Some people believe every WMS warehouse management system is pretty much the same as all the rest. After all, how much time can tracking inventory take? The truth is, inventory tracking is just one part of a good WMS. Here are some benefits of choosing a complete management system for your facility.
What is a Complete WMS?
A total WMS warehouse management system uses software applications to support daily operations. With the right software in place, you know how much inventory you have, always. Also, you know where each product is, and this information is invaluable in large operations. Your WMS uses these elements:
SKU – stock keeping units name each product or load with a bar code. This helps you track items from production to the warehouse, and to customers. SKUs include cartons, parts, and many types of finished products.
Stock locations – thanks to modern tracking technology, your WMS knows where all the product storage locations are. It also identifies their capacity and restrictions. This technology shows you locations in real-time.
Productivity predictions – tells you how long it takes to pick and process a specific order.
Management Functions
When you have important inventory and warehouse information, you have help planning each work day. You can estimate how many orders you need to fill each day and how many people you need. This helps with shipping issues like ordering trucks or contacting carriers. Here are more functions:
- Prioritizing – by knowing everything about each order, you can do the most important orders first.
- Worker assignment – your WMS warehouse management system helps you choose the right job for each employee.
- Progress monitoring – would you like to know how everyone is doing? You only need to ask the program and to view statistics and reports.
