PPDA Manual
🟢 Beginner's guide · Warehouse floor

Your first day on the PDA

The PDA is the handheld scanner you carry around the warehouse. This is the simplest possible manual — it shows you exactly where to tap, what to scan, and what happens next. No experience needed.

Open the live PDA ↗ Start the walkthrough → See the flow diagram
1

Before you start: 6 words to know

Every screen uses these. Learn them once and the rest is easy.

EAN

The product's barcode — the one printed on the item.

SKU / Product ID

The internal product number for that item.

Location ID

A shelf or bin code, e.g. 12A03. Also called a Pick Location.

SmartTag

A barcode stuck on a box or tote. Codes usually contain NOX. You move boxes by scanning their SmartTag.

99A01 = the Bin

The reserved holding area for stock that needs sorting.

75A01 = Virtual

The ghost / virtual location for parking stock.

⚡
The golden rule: your scan gun automatically presses Enter after every scan. So most jobs are just scan → scan → scan. You rarely need to tap the screen at all.
2

When do I use the PDA?

Two tools, two jobs. Pick the right one.

Use the PDA

For anything physical, on the floor, standing at a shelf with the scanner in your hand:

  • Assign or change where a product lives
  • Move boxes, pallets and SmartTags
  • Send stock to the Bin
  • Stock audits & refilling shelves
  • Weigh / label boxes, reprint SmartTags
  • Scan returns back into stock
  • Flag Low / No stock so pickers aren't sent to empty shelves

Use the desktop ePick

For the batch pick-and-pack cycle, sitting at a computer:

  • Create Batch (group paid orders)
  • Smart Pick & the picking map
  • Record picked quantities
  • Print courier labels

They work together: what you flag on the PDA (Low/No stock, locations) is exactly what the desktop pick screen shows the pickers.

3

Every session starts: log in

Follow the arrows. After you do a thing, the box below shows what the screen does.

1
Open the PDA app on the handheld.
then If you're not signed in, it jumps straight to the login screen.
2
Type or scan your warehouse PIN (the field is already selected).
then Tap Login ↗ — this opens the real login screen.
3
Watch the result.
if OK You land on the Main Menu, linked to your warehouse.
if wrong Red message Issue In Login — re-enter your PIN.
🔒
Every screen re-checks your login. If you're idle too long the session times out and you're sent back here — just log in again. Tap Log Off when you finish your shift.
5

The everyday jobs, click by click

Tap a job to open it. Each one is written as you do → the screen does.

➕ Assign a product to a shelf Update › Create New Picking Location Open screen ↗ ▸
1
On “Stock Location”, scan or type the shelf Location ID → Submit.
then It opens the product screen. (Under 3 characters shows “Invalid location ID”.)
2
On “EAN Number / Product ID”, scan the product EAN (or type the SKU) → Submit.
then The system links that product to that shelf.
3
If the shelf already holds another product, a warning pops up.
then Tap Yes to re-assign, or No to stop.
4
If the barcode matches several SKUs, a list appears.
then Tap Set on the correct row.
✓
Done.
result Green message: “Item ‘SKU’ has been associated with location XXX.”
🚦 Flag Low / No stock (Pick Status) Update › Pick Status Open screen ↗ ▸

This is what tells the pickers a shelf is empty — very important.

1
Open the Stock status dropdown and choose one: Low Stock (LS) · No Stock (NS) · Bin & Update (BS).
then The scan field is ready.
2
Scan the Location ID (or SmartTag for BS).
if LS / NS The product at that shelf is flagged with the reason → shows as a low/no-stock signal in picking.
if BS The SmartTag is pulled off its shelf, sent to Bin 99A01, and the pick issue is marked solved.
✓
Confirmation.
result “Stock Status Updated Successfully.”
📦 Move a single box Move › Single Box Open screen ↗ ▸
1
On “Scan Smart ID”, scan the box's SmartTag → Submit.
then It asks for the destination. (Bad tag → “Invalid SmartTag ID”.)
2
On “Scan Location ID”, scan the destination shelf → Submit.
then The box now officially lives at that shelf.
✓
Done — repeat for the next box.
result Success message. (For holding, use Move › To Bin (99A01); whole pallets use Pallet Location.)
🔎 Find where to pick an item Search › Find Picking Location Open screen ↗ ▸
1
In “Stock Location or Product ID”, scan a Product ID / EAN → Submit.
result The screen shows the shelf where that item is stored.
＋
Related lookups in the same menu:
tip Aisle Box Checker = scan a shelf, see everything on it · Find Items for an Order = scan an Order No, list its items & locations.
↩️ Scan a return back in Returns › Scan Product In Open screen ↗ ▸
1
On “Return Product KCO”, scan the returned item's barcode → Submit.
result The item is booked back into stock. (Amazon returns → use Search › FBA Stock Returns.)
⚙️ Handy “Other” jobs Other › … ▸

Each card opens its live screen ↗

Box Reference ↗

Scan EAN → confirm SKU & name → enter Qty → Submit. Saves a record with a Reference No. Tap NEW for the next.

Refill Pick Location ↗

Scan SmartTags to replenish. Shows codes FS/LS/NS/PS/WL and MOVE/BULK. Warns “You have reached the total items.”

Reprint SmartTag ↗

Scan a SmartTag → enter No. of Copies → reprints on the Zebra printer.

Weight SmartTag Box ↗

Scan a SmartTag → read / enter the weight → save.
6

The whole flow on one map

From switching on the PDA to finishing a job. Green = start/finish, blue = you scan, red = error.

flowchart TD
    Start([Open the PDA]) --> LoginQ{Logged in?}
    LoginQ -- No --> PIN[Enter warehouse PIN
Tap Login]
    PIN --> Valid{PIN valid?}
    Valid -- No --> Err[Red: Issue In Login]
    Err --> PIN
    Valid -- Yes --> Menu
    LoginQ -- Yes --> Menu([Main Menu
Pick a category])

    Menu --> Update[UPDATE]
    Menu --> Move[MOVE]
    Menu --> Search[SEARCH]
    Menu --> Returns[RETURNS]
    Menu --> Other[OTHER]

    Update --> U1[Assign Picking Location
Scan shelf, then scan EAN]
    Update --> U2[Pick Status
Pick LS / NS / BS, then scan]
    Move --> M1[Single Box
Scan SmartTag, then scan shelf]
    Search --> S1[Find Picking Location
Scan Product ID, see shelf]
    Returns --> R1[Scan Product In
Scan returned barcode]
    Other --> O1[Box Reference / Refill /
Reprint / Weigh]

    U1 --> Done([Success message
Tap NEW or Back])
    U2 --> Done
    M1 --> Done
    S1 --> Done
    R1 --> Done
    O1 --> Done
    Done --> Menu
    Menu --> LogOff([Log Off])

    classDef green fill:#ACD700,stroke:#5c7000,color:#1a1a1a;
    classDef red fill:#e5484d,stroke:#a01015,color:#fff;
    classDef blue fill:#2f6bff,stroke:#1e4fa0,color:#fff;
    class Start,Menu,Done,LogOff green;
    class Err red;
    class PIN,U1,U2,M1,S1,R1,O1 blue;

Every job follows the same shape: Log in → pick a menu → scan → get a green confirmation → Back to menu.

7

If a screen stops you

Don't panic — here's what each message means and what to do.

MessageWhat it means & the fix
Issue In LoginWrong or unknown PIN. Re-enter it carefully.
Sent back to loginYour session timed out. Just log in again.
Invalid Location IDThe shelf code was blank or under 3 characters. Re-scan the shelf label.
Invalid SmartTag IDScan the box's NOX barcode again — make sure it's the box tag, not the product.
Invalid EAN NumberYou scanned the shelf instead of the product. Scan the item's barcode.
Please select stock status!On Pick Status you skipped the dropdown. Choose LS / NS / BS first, then scan.
You have reached the total itemsOn Refill — that location is already full. Move on to the next.
✅
Remember the 3 habits: 1) Scan, don't type, wherever you can. 2) Blue Submit = go, red Close = cancel. 3) Always flag Low/No stock so nobody chases an empty shelf.