Patent ID: 8103377

Claim:
A system, comprising: a memory storing program instructions; and one or more processors coupled to said memory, wherein said program instructions are executable by at least one of said one or more processors to implement a control system configured to: for each given unit of a plurality of units of items picked from inventory in an order fulfillment center and conveyed to an induction station of a sortation system, determine whether the given unit is designated to be inducted into the sortation system for sorting units of items into shipments; while a particular unit of a particular item of said plurality of units remains at the induction station: determine said particular unit is not designated to be inducted into said sortation system; determine one or more incomplete shipments that each requires at least one unit of said particular item to become a completed shipment; and in response to the determination of said one or more incomplete shipments, generate an instruction to induct said particular unit into said sortation system for sorting said particular unit as a shipment of said one or more incomplete shipments.