Your single source of truth — from dock door to customer door. Click any process to dive into step-by-step instructions.
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Process Areas
10
End-to-end coverage
Total SOPs
40+
Step-by-step procedures
Audience
All
AA · PA · AM · New Hires
Temp Zones
3
Ambient · Chilled · Frozen
📂 All Process Areas
🎯 Quick Reference by Role
Role
Primary Areas
Key Focus
AA Associate
Decanting, Stowing, Picking, Packing
Rate, quality, safety, FIFO
PA Process Assistant
Receiving, Decanting, Problem Solve, Staging
Flow, labor allocation, escalation
AM Area Manager
All areas — Inbound through Dispatch
Metrics, staffing, CPT, continuous improvement
ALL New Hire
Safety first, then assigned path
Day 1 orientation, badging, safety walkthrough
/ Truck Arrival & Check-In
🚛 1 — Truck Arrival & Check-In
Everything from the moment a trailer hits the yard to when it's backed into a dock door.
AMPAAA
Why This Matters
A smooth check-in sets the pace for the entire shift. Delays at the dock cascade into late decants, missed stow windows, and CPT risk downstream. The goal is to get trailers checked in, temp-verified, and unloading within 15 minutes of arrival.
1.1 — Yard Check-In & Trailer VerificationAMPA
Confirm trailer appointment in YMS (Yard Management System)
Check the inbound schedule. Verify the carrier, trailer number, and PO numbers match the expected appointment. If the trailer is unscheduled, escalate to the Ops Manager before proceeding.
Verify the trailer seal
Inspect the seal number and confirm it matches the BOL (Bill of Lading). Record the seal number. If the seal is broken, missing, or mismatched — do not open the trailer.
⚠️ Broken/missing seal = Stop. Photograph the seal area. Notify the AM and LP (Loss Prevention) immediately.
Assign a dock door
Based on trailer contents (Ambient, Chilled, Frozen), assign to the appropriate dock door. Frozen trailers should be prioritized to prevent temp excursions.
💡 Frozen loads go first. Always. Even if ambient is already backed in and ready — swap if needed.
Guide trailer to dock door
Use proper hand signals or radio communication. Ensure dock plate is clear, dock lock is engaged, and wheel chocks are in place before the driver exits the cab.
Break the seal and perform initial inspection
Open the trailer doors. Immediately check for: visible damage, shifted pallets, temperature concerns (condensation, thawed product), and pest evidence. Log your findings.
1.2 — Temperature Logging (Cold Chain Compliance)AAPA
Take a temp reading immediately upon door opening
Use the calibrated IR thermometer. Record the ambient trailer temp and the surface temp of at least 3 products (front, middle, back of trailer).
Verify temp is within acceptable range
Frozen: 0°F (-18°C) or below. Chilled: 33°F–41°F (1°C–5°C). Ambient: No specific range but should not show signs of heat damage.
⚠️ Out of temp range = Quarantine the load. Do NOT stow. Contact Quality Assurance and the AM. Photograph the temp readings.
Log in the Temp Tracking system
Record trailer ID, PO, door number, all temp readings, and pass/fail status. This must be completed before unloading begins.
1.3 — Unloading the TrailerAA
Stage the unload area
Ensure the staging lanes are clear. Have enough pallet jacks available. If using powered equipment (PIT), verify certification is current.
Unload pallets in order
Pull pallets from the trailer using a pallet jack. Place them on the staging floor in the designated inbound lane, organized by PO. Keep temp zones separated — never mix frozen pallets into an ambient staging lane.
💡 Count pallets as you go. If the pallet count doesn't match the BOL, flag it before the driver leaves.
Inspect for damage during unload
Watch for crushed cases, leaking product, torn shrink wrap, and pest evidence. Set aside damaged items for Problem Solve. Do not mix them into the regular flow.
Release the driver
Once unload is complete and counts are verified, sign the BOL and release the trailer. Update YMS to reflect the trailer is now empty / departed.
/ Receiving
📋 2 — Receiving
Verifying inbound product against POs and getting it into the system so it's available for decant and stow.
PAAA
Why This Matters
If it's not received in the system, it doesn't exist. Unreceived inventory creates phantom shortages, messes up picks, and throws off inventory counts. Accurate receiving is the foundation of everything downstream.
2.1 — PO Verification & BOL MatchingPA
Pull up the expected PO in the receiving system
Match the PO number from the BOL to the system. Verify vendor name, expected item count, and case quantities. If the PO is missing from the system, escalate — do not receive without a PO.
Compare physical pallet count to BOL
Count total pallets and compare to what the BOL states. Document any discrepancy (overage or shortage) before proceeding.
Check for substitutions or unexpected ASINs
Vendors sometimes substitute items. If the physical product doesn't match the PO line item, scan the barcode to verify. Route substitutions to Problem Solve.
2.2 — System Receive & Damage LoggingAAPA
Scan each case/pallet into the receiving system
Use the scanner to receive each case. The system will confirm the ASIN and quantity. Accept or adjust quantities as needed. Ensure every unit is accounted for.
Flag and log damaged items
Any damaged, leaking, or expired product gets pulled from the receive flow. Log in the damage tracker with: ASIN, quantity, damage type, and photo if required. Route to Problem Solve cage.
💡 Take photos of significant damage — especially full pallet collapses or multi-case crushes. These support vendor chargebacks.
Close out the PO
Once all items are received, close the PO in the system. Confirm total received quantities match. If there's a discrepancy, leave the PO open and notify the AM for a shortage/overage investigation.
2.3 — Staging for DecantAA
Sort received pallets by temp zone
Move pallets to the designated staging area: Frozen → Freezer staging, Chilled → Cooler staging, Ambient → Floor staging. Never leave frozen product on the ambient floor.
Prioritize by urgency
Frozen first, then chilled, then ambient. Within each zone, prioritize items with earliest expiration dates or items that are currently out-of-stock for customer orders.
⚠️ Frozen product should not sit on the ambient floor for more than 20 minutes. Move it immediately.
/ Decanting
📦 3 — Decanting
Breaking down vendor pallets and cases into individual eaches/inners for stow. The bridge between inbound and inventory.
AAPA
Why This Matters
Decanting is where product transforms from "vendor packaging" to "stowable units." Errors here — wrong quantities, missed expiration dates, mixed temp zones — ripple through the entire fulfillment path and reach the customer.
3.1 — Workstation SetupAA
Prep your decant station
Ensure you have: scanner, empty totes (correct size for product type), box cutter (safety cutter only), trash/recycling for packaging, and a clean work surface. For frozen — wear insulated gloves.
Log into the decant application
Scan your badge to log in. The system will assign you a decant queue based on priority. Accept your assignment — do not skip or cherry-pick tasks.
3.2 — Decanting Process (Case → Tote)AA
Scan the case barcode
The system will display the expected ASIN, quantity, and expiration date (if applicable). Verify the physical product matches what's on screen.
Check the expiration date
Confirm the expiration date on the product matches or is within the acceptable window set by the system. If the product is expired or too close to expiration, reject it and route to Problem Solve.
💡 FIFO (First In, First Out) starts here. The expiration date you enter determines the pick order downstream. Get it right.
Place items into the tote
Place individual units into the tote. Do not overfill — items should sit below the tote rim. Do not mix ASINs in a single tote unless the system instructs multi-ASIN toting.
Enter quantity and confirm
Enter the exact quantity placed in the tote. Scan the tote barcode to confirm. The system will link the ASIN + quantity + expiration to that tote ID.
Place completed tote on the conveyor or staging rack
Route the completed tote to the correct temp zone conveyor/rack: Ambient line, Chilled line, or Frozen line. Ensure it's oriented correctly (barcode facing out).
3.3 — Frozen Decant (Special Procedures)AAPA
Work inside the freezer staging area or expedite
Frozen decant should happen in or adjacent to the freezer. Product temp must stay at 0°F or below. If decanting on the floor, complete each pallet within 20 minutes before product temps rise.
⚠️ Thawed product = food safety risk. If product feels soft/thawed, pull it. Do not stow. Route to QA for disposition.
Wear proper PPE
Insulated gloves, warm layers. Rotate associates in and out of the freezer per safety guidelines (typically 30 min on / 10 min off in extreme cold environments).
Prioritize frozen over all other decant work
If there's a queue, frozen jumps to the front. Always. Customer food safety depends on maintaining the cold chain from trailer to bin.
Always read the date on the physical product — never guess
Wrong quantity entered
Phantom inventory; picks fail downstream
Count twice before confirming
Mixed ASINs in one tote
Stow errors, pick errors, customer concessions
One ASIN per tote unless system says otherwise
Frozen left on ambient floor
Product thaws; food safety violation
20-minute rule — set a timer if needed
Damaged product not pulled
Customer receives damaged goods
Inspect every unit as you decant — if in doubt, pull it
/ Stowing
🗄️ 4 — Stowing
Placing decanted product into the correct bin locations so pickers can find it when customer orders come in.
AA
Why This Matters
If it's stowed wrong — wrong bin, wrong zone, FIFO broken — the picker either can't find it or sends the wrong item to the customer. Clean stow = clean pick = happy customer.
4.1 — Stow Process (Tote → Bin)AA
Grab the next tote from the stow queue
Scan the tote barcode. The system will display the ASIN, quantity, and the assigned bin location. Proceed to the bin.
Verify the bin location
Scan the bin barcode to confirm you're at the correct location. The system will validate the match. If the bin is full, the system will offer an alternate location.
Place items into the bin — FIFO
Newer expiration dates go to the BACK. Older dates stay in FRONT. This ensures pickers grab the earliest expiration first. This is non-negotiable for grocery.
💡 Think of it like stocking shelves at a grocery store — oldest in front, newest in back.
Confirm the stow in the system
Enter quantity stowed and confirm. The system will update the bin's virtual inventory. If you can't fit everything, stow what fits and re-route the remainder.
Return the empty tote
Place empty totes on the return conveyor or designated tote collection point. Never leave empty totes on the floor in the aisles.
4.2 — Temp Zone RulesALL
Zone
Temperature
Examples
Key Rule
🧊 Frozen
0°F (-18°C) or below
Ice cream, frozen meals, frozen veggies
Must stay frozen at all times. Stow within 20 min of leaving freezer.
❄️ Chilled
33°F – 41°F (1°C – 5°C)
Dairy, deli, fresh produce, meat
Never freeze chilled items. Monitor cooler temps hourly.
🌡️ Ambient
Room temperature
Canned goods, snacks, dry goods, paper products
Keep away from heat sources. Check for pest-prone items.
⚠️ NEVER cross-stow between temp zones. Frozen in a chilled bin = food safety violation. Chilled in ambient = product spoilage. The system will reject cross-zone stows but don't rely on system catches alone.
/ Inventory Management
📊 5 — Inventory Management
Keeping the system in sync with reality — cycle counts, bin audits, expiration sweeps, and shrink reduction.
AMPAAA
5.1 — Cycle CountsAAPA
Accept your cycle count assignment
Log into the count app. The system assigns bins based on priority (high-value items, discrepancy flags, or random sampling). Go to the first bin.
Physically count every unit in the bin
Remove items if needed. Count each unit individually. Do not estimate. Check for hidden items behind or under other products.
Enter the count and verify against the system
If your count matches the system — confirm. If it doesn't, recount. If it still doesn't match, submit the discrepancy. The system may trigger a re-count by a second associate.
💡 Accuracy matters more than speed on counts. A wrong count creates bigger problems than a slow one.
5.2 — Expiration Management & FIFO AuditsPAAM
Run the daily expiration report
Pull the report of items expiring within the next 48-72 hours. Identify bins with at-risk product.
Walk the bins and verify
Physically check the flagged bins. If product is expired, pull it immediately and route to the disposal/donation workflow. If it's approaching expiration, ensure it's positioned at the front of the bin (FIFO) so it picks first.
Dispose or donate per policy
Expired product follows the site's disposal SOP. Some items qualify for food bank donation if within the grace window. Log all disposals in the shrink tracker.
⚠️ Never allow expired product to remain in a pickable bin. This is a food safety and customer trust issue.
5.3 — Inventory Moves & Bin ConsolidationAAPA
Identify bins that need consolidation
Low-quantity bins with the same ASIN can be combined to free up space and improve pick efficiency. The system may auto-suggest these.
Use the Move function in the system
Scan the source bin, scan the items, then scan the destination bin. The system will update locations. Always confirm the move completed before walking away.
Maintain FIFO during moves
When consolidating, make sure you position older expiration dates in front, newer in back — even during moves. Never just dump one bin on top of another.
/ Picking
🛒 6 — Picking
Pulling customer orders from inventory — speed and accuracy are everything.
AAPA
6.1 — Pick Assignment & Route SetupAA
Log in and accept your pick batch
The system assigns a batch of customer orders. Grab your pick cart/tote setup. Review the batch — it will show the route (which aisles/zones you'll visit) and the temp zones involved.
Set up your cart correctly
Totes on the cart should be labeled or positioned by customer order / route stop. Keep temp zones separate on the cart — use insulated bags for chilled/frozen if provided.
Follow the system-optimized pick path
The system routes you through the aisles in the most efficient order. Follow it — don't jump around. This minimizes walk time and keeps your rate up.
6.2 — Picking Items (Bin → Tote)AA
Go to the directed bin and scan it
The system shows you the bin location, ASIN, and quantity to pick. Scan the bin barcode to confirm you're at the right spot.
Pick the correct item and quantity
Grab the item from the FRONT of the bin (FIFO — earliest expiration). Verify the ASIN matches. Scan the item barcode. Place it in the correct tote on your cart.
Handle short picks
If the bin is empty or doesn't have enough quantity, report a short in the system. Do NOT pick a substitute without system approval. The system