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# How Can I Track Order Preparation and Dispatch Times in a Warehouse?
- URL: https://blog.jestor.com/track-order-preparation-dispatch-times-warehouse/
- Published: 2026-10-13T21:17:14.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-13T21:17:14.000Z
- Author: Bruno Bannach

You can **track order preparation and dispatch times in a warehouse** by moving each order through phases — received, picking, packing, ready, dispatched — and measuring the time spent in each phase against a target.

In **Jestor**, **SLA** tracking records the time per phase automatically, and dashboards show where orders slow down.

## Why measure preparation times?

Customers judge the operation by how quickly orders leave. Inside the warehouse, delays often come from one specific step.

Without timestamps, managers rely on impressions and cannot tell if the problem is picking, packing or waiting for transport.

## What problems does time tracking solve?

- Orders leaving later than promised
- Bottlenecks hidden inside the warehouse
- No data to plan staff by shift
- Disputes about where a delay happened
- No measure of improvement

## How do I track order times in Jestor?

1. **Define phases**: Received, Picking, Packing, Ready, Dispatched.
2. **Move orders** between phases from mobile devices in the warehouse.
3. **Set SLA targets** for each phase.
4. **Highlight late orders** on the board.
5. **Build dashboards** of average time per phase, shift and order type.

| Phase              | What delays reveal         |
| ------------------ | -------------------------- |
| Received → Picking | Queue or planning issues   |
| Picking            | Location or stock problems |
| Packing            | Materials or staffing      |
| Ready → Dispatched | Transport availability     |

## How do I act on the results?

If picking is slow, review locations and stock accuracy. If orders wait in Ready, review transport schedules.

Measuring again after each change shows whether the bottleneck moved.

## Why use Jestor for warehouse order times?

- **SLA per phase**: time recorded without manual timing.
- **Live board**: late orders visible during the shift.
- **Dashboards**: averages by phase, shift and order type.
- **Mobile updates**: staff move orders from the floor.

## What else helps you track order preparation and dispatch times in a warehouse?

- Shift comparisons help staffing decisions. If one shift consistently takes longer to pack, it may need more people or better materials at the packing station.
- Order type also influences times. Separating single-item orders from large or special ones gives realistic targets for each type and avoids comparing very different work.
- This makes the bottleneck analysis much more accurate.

This is how you track order preparation and dispatch times in a warehouse and remove bottlenecks.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do staff need to log times manually?

No. Moving the card records the time in each phase.

### Can I get free help setting this up?

Yes. The Jestor team helps at no cost at [jestor.com](https://www.jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com).

### Can I compare shifts?

Yes. Dashboards group times by shift and period.

## Get to know Jestor

With **Jestor**, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way — all without code and powered by **AI**.

Discover Jestor at [jestor.com](https://www.jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com) and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.