Warehouse Automation

How do warehouses keep track of their inventory? What is coming in or going out? How much is coming and where does it go? It is easy enough to bring inventory into a warehouse and place it on pallets and shelves to be picked and packed later, but inventory costs would sky rocket without any monitoring system.

Warehouse companies have the option of using a warehouse management system (WMS). A WMS is a warehousing system that allows the company to:

• Centrally manage orders using a computerized tracking system. The system will integrate an automated data collections method through the implementation of a complex system using radio frequency through a portable computer terminal with bar code scanners. There are also much more sophisticated tracking systems, which uses voice recognition software.
• Automate materials handling equipment such as carousels and serration systems
• Offer an advanced shipment notification as well as replenishment needs
• Cycle count
• Track labor for productivity reporting
• Offers work and task management
• Track cross docking
• Follow inventory ownership, billing, and invoicing for multiple businesses
• Tracks quantity, location of the item at any point, and unit of measures
• Tracks order information to determine where to stock, pick, and sequence with which to perform the function most efficiently

It is obvious that by utilizing a warehouse management system, a warehouse company can control the movement and storage of material, which reduces inventory and labor costs as well as increases storage capacity and inventory accuracy.

Sources:
Corewms.com
Inventoryops.com