With a connected package scale, you weigh packages directly in the packing process of 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 package is noticed while it is still on 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 and the expected weight is an additional check at the end of the packing process. Typical cases that get caught this way:
An item was forgotten or packed twice — the package is lighter or heavier than expected.
A similar-looking but different product was picked.
For orders with many small parts, where a missing item is hardly visible to the eye, the weight provides an objective reference point.
In addition, the actual measured weight is used when creating the shipping label, instead of an estimated value calculated from the product data. This reduces surcharges 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 requirement for using the WMS App. The packing process also works without one — weighing is an addition for warehouses that need this extra check. You can find an overview of the other required hardware under Which hardware do I need to use Pickware WMS?.
Connect 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 so, 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 set up 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 package is added to the packing process. The workflow:
Place the fully packed package 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 value, you can accept the weight. As long as the value is still changing, accepting it is not possible.
If the measured weight deviates from the expected weight by more than allowed, it is displayed in red. You can still deliberately accept it — the deviation is a note, not a block.
If the package is heavier than the maximum package weight of the shipping method, the note Heavier than the maximum package weight of … appears above the weight display. The coloring for the deviation from the expected weight is retained.
After you accept it, 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 work through when completing the packing process. The screenshot shows an iPad in landscape mode — 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 of the packing completion 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 arranged in a single column, one below the other.
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 the range of functions are identical in both views — a different layout is therefore no indication that the packing table or the scale is not set up correctly.
You can read how the packing process works overall — from picking to shipping — under How does the packing process work in the WMS App?.
Configure mandatory weighing
Whether weighing is optional or mandatory is set in the Pickware 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 more settings for the WMS App under How do I configure Pickware WMS in the Pickware Admin?.
What you should keep in mind
A weight deviation does not prevent label creation. 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, first check your product data and adjust the allowed deviation if needed.
With mandatory weighing, manual weight entry is disabled. If the scale fails, no shipping label can be created in this mode.