose any roles assigned to the site selected in step 4. Any user assigned to that role can then perform the action. Select No one to create the action but not release it to any operators immediately.
Add other optional parameters such as a priority from 1-10 or comments and completion deadlines as information for your picking operators.
Click Go. The action will be created.
Click Done and the wizard will close. The new action is displayed in the tab.
An action can be viewed and printed using the buttons in the tab (tick the Select checkbox for the action first). You can also print the orders associated with each action.
To print, use the Select a printer dialog to select a printer and a template from the options on your system, and click OK.
Action Filters
Introduction
When creating actions there are several ways to group or prioritise orders. By using filters alongside the picking method you can vastly improve picking workflows.
Although this is a recommended step, it is completely optional. The default behaviour if you do not introduce an action filter is to select from the oldest orders first for your applicable picking method. See here for a breakdown of picking methods.
How action filters work
The premise for action filters is to layer search conditions upon one another, creating a specific, targeted picking action. You can do this by following the steps below:
Go to Actions and select “Add”.
Select your picking method. Note that you can always go back and change this method before the action is created.
The next screen defaults to sorting by “Oldest Order First”. This is reversible. Click “Advanced Search”, and under “Search for:” you’ll see the fields you can filter against. In this example we are looking for all orders where the destination country does not equal Great Britain. Then click “Add”.
Now we can see the total number of orders available for 1 person picks 1 order that are not for Great Britain.
Here is an example of an additional filter that shows all of the express international orders. Now the total is 193 orders. You can add as many filters as you like, and up to 40 will be displayed by default. Save the end result by clicking “Save”. This is an example of the filter criteria and how a saved filter appears called International Express Filter.
You can have any number of saved filters for each user, and the top 40 will be displayed (you can expand this list to display all of them).
The order the saved filters appear will be alphanumeric order. To display the orders in list of priority then simply name them like this:
Each filter can be edited; just click into it and adjust the filters, then click Save.
Filters are saved per-user so each user can have filters that are most applicable to their role.
If your search shows orders better suited to a different picking method then click Back, select the more appropriate picking method and then click the saved filter to run that filter on the orders displayed.
Searching Actions
When actions are created they will appear on the Actions screen like this. Here you can see all the relevant details for an action. If you double click on the Action you can see a more detailed view of that Action.
Here you can also use “Advanced Search”. There are 30+ fields you can use to search. You can also save searches. To search for Replenishment actions use the search highlighted below. Action Type = Replenishbyitem.
Deleting actions
Actions can be deleted from the system if they have not yet been started by an operator, that is, if the action is not locked to a user.
Select the action in the Actions tab in the web app (you need to use the Select radio button in the left-most column), and click Delete.
Click Proceed in the dialog to confirm.
If an action contains more than one sales order it is not possible to remove individual sales orders from the action. The whole action must be deleted. This will result in the other sales orders within the action no longer having an action associated with them.
If an action has been started by an operator using the mobile app and you want to prevent the action from being picked, you must physically find the operator concerned and instruct that a ‘skip reason’ is entered for each item that you do not want to be picked.
Handling failed actions
A failed pick action is one in which one or more items could not be picked. In PVX, this situation requires that a skip reason is recorded by the operator; this automatically creates a failed action which can be viewed by clicking Failed actions in the Actions tab.
A failed action causes a location to be 'blacklisted' by the system, preventing any other actions being created to pick items from that location until the failed action is 'handled'. This section describes the steps you should take to handle failed actions in PVX.
Go to the physical location in the warehouse where the skipped item was supposed to be stored, and check if it can be found in the location.
If the item can be found in the location and is undamaged:
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Handle the failed action using either the web app or the mobile app to remove the location from the blacklist.
In the web app: Click Failed actions in the Actions tab, select the failed action, and click Handle.
In the mobile app: Select Stock Control from the actions menu, select Failed Actions, select the action and tap HANDLE (or tap HANDLE ALL to clear all failed actions simultaneously).
Use the web app to create a new action for the same order (which will now be shown as partially picked) and complete the pick using the mobile app. If you have multiple failed actions to complete, you can group the partially picked orders together and create a batch pick.
If the item cannot be located or is damaged:
Use the Adjustments function in either the web app or the mobile app to set the inventory level to the amount needed to fulfil the order. If the item is out of stock then the customer must be informed. You can find more information on the Adjustments function in the user's guide to managing inventory.
Handle the failed action in either the web app or mobile app as described above.
Use the web app to create a new action for the same order (which will now be shown as partially picked) and complete the pick using the mobile app.
Notes:
Handling the failed action in either the web app or mobile app allows actions to be created for that location once again, but you MUST also solve the problem that caused the failed action. This is because the act of handling the action may mean that picking operators will be directed to that location again to pick other orders, which will then cause further failed actions.
You should handle failed actions as they occur rather than allow them to accumulate. The more failed actions that there are in the system, the more blacklisted locations there are which will restrict the number of picking actions that can be created. We recommend that the task of handling failed actions is part of the duties of a dedicated stock control team, which avoids distracting or diverting pick operators.
Troubleshooting
Scenario |
Impact |
There are changes to items in a sales order after picking actions have been created. |
You should delete the associated actions (if they are not in progress), amend the sales order and create new actions. |
A sales order is cancelled after picking actions have been created. |
Associated actions are deleted if they are not being picked; if picking is in progress then the sales order cannot be cancelled at this stage. (A picked sales order can be cancelled.) |
One or more items in the action cannot be picked (they are damaged or not available). |
You should record a skip reason which will create a failed action that can be handled separately. |
The wi-fi connection is lost before the location into which the items are being picked can be scanned. |
The items are placed in a virtual location called PICK.REM. |
To minimise the likelihood of failed actions, we recommend that whenever possible:
Actions are only created once a sales order is confirmed and unlikely to change.
Actions are only released to operators when you are sure that the required inventory is available.
Action Creation Improvements (Beta, early 2026)
Throughout late 2025 and early 2026, we are making a number of improvements to action creation. These changes aim to streamline the process, automate common actions, and provide flexible configuration options for adjusting workflows to your needs.
Action Profiles
The action profile is a new concept introduced in late 2025. An action profile captures all the key decisions a user would typically make when creating an action and saves them for future reuse. Creating a profile is therefore very similar to creating an action. You will select an order filter that determines which orders are batched, you will choose which action type you want to use to pick those orders, and then you'll make selections for other parameters such as the batch size, the role to whom the action will be released, etc. Those selections are stored in the profile, and you can either schedule the profile to run automatically on a regular basis, or simply run the profile to create a wave of actions that meet your criteria. Profiles can also be grouped for easier organization.
The specific tabs on each profile will depend on your selections.
At the moment, profiles are limited to pick actions. However, our goal is ultimately to allow profiles to control all planned activities (cycle counting, replenishment, and more).
Initially, profiles will offer the same level of control as the old action creation popup. In the future, we will also offer new and improved batching options, order filtering functionality, and more.
The Schedule tab allows you to automatically run the profile on a regular basis without having to manually walk through the action creation popup:
In the Schedule tab you can configure the Minimum order threshold and Sequence settings:
Minimum order threshold: The Minimum order threshold lets you control the smallest batch size allowed when creating an action. This ensures actions are only created when there are enough qualifying orders (based on your filter criteria) to justify dispatching a picker.
Sequence: The Sequence setting works alongside the schedule to define the relative priority of profiles that are set to run at the same time. Since only one action creation process can run at a time, this sequencing ensures that overlapping requests are processed in the intended order. For example, you might configure a high-priority pick profile to target all same-day delivery orders and assign it to a role for immediate fulfillment. A second, lower-priority profile could then run immediately after, batching remaining orders for a less urgent pick later in the day.
Note: Scheduling options are currently limited. You can schedule each profile to run once per day at a specified time, using 15-minute intervals. We plan to extend that scheduling capability as we continue to improve action profiles.
Action Creation Activities
The action creation activities tab allows you to monitor all recent attempts to create actions:
This screen provides a unified view of all action creation types, including those initiated via the legacy action creation popup, the new action profile interface, and any scheduled profiles running automatically in the background. From here, you can drill into each action creation request to see its details.
The detail page will allow you to see which orders were batched into the action creation process, who requested the action and when, and also any other parameters that were selected during action creation (the name of the profile, any advanced action creation options, etc.). You can also navigate directly to those actions from this screen: