Wave planning is the process of grouping and releasing orders to the warehouse floor in a controlled manner. Instead of releasing orders as they arrive, which would overwhelm operators, wave planning aligns work with carrier departure schedules, labor capacity, and warehouse layout.
In a typical interview, you may be asked to explain the criteria for building a wave. Key factors include carrier cut-off times, shipping lanes, order priorities, and inventory availability. Manhattan WMS allows wave templates to be customized to balance workloads across picking zones.
Explain the operational impact of waving. A well-planned wave prevents bottlenecks at packing stations and shipping docks by matching picking rates with packing throughput. This show of tactical understanding proves you can manage active production environments.