A Detailed View of the Warehouse Management System

A warehouse management system is a software and process that assist in the organization, control, and administration of the warehouse operations. Right from the time materials or goods enters the warehouse until they dispatch to the end customer. The general operation carried out in the warehouse includes inventory management, order picking processes, and auditing. Here we are sharing the detailed list of operations performed by any WMS. Please have a look

Entry Functions

Within this group, three primary operations can be managed through the WMS: receipts, data collection of incoming goods, and labelling containers and goods.

Receipts

Items received without pallets need to be consolidated into different containers after their characteristics and attributes are registered before being stored in the AI robotics for Order Fulfillment. Sometimes things are already palletized, eliminating the need for consolidation. It is still necessary to validate their characteristics and the number of goods received before storing them. The third type of actual receipts is customer returns. While being similar to the receipt type mentioned above, it does involve specific features, such as applying statuses and blocks when the items enter the installation. These statuses and blocks can indicate, for example, the need to pass the articles through quality control, wait for a pending inspection. Then, these must be stored in the warehouse in specific areas established for this type of goods.

Data Collection

The second primary function is to capture logistics data, including different information types, such as the batch number, best before date, weight, temperature, serial number. Capturing these data during the receiving process provides tracking of the stock. Logistics attributes, such as the batch or serial number, can help keep track of client consumption.

Labelling of Goods

The third function for inflowing goods is to generate barcode labels for all containers and goods stored so that all processes and operations carried out within the Goods to Person Delivery Robot Online are accurately validated, eliminating the possibility of errors when handling the goods. Each item received can be labelled with a barcode so that later on, outflowing warehouse processes are quicker and more efficient. Receipt documentation can also be used to prepare reports that show the differences between the planned goods and those received and other aspects, such as compliance with time slots for receiving goods. The role of the WMS does not end with these activities. It transmits the receipt completion to the company’s ERP through an interface, stating the exact number of units that have entered the warehouse. The ERP can then carry out the administrative procedures with the suppliers.

  1. Location Functions

This operation typically involves three essential processes: management of storage location through rules and strategies, cross-docking, and replenishment and consolidation.

Management of location through rules and strategies
This process finds the ideal bonded storage location within the warehouse for a specific good. It is determined by parameters such as: the rotation of items (A, B, or C), containers types used for the consolidation of goods, the families or product types being handled, the hazardousness or incompatibility of different products so that they are not stored close to each other, the features and volume of items

Cross-Docking

The use of cross-docking reduces the number of movements of the load. If there is an open order but a lack of stock, when the relevant product arrives in the warehouse, it is taken directly from the receipt area and housed in the order preparation area. Once the necessary items have been prepared for dispatch, the remainder is stored within the warehouse.

Management of Replenishment And Consolidation Tasks

The third function is designed to reduce the movement of goods within the warehouse and is done before it is placed in its final position. This function is carried out in centers with picking stations. If there is little of the product left over in these positions, the latter must be restocked with the goods that have just arrived, ensuring sufficient stock to fulfill orders. After this operation, the remaining load is located in the warehouse.

  1. Stock control functions

When managing the goods stored, the WMS must provide complete and useful information about the stock. To do this, it uses several features.

  1. The display of the warehouse’s layout provides access to a graphical representation of the installation showing each of the locations and their composition, both in terms of the containers and the goods themselves.
  2. Location management is another tool that enables the user to obtain and edit information about the positions, such as the type of location, the blocks applied to its dimensions, its characteristics, the storage areas it belongs to.
  3. The WMS can also perform operations that help with stock management. Using movements over a specified period, the system can determine and report on the ideal rotation for an article and compare it with the article master’s relevant information. With this tool, the A B C rotation can be recalculated, and the classification assigned to the item changed where this is considered more efficient or appropriate. A recount and inventory can be taken of everything from the entire warehouse to a specific item, location, or particular area. Any discrepancies in stock are automatically reported to the ERP

4 Exit Functions

In addition to managing the receipt and site of goods, the management system also controls the dispatch of goods.

  1. The main functions start with managing the preparation of the load, leaving the warehouse. This includes grouping and assigning orders and allows for control over how orders are filled and who is responsible for them.
  2. The WMS can manage operations such as picking processes, at a very detailed level. The system determines and guides the routes of personnel assigned to this task and the presentation of items. One of the essential advantages of having a WMS control picking jobs is that the system can optimize the process; thus, it is completed in the shortest time possible using the least movements necessary.
  3. Another part of preparing goods is the labelling of dispatches, through which packed orders are identified. The labelling process is also used on received items.
  4. Outflowing items are recorded, which helps with making documents such as the packing list (list of articles included in the order), documentation for the transport company, and reports that show any discrepancy.
  5. The WMS also manages the process of loading dispatch bound goods onto the vehicles. The dispatch quality is controlled, and errors such as sending material not requested by the customer are prevented.
  6. The WMS can manage everything up to the final phase of the exit operations, such as communicating the final dispatch to the ERP through the two systems’ bi-directional interface. The company’s resource manager is informed of how many units of each item have been included in the dispatch and which items are dispatched in each of the completed issue orders. With this information, the ERP can manage administrative processes with the customers.

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