Material handling method

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, with instructions stored thereon, which when executed by at least one processor of computing device, cause the computing device to control an automated lift truck to perform at least a first and a second warehouse order for moving at least a first and a second handling unit located in a warehouse respectively, the first and second warehouse orders being assigned a first and a second execution priority respectively, the control comprising:

• determining the first warehouse order for moving the first handling unit as the warehouse order having the highest priority;
• controlling the automated lift truck to move the first handling unit using the first warehouse order;
• and in parallel to moving the first handling unit
• determining that the second warehouse order for moving the second handling unit is the warehouse order having the subsequent highest execution priority;
• and determining that an intermediate warehouse order is required such that the second warehouse order may be executed;
• creating the intermediate warehouse order and assigning an execution priority to the intermediate warehouse higher than the second execution priority;
• controlling the automated lift truck to move the second handling unit using the second warehouse order after performing the intermediate warehouse order.

A control system for controlling an automatic mechanical material handling equipment to perform at least a first and a second access task for accessing respectively at least a first and at least a second article stored in a material handling storage system, the first and second access tasks having been assigned a first and a second execution priority respectively, the control system being configured for:

• a) controlling the automatic mechanical material handling equipment to perform the first access task having the highest priority;
• and in parallel to performing the first access task
• a1) evaluating data indicative of the material handling storage system for determining that a first intermediate task is to be performed, wherein the first intermediate task is required in order to perform by the mechanical material handling equipment the second access task;
• and
• a2) assigning an execution priority to the first intermediate task higher than the second execution priority;
• b) controlling the automatic mechanical material handling equipment to perform at least the first intermediate task and the second access task according to the order of execution priorities.