Wave picking in D365 WMS: what to configure first
A practical order of operations for setting up wave picking in Dynamics 365 Warehouse Management, from wave templates to work templates and location directives.
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Wave picking is where much of the value in D365 Warehouse Management sits. It's also where small configuration choices have the biggest knock-on effects. This is the order we use to set it up.
Start with the wave template
The wave template decides which shipments are grouped together and what the wave does once it's processed. Keep the first version simple:
- One template per warehouse and order type.
- Process the wave automatically on release only if the floor is ready for it.
- Add wave steps (containerisation, replenishment) one at a time, and only after the basic flow works.
Then work templates
| Decision | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Work header breaks | Controls how much work a picker gets in one go |
| Pick/put pairs | Defines where picked stock is staged |
| Query filters | Decides which template applies to which order |
Location directives last
Location directives tell the system where to pick from and put to. Get the templates stable first, then tune directives. Otherwise you'll be chasing two moving targets at once.
Pick: FEFO batch → fixed location → bulk
Put: staging bay → outbound dock
A clean wave setup on standard functionality covers most distribution warehouses without any custom code.
