A pharmaceutical order filling system includes an order processing device, anautomated dispensing device in communication with the order processing devicefor dispensing apharmaceutical into a container. The system includes pallets for transportingcontainers and acontainer sorting device in communication with the order processing device,the containersorting device for transferring the containers from the pallets todistribution areas. The containersorting device includes a pallet unloading area for retaining a pallet in apallet unloadingposition, an exception conveyor, a standard order conveyor, and a containermanipulation deviceincluding a gripper assembly for moving containers in order from pallets tothe exceptionconveyor or the standard order conveyor.
