Skip to content

Label Sorting Order Documentation

Menu Location: Operations > Packing > Label Sorting Order

Access Level: Administrator and above

Last Updated: 2026-03-01

Overview

The Label Sorting Order page configures how shipping labels and packing slips are organized when printed in batches. This operational efficiency tool allows you to sort labels by route, stop order, customer name, or other criteria to streamline packing and delivery workflows.

Primary Functions:

  • Configure default label print sort order
  • Sort labels by delivery route and stop sequence
  • Organize labels alphabetically for warehouse picking
  • Group labels by box type or subscription plan
  • Set secondary and tertiary sort criteria
  • Save custom sorting presets for different workflows

Page Layout

Header Section

  • Primary Sort: Main sorting criterion (Route, Stop Order, Name, Zip Code, etc.)
  • Secondary Sort: Tiebreaker for matching primary values
  • Tertiary Sort: Additional organization level
  • Save Preset: Save current sort configuration with name

Sort Options

Available Sort Criteria:

  • Route Number
  • Route Stop Order
  • Customer Last Name
  • Customer First Name
  • Zip Code
  • Delivery Date
  • Box Type
  • Subscription Tier
  • Pack Day
  • Warehouse Zone

Preset Management

  • Default Preset (system-wide)
  • Route Delivery Preset
  • Warehouse Picking Preset
  • Alphabetical Preset
  • Custom presets created by administrators

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Route-Optimized Delivery Sorting

Goal: Print labels in exact delivery route order for drivers

Steps:

  1. Set primary sort: Route Number
  2. Set secondary sort: Stop Order (ascending)
  3. Set tertiary sort: Customer Last Name (for multiple deliveries per stop)
  4. Save as "Route Delivery" preset
  5. Select this preset when printing driver route labels
  6. Labels print in exact order driver will deliver

Result: Driver receives label stack in perfect delivery sequence. No sorting needed. Efficient route execution.

Use Case 2: Warehouse Picking Efficiency

Goal: Organize labels for warehouse packing workflow

Steps:

  1. Set primary sort: Warehouse Zone (if products stored by zone)
  2. Set secondary sort: Box Type (group similar boxes)
  3. Set tertiary sort: Customer Last Name
  4. Save as "Warehouse Picking" preset
  5. Pickers work through labels zone-by-zone, box-type-by-box-type
  6. Minimizes warehouse travel time

Example: All Zone A orders print together, with Family Boxes first, then Individual Boxes. Packer stays in Zone A, packs all Family Boxes, then all Individual Boxes before moving to Zone B.

Use Case 3: Alphabetical Customer Organization

Goal: Print labels in alphabetical order for easy customer lookup

Steps:

  1. Set primary sort: Customer Last Name (A-Z)
  2. Set secondary sort: Customer First Name (A-Z)
  3. Set tertiary sort: Delivery Date
  4. Save as "Alphabetical" preset
  5. Use for:
    • Customer pickup orders (customers retrieve alphabetically)
    • Quality control checks
    • Customer service reference

Use Case 4: Multi-Route Packing Day

Goal: Organize labels when packing multiple routes simultaneously

Steps:

  1. Set primary sort: Pack Day (date)
  2. Set secondary sort: Route Number
  3. Set tertiary sort: Stop Order
  4. Save as "Multi-Route Pack" preset
  5. Labels organized first by which day's routes
  6. Then by route within each day
  7. Then by stop order within each route

Use when:

  • Packing Monday and Tuesday routes on Friday
  • Multiple pack teams working different routes
  • Pre-packing for multiple delivery days

Use Case 5: Special Handling Priority

Goal: Ensure special handling orders are packed first

Steps:

  1. Set primary sort: Special Handling Flag (Yes/No)
  2. Set secondary sort: Route Number
  3. Set tertiary sort: Stop Order
  4. Orders with special handling (VIP, fragile, dietary restrictions) print first
  5. Packing team processes these with extra care before standard orders
  6. Reduces risk of missing special requirements

Sort Criteria Explained

Route-Based Sorting

Route Number: Groups all customers on same route Stop Order: Sequence stops within route (optimized delivery order)

Best for: Delivery operations, driver efficiency

Geographic Sorting

Zip Code: Groups customers by postal code Warehouse Zone: Organizes by product storage location

Best for: Warehouse efficiency, regional grouping

Customer-Based Sorting

Last Name / First Name: Alphabetical customer organization Customer Type: VIP, Wholesale, Regular, Trial

Best for: Customer pickup, quality control, customer service

Operational Sorting

Pack Day: When order is packed (for multi-day packing) Delivery Date: When order ships/delivers Box Type: Product/subscription type

Best for: Workflow organization, similar-item batching

Best Practices

Choosing Sort Order

  1. Understand your workflow - How do packers work? How do drivers deliver?
  2. Minimize movements - Reduce warehouse travel, route backtracking
  3. Group similar work - Batch similar box types, sizes, handling
  4. Test and iterate - Try different sorts, get team feedback
  5. Create presets - Save effective sorts for easy reuse

Multiple Presets Strategy

  1. Route Delivery Preset - For printing driver route labels
  2. Warehouse Preset - For efficient packing workflow
  3. Pickup Preset - Alphabetical for customer pickup
  4. QC Preset - For quality control checks
  5. Custom by need - Create as operational needs arise

Communication

  1. Train team on which preset to use when
  2. Label presets clearly ("Use for Monday Routes")
  3. Document sorting logic for new team members
  4. Review sort effectiveness with team regularly
  5. Update presets as workflow evolves

Things to Avoid

  • Overcomplicating with too many sort levels (3 maximum)
  • Changing sort frequently without team notice
  • Using sort that doesn't match workflow
  • Forgetting to save useful sorts as presets
  • Ignoring team feedback on sort effectiveness

Troubleshooting

Labels Printing in Unexpected Order

Check:

  1. Verify correct preset selected before printing
  2. Review primary/secondary/tertiary sort settings
  3. Ensure data fields populated (can't sort by empty Route #)
  4. Check if default preset changed accidentally
  5. Print preview to verify order before batch print

Some Orders Missing from Label Batch

Not a Sorting Issue: This is a filtering or data problem, not sort order issue. Check:

  • Order status (only "ready to pack" orders print)
  • Delivery date filter
  • Route assignments
  • Hold flags

Cannot Save Preset

Solutions:

  1. Verify Administrator access (required for saving presets)
  2. Ensure preset name is unique
  3. Check all three sort levels set (primary required minimum)
  4. Try different preset name
  5. Contact system administrator if persistent

Route Stop Order Not Working

Check:

  1. Verify route stop orders are configured in Route Management
  2. If stop order not set, labels can't sort by it
  3. Update route optimization first
  4. Then use stop order sorting
  5. Contact operations manager to set stop sequences
  • Route Management - Configure routes and stop orders
  • Print Labels - Use sorting when printing labels
  • Warehouse Configuration - Set up warehouse zones
  • Packing Workflow - Overall packing process

Quick Reference Card

Task Action
Route delivery sort Primary: Route #, Secondary: Stop Order
Warehouse efficiency Primary: Warehouse Zone, Secondary: Box Type
Alphabetical Primary: Last Name, Secondary: First Name
Multi-day packing Primary: Pack Day, Secondary: Route #, Tertiary: Stop
Save configuration Set sorts, click Save Preset, name it
Load saved preset Select from preset dropdown, apply
Test sort order Print preview before batch printing

FAQs

What's the default sort order?

Configured by system administrator. Often Route Number → Stop Order. Check current default in preset dropdown.

Can different users have different default sorts?

Typically no - sort presets are system-wide. User selects preset each time printing. Some systems support user defaults - check with admin.

What if I need 4 or 5 sort levels?

Three levels maximum in most systems. If truly needed, consider changing workflow or requesting feature from administrator.

Does sort order affect delivery or just label printing?

ONLY affects label/packing slip print order. Does not change delivery routes, order assignments, or any operational data.

Can I sort by custom fields?

Depends on system configuration. Standard fields available by default. Custom field sorting requires administrator setup.

What if route stop order changes?

Update Route Management with new stop sequence. New stop order automatically applies to future label sorting - don't need to change Label Sorting Order settings.

How do I know which preset to use?

Ask your operations manager or refer to team documentation. Common presets typically labeled clearly ("Use for Routes", "Use for Packing").

Change Log

2026-03-01

  • Initial documentation created

End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.