Order fulfillment system and method with sortation at induct

Abstract

An order fulfillment system and method includes a data base that is adapted to store data defining a plurality of customer orders. Each of the customer orders is a single item order having only one particular inventory item assigned to that order or a multiple item order having multiple particular inventory items assigned to that order. An inventory area stores inventory items that are available for fulfilling customer orders, and is responsive to said data base to retrieve particular inventory items from said inventory area that are assigned to customer orders in order to fulfill those orders. A sortation system combines particular inventory items together that make up an order. The sortation system has an automated induct subsystem and a sorter. The induct subsystem receives inventory items from the inventory area and forwards, in responsive to the data base, particular inventory items assigned to multiple-items orders to the sorter to be combined together to make up the multiple-item orders, but not particular inventory items assigned to single item orders. The sorter includes a pouch sorter having individual pouches and an overhead conveyor with tracts that route individual pouches to various destinations. The induct subsystem places a particular inventory item assigned to a multiple item order in an individual pouch and doesn't place a particular inventory items assigned to a single item order in a pouch. In this manner, handling of the particular inventory items for single items orders is separate from the pouch sorter thus reducing handling of inventory items and increasing system through-put.