Wholesale and distribution
Warehouse picking labor budget
Calculate picking workload and labor expense from order lines and observed productivity.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
person-hours = orders × lines/order / lines per productive person-hour + setup person-hours
A line is one picked SKU line on the same basis as the productivity measurement, not necessarily one physical unit. Include walking and interruptions in productivity or additional time, not both. No shift schedule, warehouse layout or staffing safety limit is prescribed. Use your own records for the same scope and period. Example figures are illustrative, not industry benchmarks. Results exclude income taxes and any cost you have not entered. Check the result before pricing work or committing resources.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- Orders in planned period (orders): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Average picked lines per order (lines/order): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Measured picking productivity (lines/person-hour): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Additional setup and replenishment person-hours (person-hours): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Loaded labor cost per person-hour (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Available productive person-hours in period (person-hours): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Required picking person-hours is 12.00 person-hours for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Orders in planned period: 200 orders
- Average picked lines per order: 5.00 lines/order
- Measured picking productivity: 100.00 lines/person-hour
- Additional setup and replenishment person-hours: 2.00 person-hours
- Loaded labor cost per person-hour: $25.00
- Available productive person-hours in period: 16.00 person-hours
- Required picking person-hours
- 12.00 person-hours
- Picking labor budget
- $300.00
- Planned order lines
- 1,000.00 lines
- Person-hour capacity shortfall
- 0.00 person-hours
- Labor cost per order
- 1.50 currency/order
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Calculate picking workload and labor expense from order lines and observed productivity. Inputs come from your own records and stated assumptions; no rates or legal limits are looked up.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.