This article provides a comprehensive guide on setting up and utilizing the Cart Configuration, Cart Allocation, and Picking Station features in GelatoConnect. These tools facilitate piece-level tracking throughout the apparel production process, from warehouse picking to heat pressing, quality control, and dispatch.
Understanding Roles and Responsibilities
Role | Uses | Purpose |
Production Manager | Cart Configuration | Define your physical cart pool — how many carts and bins are available. |
Dispatcher | Cart Allocation | Assign incoming batches (or individual print jobs) to specific carts. |
Picker / Operator | Picking Station | Scan a job ticket or transfer sheet barcode to be told exactly which bin to place the item in. |
Cart Configuration
What is Cart Configuration?
Cart Configuration allows you to define your physical cart inventory in GelatoConnect. It specifies how many movable trolleys are on the floor and how many bins each one holds. Each bin contains all print jobs for a single garment, including the main garment print job and one transfer suffix job per print area, maintaining this grouping throughout production.
Setting Up Your Carts
Step | Action |
Step 1 | Navigate to Cart Configuration — From the GelatoConnect main menu, go to Production > Cart Configuration. |
Step 2 | Add a new cart — Click the “Add Cart” button in the top-right corner. A setup dialog will appear. |
Step 3 | Name your cart — Enter a name for the cart (e.g., "Cart A", "Cart 1"). This name will appear on the Picking Station screen and should match the physical label on your cart. |
Step 4 | Set the number of bins — Enter how many bins this cart has. The default is 15, but you can adjust this to match your physical cart. |
Step 5 | Save — Click Save. The cart will now appear in your Cart Configuration dashboard with a status of Available. |
Tip: Add all of your carts before you begin production. You can always add more later, but having them configured in advance prevents delays at dispatch.
Managing Existing Carts
Each cart in the dashboard displays its name, number of bins, current status, and the date it was last updated. Use the three-dot menu on any cart to:
Edit — change the cart name or bin count at any time
View Cart Allocation — jump directly to that cart's allocation view
Clear Cart — reset all bin assignments
Delete Cart — permanently remove the cart from the pool
Cart Allocation
What is Cart Allocation?
Cart Allocation serves as the dispatcher's control center, allowing you to assign incoming batches of print jobs to specific carts. The system ensures that the cart has enough free bins before allowing an assignment.
Understanding the Dashboard
The Cart Allocation dashboard provides a real-time view of every cart in your pool. You can see:
How many print jobs are assigned to each cart
Which carts are Available, In Progress, or Full
A summary bar showing total carts in use, total bins occupied, and available capacity
Assigning a Batch to a Cart
Step | Action |
Step 1 | Locate the batch — Find the batch you want to assign by scanning the batch barcode or entering the batch ID manually. |
Step 2 | System will automatically assign a cart — A cart will be assigned to the batch, showing how many bins are free on each cart. |
Step 3 | Confirm the assignment — Once confirmed, the batch is assigned to the cart, and the system allocates each garment's print jobs to a numbered bin. |
Step 4 | Hand off job tickets to the picker — Give the stack of job tickets to the picker, attaching the header ticket to the cart. |
Expanding a Cart's View
Click on any cart in the dashboard to expand it and see its full bin breakdown. You can view:
Which print jobs are assigned to that bin
Whether the garment job has been scanned in
Whether all transfer suffix jobs have been placed
The bin's current status: Active, In Progress, Ready for Production
Picking Station
What is the Picking Station?
The Picking Station is the operator-facing screen used during garment picking and transfer sheet staging. The operator scans a barcode, and the screen indicates which bin to use, simplifying the process.
The Picking Station operates on Windows tablets via the GelatoConnect desktop application, with a USB barcode scanner attached.
How Picking Works — Step by Step
Garment Picking (Blanks)
The picker receives a stack of job tickets from the dispatcher.
The picker goes to the Picking Station screen.
The picker locates the garment on the warehouse shelf.
The picker scans the barcode on the job ticket, and the screen shows a bin number.
The picker places the garment into the designated bin and confirms.
The screen clears and is ready for the next scan.
Transfer Sheet Staging
This step uses the same Picking Station interface. The operator scans the transfer sheet barcodes:
Scan the transfer sheet barcode.
The screen shows the bin number for the transfer sheet.
Place the transfer sheet in the correct bin alongside the garment and confirm.
Scan each transfer sheet separately for garments with multiple print areas.
When all expected print jobs are in a bin, it is marked Ready for Production.
Tip: The system knows how many transfer suffix jobs to expect based on the number of print areas on the garment.
Simplified View vs. Expanded View
The Picking Station has two display modes:
View | What You See | Best For |
Simplified View | Just the scan prompt and the bin number. | Fast-rotating or entry-level operators who need zero distraction. |
Expanded View | All bins on the cart shown visually. | Operators who want a visual overview of cart progress while picking. |
To switch between views, click the toggle next to the Picking Station title at the top of the screen.
What Happens if I Scan the Wrong Item?
If you scan a barcode that does not belong to the current batch or cart, the screen will display an error message.
Cart Lifecycle & Automatic Release
How Carts Move Through Production
Once a cart is fully picked and all transfers are staged, it moves through the remaining production stations as a single unit. Operators scan items and confirm completion, maintaining the bin order throughout.
Cart statuses update automatically as work progresses:
Status | What it Means | Next Transition |
Available | All bins are empty. Ready for a new batch assignment. | In Progress when the first batch is assigned. |
In Progress | Has active batch assignments; bins are being picked or are in production. | Ready for Production when all items are ready for the next step. |
Ready for Production | All bins are occupied. No room for additional batches. | Available when bins free up after dispatch. |
Automatic Cart Release
When the last item on a cart is marked as shipped, GelatoConnect automatically resets all bins to Empty and changes the cart status back to Available. No manual action is required.
Tip: Dispatchers can also manually clear or release a cart from the Cart Configuration page if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How Many Print Jobs Can Be in One Bin?
A: A bin typically contains multiple print jobs: one main garment print job and one transfer suffix job for each print area on that garment. The system tracks each job individually.
Q: What Happens if a Batch Has More Items Than a Cart's Available Bins?
A: The system will display an error and prevent the assignment. The dispatcher must select a cart with more free bins or split the work across multiple carts.
Q: Can Operators Choose Which Bin to Use?
A: No. Bin assignment is fully determined by the system to ensure consistent ordering throughout production.
Q: What Device Do Operators Use at the Picking Station?
A: The Picking Station runs on the GelatoConnect desktop application on Windows tablets with a USB barcode scanner attached. Contact your account team for supported hardware.