By Katrina C. Arabe

Vendors are currently courting the warehouse management field with a new line of web-based management software. Before you rush into a purchase, be sure the software is really what your business needs — and if you even need it at all.

As the vendors of warehouse management software begin offering web-based packages to their clients, warehouse managers have the option of putting their operations online. For some warehouses, especially those of smaller and mid-size companies, there are advantages in doing so. Software upgrades are much easier and quicker with web-based systems. The software is located in one central place rather than having to be installed repeatedly in separate PCs. The software is simply installed on the main server and accessed through the browser. Managers can use the system from anywhere in the network, running warehouse reports whenever, and wherever, they are needed.

Another advantage of web-based warehouse management software is that it eliminates problems that are typically associated with multiple platform use. For the program to run on different platforms, the user needs only to have compatible web access software. This umbrella accessibility makes it easier to distribute programs over the Internet and throughout the network. The relative ease of navigation is another plus. End users usually find that they can get around the system with little more than pointing and clicking.

Warehouse managers seem to appreciate the ability of web-based software to transmit and receive information in real time. This helps them better allocate time and labor to specific tasks. The fact that data acquisition is immediate on the web-based system allows up-to-the-minute analytics that were impossible prior to the software’s availability. In the words of Reg Bryant, warehouse director at L.G. Zenith, “At any point in the day, we can look to see how much work is left on the floor. We used to have to coordinate lots of reports and then guess at the figure. Now the system considers how much work is left that day and how many people are on the floor to work on it, and it tells us how quickly we can get the work finished.”

Of course, web-based warehouse management software may not be right for everyone. Generally, the software is more favorable in a small warehouse setting. These companies simply do not have the critical mass to build an infrastructure to run their own management software, a condition that makes them ideal for web-hosted systems. Large companies, on the other hand, are more likely to assume their own systems. In addition, it is the view of some professionals that web-based software is actually better suited to transportation management and other supply chain functions than to warehouse management. In their opinion, warehouse management is a strictly an internal operation so there is little need to involve an external enterprise.

For those that do adopt web-based software, they may wish to bring their customers into the fold. Giving clients access to the system would improve their visibility of the supply chain and facilitate better planning and scheduling on both ends. For many warehouse managers this is the way to go and web-based software helps them get there. In the words of Zenith’s Bryant, “We’re going to that next step so that we can allow our distributors to look at our deliveries and know what’s available and what isn’t within our warehouse.”

Automated warehousing applied to part or all of a distribution centre operation can provide a wide range of benefits including space savings, lower building costs, improved productivity, more efficient material flow, less people, safer operations, reductions in inventory, increased reliability, reduced running costs, better ROI and lowest lifecycle cost.

Automated warehousing systems provide the maximum possible usage of available floor space and building height.

In some cases, this enables companies to increase storage capacity by up to 400% compared to conventional forklift operations. Where space is limited, switching to an automated warehousing solution can free up additional space for other activities, such as manufacturing.

And because automated warehousing solutions make the most effective use of space, building costs can be kept to a minimum. Significant cost savings are possible through the need for less land and a smaller building. Because Automated Warehousing systems do not require special floors or expensive in aisle guidance systems. further savings can be achieved.

Automated storage and retrieval machines also weigh a lot less than comparable narrow aisle trucks further reducing construction requirements.

Improved Productivity

Automated warehousing systems also offer tremendous performance in terms of productivity.

Not only do they work faster than forklifts and narrow aisle trucks, they can also operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, keeping product on the move.

With automated storage and retrieval machines, there are none of the delays associated with putting away or retrieving pallets from high locations. Every pallet is picked up and deposited at the same speed regardless of where it is located within the system.

Automated warehousing systems can also enhance the efficient flow of materials through a manufacturing facility or distribution centre. By integrating the system with production materials handling systems, raw materials, tools, parts, work-in-process, and finished goods can all be efficiently delivered to where they are required just-in-time.

The systems can also be set up to provide a buffer storage function on assembly lines, and can service multi-floor applications.

By using automated storage and retrieval machines the need for drivers/operators is eliminated. Compared with conventional methods, and calculated over the life of the machine, savings can be substantial and the ROI can be highly attractive.

The machines operate within fixed aisles protected by safety fences so the risk of people being injured in a collision is minimised. The need for operators to physically lift heavy products, or even heavy empty pallets, is also eliminated.

Reductions in Inventory

With integrated location and inventory control software combined with faster throughput, it is possible to reduce stockholdings.

Inventory can be accurately tracked at all stages, maximising stock availability. Stock control can also be improved, with the software enabling goods to be automatically picked on a First In First Out basis, or by ‘use-by’ date etc. Intelligent location control ensures goods are located in the most appropriate zone depending on their usage within the Automated Warehouse.

Once the automated warehouse has been set up, ongoing operating costs are minimised. Typical warehousing costs involving refueling or recharging of batteries, regular mechanical and electrical maintenance, and staffing, lighting are also minimised.

A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is an important part of an effective Supply Chain Management system. Every day you receive products, put them away, count them, pick them, and ship them out the door. After that you review what happened, report to clients, bill them, and get paid.

The process works till you realized the operation is big enough to be controlled using conventional means and because the inventory costs business dearly in operating expenses, there is always pressure from the business managers to find a way to put lid to these operating expenses that’s hurting the bottom dollars. On the other hand mismanagement results into lost orders and decreased customer satisfaction.

A need for efficient, productive and accurate means of running a warehouse is required and an investment into the Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) to deliver results with a great return.

Business manager then turn their attention to WMS which is low risk using proven technology with rich functionality to run an efficient and cost-effective warehousing operation at its peak. The biggest challenge is then finding a specialist WMS supplier that is efficient in all it is processes and is a great fit for their warehouse operations.

You will find many vendors but the idea of a WMS is that it uses technology such as RF and bar-coding to automate entire process flow of warehouse right from receiving of goods in the warehouse to finally shipping to customers, automating the process eventually improving efficiency and accuracy, and to better utilize labor resources quite simply to do things better, faster, cheaper.

WMS is more than just bar-coding and RF or batch processing, and a lot more than inventory management and order management.

With skyrocketing labor and logistics costs and constant pressure on margins, warehouse efficiency is a must.

Before wireless WMS came into the picture, stores received boxes of stock accompanied by paperwork detailing items in the delivery. Staff members then manually checked each box’s contents against the manifest. Using this method, store staff could not see what items should be in which box, or whether items were missing until each box had been checked. It was also difficult to tell whether all ordered boxes had been received.

How does wireless WMS solution works
Wireless warehouse solution works by linking warehouse workers to the backend application server where warehouse activities are being recorded via a wireless handheld device. The device tells employees where to go to pick, put away, count, or move product within the plant. This translates to a better control over the movement and storage of materials within the warehouse, it maximise the efficiency of the receipt and shipment of goods, optimise warehouse space utilization and know at all times exactly where goods are stored,- allowing employees to improve and maintain high customer service levels.

How would it Benefits your warehouse p icking
The wireless solution allows staff to streamline workflow. On entering employee ID, the device shows the next batch to be picked up according to priority. The system directs the picker via the wireless handheld device to the specified location and scans the product barcode to confirm the correct item has been picked in the correct quantity. In other words wireless WMS assign employees specific areas of responsibility in the warehouse.
The barcode data is entered into the WMS, including the measurements, location, number of products in a box, number of boxes on a pallet and storage conditions and provides up to minute information for picking of a single order, multiple orders for different customers.

Receiving
When items are received to be put away, the staff members scan a bar code on the box. The bar code when scanned reveals information about the box’s contents. Items from the box are scanned and results are compared so discrepancies are immediate obvious. The software then directs warehouse staff to put away items into a suitable location.
Solution also allows partial deliveries and stores can elect to receive stock carton by carton, depending on immediate needs.

Streamlining WMS workflow & prerequisites
With WMS solution, sales staff can provide accurate information to customers about stock availability; Warehouse staff can find items quickly and easily.
The WMS solution combines front and back end technology and because it is a web based solution it’s highly extensible and platform independent; all you need is a browser and a wireless handheld device to work with. WMS retrieves and stores information in the centralised database as the server; it cuts the risk of data synchronization errors and eliminates duplicate entries.

The WMS is aid to offer greater efficiency and accuracy to businesses, through increased pick rates, decreased errors, higher compliancy, and accurate forecasting of warehouse resources and demands.

“The new system has drastically reduced the manual workload for our staff. Our staff has estimated that the productivity gains from WMS picking and receiving is around 40%,” Isotherm group logistics manager, Zahid Said.

Author: Nasir Ayub – Project Manager Naxtor Technologies