The Ins and Outs of Warehouse Management 

Warehouse Management is a hot topic amongst businesses when dealing with large quantities of inventory and ensuring inventory is accounted for, easy to find, and organized properly. As a business grows and demand increases, implementing Warehouse Management solutions is a great way to make certain that customers’ needs are met with timeliness and efficiency. 

To begin, many may wonder what is a Warehouse Management System and how will implementing a WMS improve warehouse functions? SAP Insights provides a perfect definition saying: 

“A WMS, or warehouse management system, is software that helps companies manage or control daily warehouse operations, from the moment goods and materials enter a distribution or fulfillment center until the moment they leave. WMS software systems are a key component of supply chain management and offer real-time visibility into a company’s entire inventory, in warehouses, and in transit. In addition to inventory management, a WMS offers tools for picking and packing processes, resource utilization, analytics, and more” (1).  

With that solid and detailed definition of what exactly a WMS is, let’s discuss some of the main benefits a company can gain from the implementation 

 

1. Upgraded Inventory Control: Inventory control and visibility is a factor that has troubled warehouse managers for years, but by implementing a WMS, inventory control can be automated and much less stressful (2). Having increased visibility and automation when dealing with returns and purchase order modifications helps move the processes along with greater ease and efficiency. Knowing what inventory is committed, on order, and in-stock at all times with the click of a button is a huge benefit from a WMS. 

 

2. Improved Traceability: Knowing where and how to find inventory during crucial business situations is essential for being resilient amid crises. Having the ability to locate and track inventory on a whim is priceless, and utilizing lot numbers, serial numbers, and barcode tracing help to be as prepared as possible. Organization and automation work hand-in-hand, and WMS is a great supplemental tool to achieve and exceed inventory traceability goals (3).  

 

3. Enables Digital Transformation: With the changing economy and digitization becoming more of an integral business strategy across various industries, beginning the move towards a digital transformation is important to keep up with the latest business trends and expectations. Beginning the transformation in stages is one way to ease employees and the entire company into the digital transformation landscape at a slower pace. Starting with a phased WMS implementation is one way to begin the process while gaining the benefits of automated warehouse management processes while achieving increased speed and efficiency (3). 

 

4. Reduced Wastes and Costs: This benefit is especially helpful for industries that offer perishable inventory items or date-restricted items. The WMS knows which inventory items need to be sold before others and determines what items need to be picked first based on expiration dates. A huge cost for many food industry companies is expired inventory costs due to picking issues, so WMS is a perfect solution to combat spoilage issues and shelf-life optimization (1). 

 

Softengine’s own Warehouse Management Solution (WMS+) powered by SAP Business One, is a strong Warehouse Management Solution that can provide the benefits listed above and even more specific and unique features. Check out our WMS+ Brochure and Infographic here for quick overviews into WMS+, check out our WMS+ page on our website, and contact one of our SAP Business One and WMS+ specialists for inquiries and more information for how WMS+ can work for your business needs: info@softengine.com 

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1. https://insights.sap.com/what-is-a-wms-warehouse-management-system/ 
2. https://www.redwoodlogistics.com/popular-warehouse-management-trends/ 
3. :https://searcherp.techtarget.com/feature/8-benefits-of-a-warehouse-management-system