Order fulfillment system and method with sortation at induct

Abstract

An order fulfillment system and method includes storing a plurality of inventory items in a warehouse and a plurality of customer orders in a data base, wherein the inventory items make up the customer orders. Some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order. Inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse are identified with an identifier and the identity of each withdrawn inventory item applied to the data base and matched item with a customer order. Inventory items are combined together that make up an order with a sortation system. The sortation system has an induct subsystem and the induction subsystem has an input. Inventory items are transported from the warehouse to the induction subsystem input with a transportation system. Inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders are forwarded to the sortation system with the induct subsystem responsive to the data base. Inventory items assigned to single item orders are forwarded to a packing station bypassing the sortation system responsive to the data base.