The system used in effectively managing warehouseA place to store goods. business processes and direct warehouse activities is called Warehouse Management System (WMSA warehouse management system is a software applic...). Typical processes cover receivingThe function encompassing the physical receipt of ..., putaway, picking1) The operations involved in pulling products fro..., shipping1) Tasks related to the outgoing shipment of goods..., and inventory1) Raw materials, work in process, finished goods,... cycle counts. Oftentimes WMS also includes support of radio frequencyA form of wireless communications that lets users ... communications, allowing real-time data transfer between the system and warehouse personnel.
What are typical WMS core features?
The following are some of the core features typically found in a WMS:
Inventory control
Inventory control allows warehouse managers to monitor inventory levels in real timeThe processing of data in a business application a.... This lets managers monitor if their inventory is overstocked or understocked, which can indicate if the business is wasting money on certain products that are not being bought.
Warehouse layout
Warehouse layout allows users to identify products by weightIn shipping, weight is qualified further as gross ... or size so businesses can stockAll the goods or merchandise are stored in a wareh... items in locations that make movement more efficient around the warehouse. If sales data indicates that a particular productSomething that has been or is being produced. is flying off the shelves, the warehouse managers can ensure that the product is stocked at an optimal location for the quickest shipping times.
Fulfillment1) The act of fulfilling a customer order. Fulfill... monitoring
Fulfillment monitoring features allow users to track, manage, and analyze the fulfillment times of their products. By synching RFIDRadio Frequency Identification. tags that are on each product, users can track and locate each itemAny unique manufactured or purchased part, materia... to see if they reached their final destinationThe last stopping point for a shipment. on time.
Labor management
Labor management tools allow warehouse managers to monitor worker performance within the software. The software can help indicate if workers are performing above or below standards.
Warehouse modeling
Warehouse modeling allows users to simulate a warehouse workflow change and provide report card metricsSee Performance Measures. on efficiency. This is a great way to test changes before they’re even implemented. Within the feature, warehouse modeling will even proactively recommend optimizations so warehouse managers know how to shift workflows in orderAn order is a request to ship products, following ... to maximize efficiency
What Types of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) There Are?
Warehouse Management Systems can be categorized as cloud based WMS vs on-site WMS, or also as ERP-integrated WMS vs standalone WMS.
ERP-integrated WMS
Sometimes warehouse management systems can be packaged into an enterprise resource planningA class of software for planning and managing ente... (ERPSee Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP).) system. Although it might not have as much functionality as a standalone product, it will definitely provide a wide scope of other business processes. If it’s important to have one system that aligns the warehouse management system with human resourcesThe function broadly responsible for personnel pol..., supply chain managementSupply chain management encompasses the planning a..., and manufacturing, then buyers might want to opt for a product that is included in an ERP system.
Standalone WMS
Standalone warehouse management systems are sold as a specialized product that doesn’t offerSee Tender. any further supply chain(1) Starting with unprocessed raw materials and en... functionality. It will focus specifically on inventory managementThe process of ensuring the availability of produc... and warehouse operations. This would be an ideal choice for a company that isn’t looking for software that expands beyond the scope of warehouse management.
The Best WMS Software in 2021
So what is the best WMS software in 2021? Top rated WMS software for small-businesses include Kintone, Magaya Supply Chain, and Odoo Inventory, according to G2 reviews.
