What
does a WMS do?
Every day, a warehouse faces big problems, starting with the
containers that are stacked at the reception. There is a lack of criteria
to order the merchandise, wasted storage space, and wasted time looking for the
products. There is a better way to do things, and this is the
implementation of a warehouse
management system. It reduces organization and search times, improves the
use of resources, and reduces operating costs. An EMS covers the stages of
storage, from the receipt of the merchandise, deposit to the dispatch to
the final customer.
The warehouse
management system or
WMS (warehouse management system) is known by its acronym in English. It
is software that helps to control the organization's warehouse, stocks, and the
optimization of movements. It is designed to improve, regulate and control
everything in the warehouse.
First of all, the warehouse management system optimizes
the working times of people and space. By preparing orders, the software
improves pickup routes, saving time for searching and organizing the
merchandise. At the same time, it measures the time that each worker
spends in each of the actions that he is carrying out.
Second, a company that does not have a WMS often has errors in
customer orders. This literally translates into dissatisfied customers, a
greater volume of returns, an increasing number of shipments to correct these
errors. All this leads to having more people working in the warehouse and
carrying out more validation processes.
Importance of a warehouse
management system :
The functionality of the supply chain: (speed, precision, and
efficiency) will depend on the storage processes. A WMS is vital in
managing such a chain by managing order fulfillment processes. From the
receipt of raw materials to the shipment of finished products, it goes through
software control.
For example, if raw materials or parts are lost, the supply chain
can slow down or be interrupted. WMS is essential to ensure that these
processes run smoothly when tracking inventory. These ensure that products
are stored and classified correctly; it also optimizes their shipping and
tracking.
Therefore, an EMS :
·
Control
the expiration of products.
·
Arrange
and place the merchandise in an optimized order according to its expiration
date.
·
It
allows relocating the merchandise in the zone destined to it for its exit.
·
Measure
the number of returns and help reduce them.
·
It
generates a wide variety of reports, exportable in excel and pdf formats.
·
They
have a web interface to make inquiries online.
·
Significantly
improves the economic aspect of the warehouse.
Characteristics
of a warehouse management system :
Many features are common to WMS software products and include the
following:
·
Warehouse layout - Customize
workflow and picking logic for optimized inventory allocation.
·
Inventory
tracking: agrees to the use of
advanced tracking and automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) systems. Bar
code and RFID readers are included to ensure goods can be easily found when
they need to be moved.
·
Receiving
and storage: This allows the
storage and retrieval of inventory with pick-to-light or pick-to-voice
technology, helping to locate goods.
·
Picking
and packing of goods: includes picking by
zones, picking by quantities, and picking by batches.
·
Shipping: Empowers the WMS to
send bills of lading (B / L) prior to shipment, generate packing lists and
invoices.
·
Labor
Management - Helps warehouse
managers monitor worker performance through the use of indicators. They
are (KPI) that indicate which workers are performing above or below standards.
·
Yard
and Dock Management - Guide drivers, are
entering the warehouse to find the right loading docks. Dock and yard
control enables cross-docking and other inbound and outbound logistics
functions.
·
Reports
- Help managers analyze
the performance of warehouse operations and find areas for improvement.