What are the automated processes that the most competitive companies are using in their warehouses and how can Warehouse Management Technology help to streamline the movement of inventory? Let’s explore how technology can help you gain Maximum Warehouse Productivity through WMS software,
Warehouse Management Systems or WMS are advanced programs specifically designed to drive efficiency in the warehouse and streamline supply chain operations. Below are some examples of functionality within Warehouse Management Systems:
Advanced Ship Notice: With an advance ship notice provided by the warehouse software, warehouse personnel can prepare for the incoming shipment and delivery before the shipment arrives. Once the shipment arrives at the dock, the systems establishes the staging requirements, logs the product into inventory, checks order accuracy, and directs put-away via bar-coded labels, which is critical for the outbound processes.
Put-Away: In the put-away process, the system supports any further needs for bar code labeling and license plates that may simplify and expedite tracking throughout storage and subsequent reshipping.
ERP to WMS Synchronization: Finally, the warehouse software automatically updates the back office software. WMS Software are engineered to integrate to ERP systems. This further enhances efficiency in the warehouse by having a strong, real time information exchange between Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)/Accounting Inventory System and WMS.
Outbound Processes: The warehouse software processes the order in reverse, receiving an order from the back-office software and issuing a pick order optimized with business logic such as the product location, disposition, ship date, and inventory status. For example, a beauty supply warehouse serving dozens of small outlets might buy in bulk but only ship one or two items to a store at any one time. Pickers may be instructed to box a single order to completion or add items to a tote and pass it down the line where more items will be added before the items are packed and shipped. Conversely, a turf supply warehouse serving high-volume users such as golf courses or developers might receive and ship bulk product in single or multiple pallet loads.
Flexibility: An ideal warehouse management system has the flexibility to provide the vital value-adds regardless of the nature of the business. In the first instance, the value-add is the distributor’s ability to buy in bulk, manage the merchandise, absorb the carrying costs, and meter out product as needed. In the second, a critical value-add is the ability to perform the complex logistics for the end users, leaving them free to focus on their core business. Customers would rather compensate the distributor than deal with these matters themselves.
Methodology: Appropriate methodology is basic to improving efficiency and adding value through process excellence and cost control. An example is the use of a radio frequency scanner that guides pickers with precise instructions as to which aisles hold which products and in which picking order. The warehouse software generates this information and transmits it to the floor, expediting the picking process and preventing wasted motion.
Shipping: The final phase of the outbound process is freight spend optimization. Warehouse software should tailor solutions to precise shipper and customer requirements such as basic cost, customer preferences, regional and local shipping options, parcel carriers, and dedicated truck fleets. The software then selects the appropriate shipping alternative for each order and automates the production of all relevant documentation.
WMS Systems: HighJump Warehouse Edge (formerly AccellosOne WMS) establishes a feature-rich environment to automate, streamline, and verify all of these warehouse processes. From the receiving dock to the shipping dock, HighJump WMS tracks every movement of stock into, within, and out of the warehouse.
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