I want to completely Fun WMS? First, find out which 10 o'clock!

     Today inventory unit (SKU) a significant increase in such that a plurality of through its distribution and retail channels, and in some cases do not have to enter the warehouse. So for speed, accuracy and efficiency requirements has never been so heavy, monitoring and tracking goods in the supply chain as well. Increasingly, WMS must interact with different regions, and other business partners, from suppliers to manufacturers, suppliers and customers and then to transport, everything needs to interact with the WMS system. Also, the warehouse system itself is not static, it is both physical, but also rely on a large number of players and channels, it is also constantly evolving to meet market demand.

     All supply chain and warehouse operators are to some extent the need for specialized warehouse management solutions, are looking for those subversive, flexible, long-term effective solutions.

     The following 10 tips to create a WMS best practices experience:

    1, integrated

    Warehouse is not an island. Within the company, WMS at least need to finance, sales, order processing seamless integration, and rely on the company, production, retail, human resources and other systems. Externally, warehouse and transportation needs with suppliers, customers deal directly with the end user may also, third-party logistics, tax, waste disposal providers, health departments, regulators, auditors and other dealings.

    WMS vendors to create plausible and prove its effective interface: Maybe some other commonly used systems to interact. They are also able to prove that these interfaces can continue to upgrade and update.

    2. The legacy system

    WMS or in other areas, many companies are burdened with "legacy" system, especially after mergers and acquisitions. Replacement of these systems in the short term is often neither outdated economy. "Big bang" to convert or upgrade the system may pose an unacceptable risk of the operation. The new WMS needs to be able to work in harmony with legacy systems, can successfully expand in geographical and functional, controllable increments.

   3. Visualization

    A major function of WMS is a system in the location and status of all goods provides visual: not only inside the warehouse, and in transit, the supplier or the customer's loading dock, or other related warehouses and address, and even end users return process. But the "Visualization" is not to say these places all print out the data, but the system must send real-time reporting to the Inquirer in an easy to understand form and clearly indicate the actual or potential problems.

    Not just the physical location and inventory status visualization, but also because it collected the entire supply chain costs. Visualization must be gradually extended to other partners. Suppliers need to know ahead of demand, delivery time and need to updat the warehouse quantity (especially unplanned change). Transport contractors need to see the future of business in order to more effectively plan routes. Most importantly, end users want to be able to track their order status, from storage shelves to the last kilometer. Automation is critical information, from simple email to a complete EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) requires visualization.

    4. The order picking

    Order picking is more complex than ever before. Each time a particular product is almost always delivered as a separate item, the other is through boxes or trays. Order picking is increasingly involved in a variety of boxes and pallets with a mixed group, so this adds to the complexity and room for error. Not all systems can effectively deal with this problem.

    At the same time, order picking technology based on the nature of products, demand patterns, physical location and other factors limiting the development of a different approach to optimize the use. Storage also can be optimized. More and more warehouse may run several different strategies, or need to convert from one policy to another policy (for example, when surging demand response). WMS must provide a high degree of flexibility in order to effectively support the application of different technologies.

    5. Return Management

    In the fashion and clothing industry, the return has been a problem. But for most companies, especially the small portion of the program easier to administer, or their usual practice is simply canceled. However, due to the growth of the retail network, the return rate will be higher, some even up to 50% are not rare, so that their efficient management has become a make-or-fail problem.

    Ideally, the return received advance notice, WMS assigned to the appropriate channel for return: repackaging or to a third party in the warehouse, or sold to the secondary market. Quarantine system may need maintenance. Inventory levels and locations must be updated because the goods can be sold again. Thanks to predict in advance, so that was returned for a product, the supplier should also be adjusted.

    6. Labor Management

    Warehouse operations are labor-intensive in nature, many supply chain activities have obvious peaks and troughs. WMS according to both demand is expected to predict the future demand for labor, but also as much as possible to smooth the peaks and troughs through a number of activities. WMS should be able to show whether or not cost-effective to extend overtime or hire temporary workers, even when the costs exceed the reduction in business income.

     WMS also has the function of monitoring the labor force, which employees fast operation, which is slow. Different warehouse productivity management strategies are also different. Labor monitoring not only as a basis for incentive programs, you can also find more effective strategies.

     7. Network Access

     Influence of Internet technology is very far-reaching. Maybe when the goods are still in transit, customers want to connect to the system to change the mode of delivery through their mobile phones. Mail or parcels of various intelligent station system is being tried, for both deliveries also for our return. This will require customers, transporters, WMS (including of course the goods themselves) is connected to the network. "Customer" or even a "smart" refrigerator or other device that can access the system lead times "negotiations" substitutes and alternatives. The future may involve "predict" Procurement and positioning - "big data" enables retailers to forecast accuracy rate is very high.

     All these developments are a matter of time, there must be a direct connection to the WMS network communication core functions.

    8. customization

    As described above, all of the supply chain is somewhat unique. For example, warehouse kitting services may require specific training delivery assembly products. For the maintenance of inventory may become important in some industries. Regardless of whether 3D printing has practical significance, but some may need to WMS as a production base for distributed virtual warehouse to operate. Other professional operation and requirements have also abound, but tend to be highly regulated. Food supply chain environmental monitoring is an example of the special requirements of bonded warehouse operation.

    9. if scenarios

     If all goes according to plan, then write WMS is a trivial task. But it is not. The first requirement is visualization. What was about to happen? What resources are available to deal with? The second is the near real-time to be able to ask "if ......?"

     It can be assumed that the scene is almost unlimited range of delay to meet the urgent needs from simple orders, as well as a combination of long-term impact Commercial Street and electricity supplier in stock. Of course, WMS can not operate in isolation, but it is integrated into other systems should be able to play a role.

    10. Future

     As we have seen, many of the supply chain due to an external force changes, WMS requires a high degree of flexibility, but if it is, then when - indeed their legacy systems in the short term. The system needs to grow or shrink as the business and fully adjustable. It needs to adapt to new or more traffic channels, physical location, and business relationships. It also requires access to a wide range of technologies can be used for input, output, and queries.