Let’s look at your current operation. It probably involves the following:

• Verification of in-bound loads by hand from a PO
• Put-away to fixed locations
• Picking from a paper pick ticket
• Verification and manual order entry to reconcile your inventory
• Shut down for physical inventory

These are all manual functions that have been carried out by small and large companies for decades.  A good Warehouse Management System (WMS) will not only increase efficiencies and streamline your operation but also drive down costs.

By definition, a WMS is a software application that supports the day-to-day operations in a warehouse. WMS systems allow centralized control of tasks such as receiving, put-away, picking, cycle counting and individual performance matrices.  WMS systems may be standalone or integrated to communicate directly with your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

Benefits of a WMS:

• Receiving – Have real-time visibility to shipments that have been delivered and received.  See instantly if received product is needed to complete an order, prior to put-away.
• Put-Away – Allows for random put-away for optimal cube utilization.  Directs pickers to the right location and determines the optimal pick path to maximize productivity and minimize travel time.
• Picking – Reduce picking errors and increase productivity in the picking process. Workers receive their picks on a mobile device that routes them to the proper location. Scanning items when you pick them verifies that the right item at the right quantity is picked.
• Packing – Pick to shipper is available when the cube of the SKU is known.
• Shipping – See that each order is properly packaged and shipped to the correct destination and delivered on the designated date.

Although installing a full-scale WMS can be a daunting task, customers quickly recognize its value. After a WMS has been up and running for a very short period of time, most customers comment that they don’t know how they operated without it. From real-time visibility into inventory and orders and greater put away flexibility to increased productivity and reduced picking errors, a WMS offers our customers tremendous benefits now and positions them for future growth.

Leave me a comment below if you‘d like to know more about how a WMS can streamline your warehouse operations, improve order accuracy and deliver measurable ROI.