Patent ID: 8326679

Claim:
A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to: divide a plurality of items in an order for delivery by zone, wherein the zone associated with an item is based on one or more of a picking zone and packaging requirements for the item; generate a zone-based container plan for each zone, wherein the zone-based container plan comprises an assignment of each item associated with the zone to one of one or more shipping containers allocated to the zone-based container plan based upon one or more of a weight and volume of each item assigned to the shipping container and a weight constraint and volume constraint associated with the shipping container; generate a mixed container plan for the order, wherein the mixed container plan comprises an assignment of each item in the order regardless of zone to one of one or more shipping containers allocated to the mixed container plan based upon one or more of a weight and volume of each item assigned to the shipping container and a weight constraint and volume constraint associated with the shipping container; determine if a number of shipping containers allocated to the mixed container plan is less than a combined number of shipping containers allocated to the zone-based container plans for all zones; upon determining that the number of shipping containers allocated to the mixed container plan is greater than or equal to the combined number of shipping containers allocated to the zone-based container plans for all zones, generate a final container plan by combining the zone-based container plans for all zones; and upon determining that the number of shipping containers allocated to the mixed container plan is less than the combined number of shipping containers allocated to the zone-based container plans for all zones, generate the final container plan based on the mixed container plan.