With a connected parcel scale, you weigh parcels directly during the packing process in the WMS App. The measured weight is compared with the expected weight of the order before the shipping label is created. This way, an incorrectly packed parcel is caught while it is still at the packing table — and not only when the customer gets in touch.
Why do I need a scale at the packing table?
Comparing the measured weight with the expected weight is an additional check at the end of the packing process. Typical cases that this catches:
An item was forgotten or packed twice — the parcel is lighter or heavier than expected.
A similar-looking but different product was picked.
For orders with many small items, where a missing item is hard to spot visually, the weight provides an objective indicator.
In addition, the actually measured weight is used when creating the shipping label, instead of an estimate calculated from the product data. This reduces back-charges from the carrier.
Which scales are compatible?
Only scales from the KERN IoT series are supported. Other models and manufacturers cannot be connected.
In addition to the scale, you need an interface adapter that establishes the connection to the app. Which one you need depends on how the scale is to be connected:
Connection via WLAN: interface adapter KERN KUP-05
Connection via Bluetooth: interface adapter KERN KUP-06
A scale is not a prerequisite for using the WMS App. The packing process also works without one — weighing is an add-on for warehouses that need this additional check. For an overview of the other hardware you need, see What hardware do I need to use Pickware WMS?.
Connecting the scale to the WMS App
Depending on the adapter, the scale is connected to the iOS device via Bluetooth or via the local network. To do this, select Settings → Scales.
For connecting the scale to work, the app needs the appropriate permissions on the device:
For the connection via Bluetooth, the app must be allowed to access Bluetooth.
For the connection via WLAN, the app must be allowed to access the local network. The scale must be on the same network as the iOS device.
You can check and enable both permissions in the settings of your iOS device under the name of the app.
If no scale is connected yet, you can establish the connection directly from the weighing step in the packing process. If no suitable scale is found, the app shows the message No compatible scale was found. In this case, check whether the scale is switched on, whether the interface adapter is seated correctly and whether the permissions mentioned above have been granted.
Workflow in the packing process
As soon as a scale is connected, the step for weighing the parcel is added to the packing process. The workflow:
Place the fully packed parcel on the scale. The app shows the measured weight right next to the expected weight of the order.
As soon as the scale shows a stable reading, you can accept the weight. As long as the value is still changing, you cannot accept it.
If the measured weight deviates from the expected weight by more than allowed, it is displayed in red. You can still accept it deliberately — the deviation is a note, not a block.
If the parcel is heavier than the maximum parcel weight of the shipping method, the note Heavier than the maximum parcel weight of … appears above the weight display. The coloring for the deviation from the expected weight is retained.
After you accept the weight, the shipping label is created with the measured weight. If the accepted weight is above the maximum, the app instead opens the window for creating the shipping label. There you correct the weight or deliberately create the label with the higher weight.
Weighing is one of the steps you complete when finishing the packing process. The screenshot shows an iPad in landscape orientation — the layout may look different for you, because the WMS App chooses its layout based on the available width of the app window:
If the window is wide enough, the steps for completing the packing process are on the left and the content of the selected step is on the right — for weighing, that is the weight display. The completion action is at the bottom, spanning both columns.
If the window is narrower, the same steps and the completion action are stacked in a single column.
Which of the two views you see therefore depends on the iPad model, on the orientation (portrait or landscape) and on whether the app is running in Split View next to another app. If you change the orientation or the window width, the app switches the view right along with it. The workflow and functionality are identical in both views — a different layout is therefore no sign that the packing table or the scale is not set up correctly.
For how the packing process works overall — from picking to shipping — see How does the packing process work in the WMS App?.
Configuring mandatory weighing
Whether weighing is optional or mandatory is set in the Shopware Admin under Settings → Extensions → Pickware WMS in the Packing table section.
Require weighing while packing enabled: The shipping label is only created after a weight from a connected scale has been accepted. The weight can then no longer be entered manually.
Require weighing while packing disabled: A connected scale can still be used, but weighing is then optional.
Allowed deviation in percent: Defines by how many percent of the expected weight the measured weight may deviate before it counts as deviating and is displayed in red. The default value is 5 %.
You can find further settings for the WMS App under How do I configure Pickware WMS in the Admin?.
What you should keep in mind
A weight deviation does not prevent the creation of the label. It is highlighted, and the decision is up to the person packing.
The expected weight is derived from the weight data of your products. If this data is incomplete or inaccurate, the comparison leads to false alarms. If deviations occur frequently, check your product data first and adjust the allowed deviation if necessary.
With mandatory weighing, manual weight entry is disabled. If the scale fails, no shipping label can be created in this mode.