Overview
Precartonization lets Logiwa IO use box recommendations from an external cartonization service (such as Paccurate) to tell your team exactly which box or boxes an order needs — before picking even starts. Instead of guessing box sizes at the packing station, pickers and packers see the suggested box type up front, which reduces repacking, wasted box materials, and shipping errors.
When to Use It
Use Precartonization when:
Your warehouse integrates with an external cartonization (box-recommendation) service.
You want pickers to know the correct box type before they start picking an order.
Some orders need a single box (Single Box) and others need multiple boxes (Multi Box), and you want Logiwa IO to handle both automatically.
You want packers to see the suggested box type pre-filled when they reach the packing station.
Prerequisites
Before setting up Precartonization, confirm:
Your cartonization service integration is connected and sending results to Logiwa IO.
You have permission to create and edit Job Types.
You know whether your orders will use Scan Tracking Number (pickers scan a carrier tracking number instead of a tote ID) or a standard packing step after picking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Navigate to Orders > Job Types and click Create Job Type.
On the 1.General tab, enter a Code and Description for the job type.
On the 3.Settings tab, set Precartonization Job to Yes. This locks several other settings automatically to keep the job type compatible with the Precartonization flow.
If you want pickers to scan a carrier tracking number (instead of a tote ID) during picking, set Scan Tracking Number to Yes. This also sets Only Pick to the matching value automatically.
Optionally, set Batch Size to Number of Shipment Packages to cap how many boxes' worth of orders can be grouped into one job.
On the 4.Conditions tab, optionally add conditions to control which orders enter this job type:
Number of Boxes — route orders to this job type only if they need a specific number of boxes.
Shipment Package Type — click Include or Exclude to either restrict the job type to specific box types or exclude specific box types (for example, excluding Polybag if it can't be cartonized). This Include/Exclude choice is only available on the Shipment Package Type condition.
Click Save to finish creating the job type.
Once orders have a cartonization result from the integration, allocate them as usual. Eligible orders are automatically routed into Precartonization job types, and their picking tasks are enriched with the recommended box type.
If Scan Tracking Number is enabled, generate shipping labels before picking starts:
Go to Orders > Jobs > Job Management, select one Precartonization job, and choose Label > Create Label.
The screen opens with Pre-Cartonization Label already selected. Click Get Rate or Get Label to continue.
If a box's weight couldn't be calculated automatically, a Missing Box Weight panel opens. Enter the weight for each listed box, then continue.
Optionally, print a Mobile Cart Layout from the same Job Management screen (Print > Mobile Cart Layout) so pickers know which box goes in which cart cell before they start.
Pickers complete the job using Pick and Sort on mobile. If tracking numbers are required, the suggested box type and expected tracking number display automatically for each task.
If the job type includes a packing step, packers see the suggested box type pre-filled at the packing station when they scan the order.
Confirm: once setup is complete, orders routed into a Precartonization job show their recommended box type on picking tasks, and (if applicable) on the packing screen — without any manual box lookup.
Key Fields & Options
Field | Description | Notes |
Precartonization Job | Marks this job type as Precartonization-enabled | Locks several other job type settings automatically |
Scan Tracking Number | Requires pickers to scan a carrier tracking number instead of a tote ID | Always matches the Only Pick setting |
Number of Shipment Packages (Batch Size) | Caps how many boxes' worth of orders can be grouped into one job | Optional |
Number of Boxes (Condition) | Routes orders to this job type based on how many boxes they need | Optional |
Shipment Package Type (Condition) | Includes or excludes specific box types from this job type | Include/Exclude choice is unique to this condition |
Force Cartonization Packaging (Client setting) | When enabled, packers can't change the suggested box type at the packing station — only box dimensions and weight remain editable | Found under Client Settings > Packing Settings |
Excel Export (Shipment Order) | Includes Precartonization Type and Number of Boxes as columns when exporting the Shipment Order backlog | Raw cartonization JSON/URL are intentionally not included |
Common Questions & Edge Cases
What happens if the cartonization result hasn't arrived yet when allocation runs?
The order is skipped for Precartonization and follows your standard job flow instead. There's no automatic retry — if the result arrives later, the order will only be picked up by Precartonization on the next allocation run.
Can Higher Pack Type Allocation (or similar box-upgrade settings) change the box Precartonization already recommended?
No. For any order eligible for Precartonization, Logiwa IO always allocates against the box type the cartonization service already assigned — none of the Allocation Algorithm's pack type strategies (including Higher Pack Type Allocation) are applied, because the box plan is already determined from the order lines before allocation even runs. If there isn't enough inventory at that box type, the order won't allocate, and you'll see a Cartonization Pack Type Conflict shortage reason — review inventory at the order's current box type, or move the order to a standard (non-Precartonization) job.
Why does the packing screen lock the box type but not the weight?
If Force Cartonization Packaging is enabled for the client, only the box type is locked to the suggested value — length, width, height, and weight remain fully editable. This lets packers still record accurate physical measurements even when they can't change which box they use.
What's the difference between a Single Box and a Multi Box order?
A Single Box order fits everything into one box, so the order itself carries a single box type. A Multi Box order is split across several boxes by the cartonization service, so the box type is tracked per box instead of on the order as a whole — each box gets its own grouping and (if applicable) its own tracking number.
Can I still pack one box at a time if Enable Partial Packing is turned off for my client?
In most cases, no — Enable Partial Packing off means all of an order's boxes must be packed together in one session. For orders where partial allocation is off and partial shipment is on, Logiwa IO lets you scan and pack each box independently, shipping it right away without waiting for the order's other boxes.
Why don't I see the "separated order" message when packing a Precartonization order?
That message is specific to standard packing flows and doesn't apply to Precartonization orders — it won't appear regardless of your Enable Partial Packing setting. You'll still need to move all of an order's items to the tote before Complete Packing and Create Label becomes available.
What if I select more than one job when trying to create labels?
Create Label only works for exactly one job at a time. If you select more than one job, or mix a Precartonization job with standard jobs, the Create Label option is disabled until you narrow your selection to a single job.
Does Precartonization work for all products and all shortage situations?
No — a few cases fall outside Precartonization's scope:
Products configured with Item Own Box enabled aren't supported, since Precartonization's own process already tries to find a suitable box across all of an order's line items — the two mechanisms conflict.
A shortage during picking (an item coming up short or missing) isn't handled specially for Precartonization orders. Because all box/packaging information is determined from the order lines before allocation, any substitution or change made during picking could invalidate the pre-calculated box plan. Treat shortages on Precartonization orders with extra care and review the order's box assignment afterward.