Warehouse Management System

Warehouse management systems form a part of the supply chain process and are closely related to the inventory management systems. While inventory management systems track the movement of products throughout the supply chain process right from the moment of their conception their the moment of sale, warehouse management systems are simply restricted to keeping track of items that are in storage and are waiting to be sold.

There are several different types of Warehouse Management Software that can be used to keep automatic records of stored goods thus obviating the need to manually record all inventory related information. The manual recording of such information can be quite a tedious and cumbersome task and needs hundreds of employees for its successful completion. However, in the case of WMS software, a single person can manage all accounts related to the inventory in storage thus translating into many economic advantages for the firm by way of reduced labor expenses.

A WMS software consists of a system that helps control the movement of products coming into the warehouse and exiting it. A proper regulation and supervision is maintained on all the stock items that are stored thus substantially reducing any risk of pilferage or unsubstantiated loss of products. Different systems within the WMS software can also help determine the sale trends which can help formulate inventory ordering places in a significant manner. A firm can indulge in useful activities like capacity planning, manufacture planning, etc. to enhance its efficiency and profits to the maximum. Warehouse management also helps in the accurate maintenance of accounts which helps evaluate the true worth of the company in terms of its assets and availability of monetary resources. As each item has been recorded in such software, there is a realistic and correct maintenance of records regarding the inventory.

Warehouse management software can also help considerably in improving upon the operations related to moving the items to their intended locations by coming up with the best methods of doing so. All this is done in scientific manner by conducting time and motion studies which helps extract the maximum output from the workers. Some of the characteristics of a good WMS are that it should be flexible enough to accommodate different management practices and policies; it should be consist of integrated tasks or operations and be able to successfully regulate tasks in a disciplined manner.

To know more about Warehouse Management, contact McLane Logistics Technology, 4001 Central Ponte, Parkway, Temple, TX 76504 or call at 1-800-989-7568.

Warehouse Management Software - Warehouse Management System

Meeting Customers Demand

Managing inventory in an appropriate manner can be instrumental in determining the level of satisfaction showcased by your customers. Efficient inventory management practices are indelibly bound up with customer satisfaction as maintaining adequate stock for effecting sales is a pre requisite to fulfilling the demands of customers.

The inventory management practices followed by your company must take into account the demand trends showcased by customers. Several factors have to be taken into consideration to judge and foresee the future demand for a particular product. It is not only essential to make the right kind of products available to your customers but is also equally important to make them available at the right time.

Several studies relating to the measurement of customer habits suggest that if a certain company is unable to meet their demands regarding a particular item, customers showcase a tendency to quickly shift to competitors who are able to provide a similar item. This in turn leads to huge losses for your company. Customers can even switch loyalties when you are unable to provide the required quantity of items in a specified time on account of low availability of stock. Most customers prefer to meet the gap in the quantity that they originally asked for and the quantity supplied by looking for alternate suppliers.

This makes it essential for businesses to come up with effective mechanisms to keep adequate inventory levels and replenish their stock on a regular basis as per customer demands. However, the maintenance of adequate inventory levels does not mean purchasing an excessive amount of inventory than what is required to meet the needs of the market as this can lead to adverse results.

There are several different techniques that can be used to measure the right amount of inventory for your business, for example, by dividing the number of stocked items shipped by the date or delivery communicated to the customer divided by the total number of items for which the order was actually placed. There are many such methods that can help arrive at an inventory figure using scientific techniques. Thus, inventory decisions must be based on logic and statistical analysis rather than on mere guess work.

For more details, contact McLane Logistics Technology, 4001 Central Ponte, Parkway, Temple, TX 76504. You can also call us at 1-800-989-7568.

Warehouse Management System - Distribution Management System

Importance Of Bar Code

Bar coding is a technique used to record the finished products in your warehouse or storage before they are sold to final customers. For a trading firm, it is even used to record a new shipment of items that may have been received from a manufacturer. The importance of using bar coding to record items during the supply chain process cannot be underestimated because of the immense economic and operational advantages it offers.

The absence of bar coding calls for an extensive procedure of manually counting all the products that are present in the storage area in your organization. This calls for the presence of a number of employees that need to be kept on the permanent rolls of the company for conducting counting operations whenever products are manufactured or received from third parties. A few employees cannot perform the extensive and strenuous task of making a headcount of all the products. Special teams need to be created in order to complete the counting process efficiently.

Bar coding reduces the need of hiring a number of employees and reduces the requirement to one or two employees that are proficient in handling a bar code scanner. All the products can simply be passed under a hand held scanner and all the necessary information about it will be automatically uploaded onto your computer systems. On the other hand, when manual counting needs to be conducted; the relevant data about the product needs to be entered in a tedious and time consuming process. Investing in a bar coding scanner and the related technologies and software is thus considered to be an immensely useful step for any organization especially if it is a large scale one.

Bar coding scanners are generally available in two specific types, manual and automatic. In the case of the latter, you do not even need to hire an employee for running the scanner on the products as the scanning is done automatically. The products need to be placed on a conveyer belt after which they will pass under the scanner one by one. An automatic scanner is generally more expensive than a manual one and is better suited to large scale organizations.

For more details, contact McLane Logistics Technology, 4001 Central Ponte, Parkway, Temple, TX 76504. You can also call us at 1-800-989-7568.

Warehouse Management System - Inventory Management Software

Improper Distribution Management Can Increase Your Costs

Distribution management is a process that involves the distribution of inventory at all levels. For any manufacturing or trading firm, managing the distribution of products being provided for sale at retail locations is of prime importance. There is generally a separate department to look after this process in every company irrespective of whether it is large or small. Appropriate distribution management forms an essential part of functioning of a successful organization. If inventory is not managed efficiently and effectively, it generally leads to wastage and loss of goods that turns out to be harmful for the company’s interests. It can also lead to non-fulfillment of delivery timeliness.

Although it is felt by some managers that distribution management is an expensive function, it actually leads to huge savings in the long run. This is because the monetary advantages that can be reaped by allocating inventory to the right place at the right time far outweigh the costs involved in training personnel for affecting this process. It may require a certain amount of resources and manpower initially to bring about effective distribution management but the results are clearly visible by way of increased profits that are inevitable as a result of this process. Some of the reasons why improper distribution management can increase your costs have been mentioned below:

1. If an effective and transparent method of distribution is not developed, it may lead to pilferage of goods as there are no checks maintained on inventory levels during different stages of production.
2. Improper distribution management also leads to escalated costs in the long run as firms can miss out on making sales as a result of having a lesser amount of stock than is demanded in the market. Proper distribution management on the other hand consists of various tools that help assess the correct levels of demand and thus help provide the required amount to customers. This ensures that equality is being maintained in the quantity of goods demanded and supplied.
3. Improper distribution management can lead to huge correction costs that may need to be incurred whenever anything goes wrong in the distribution process.

For more details about the distribution management Systems, you can contact at McLane Logistics Technology, 4001 Central Pointe Parkway, Temple, TX 76504 or call 1-800-989-7568.

Distribution Management System - Distribution Management Software

Transportation: Trailer Loading Techniques

The loading process is probably the most underestimated while also being the most vital process while transporting goods. There are all kinds of trailer loading techniques that have gained followers in the business industry with different companies opting for different methods as per their convenience. The kind of trailer loading technique that you go in for primarily depends on the kind of parcels that you wish to load and deliver to your customers. It also depends on the method of shipping being followed. Some of the popular ways of arranging box shaped parcels include straight loading, loading pallets turned and pin-wheeling. All three methods come with their own unique advantages and companies use either one of these depending on the kind of safety that they wish to achieve for their parcels.

The loading process is the most crucial one in the supply chain process because of the possibility of damage that may be caused to the parcels being delivered while in transit. Irrespective of the shipping method used including road transport, ships or air freight, the risk regarding the parcels remains the same in each case. Although it is not possible for companies to keep a track of each stage in the delivery process or oversee this operation, it is possible to take certain steps to mitigate the possibilities of damage and destruction by following appropriate packaging and loading processes.

The loading process should be chosen keeping in mind the amount of time that you wish to devote to this process. If you want this process to be quickly completed, you can opt for the use of wheeled containers that are easy to roll onto any vehicle that has a ramp attached to it. There is no need of additional manpower to help pick up or haul the items to be transported onto the vehicle that is going to take them to their intended destination. This can be highly useful in cases where the parcels involved are quite large and heavy and can take a considerable amount of strength as well as time for being loaded.

For effective and user-friendly transportation solutions, contact McLane Logistics Technology, 4001 Central Ponte, Parkway, Temple, TX 76504. You can also call us at 1-800-989-7568.

Distribution Management System - Shipping Management Software

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Same Day Shipping

The shipping process forms an important part of the supply chain for companies that deal in delivering products to their customers’ doorsteps. The way that this activity is organized can have great impact on whether you are able to retain customers and generate new buyers for your products. While formulating a plan for shipping and delivery systems, one of the areas where you will need to take a decision is that of deciding the number of days within which you will deliver the products ordered. Most companies follow a flexible policy of shipping within which there is a minimum as well as a maximum time frame mentioned regarding the shipping process. Stating the number of days within which customers can expect delivery is vital for the success of your business as it helps customers keep track of their orders while also reassuring them of a delivery.

Same day shipping is a newly emerging concept within which companies dispatch the products ordered on the day that an order is placed. This is a fast and efficient way to make deliveries and can lead to increased sales especially for orders that require quick deliveries, for example perishable items. This kind of a delivery system not only helps build a great rapport with customers but also ensures that customers purchasing from a competitor shift their loyalties to your business due to the faster access to products. Same day shipping does not signify that a product will be delivered to customers on the day on which an order is placed by them. It simply means that an order will be sent and will leave the company premises on the same day. The delivery process may depend on the geographical distance and the method of shipping followed. If the delivery is intended for a local address, the customers may also be able to receive their orders on the same day.

For companies too, same day shipping can prove to be quite advantageous as it helps bring in a sense of urgency in operations that in turn increases efficiency as well as effectiveness. This translates into increased productivity.

For more details about Shipping Management Software Systems visit McLane Logistics Technology, Central Pointe, Parkway, Temple, TX 76504. You can also call at 1-800-989-7568.

Shipping Management Software - Shipping Management System

Bar Coding And RFID For Effective Inventory Management.

Bar Coding and RFID both are processes that help keep track of each item that enters into the supply chain. This technique is increasingly being used by businesses worldwide because of the convenience with which products can be tracked no matter what stage of production they are at. Although both bar coding and RFID technologies serve similar purposes, their technique differs from each other. Bar coding involves the reading of printed bar codes using laser imaging while in the case of RFID, the codes are read using radio frequency signals. Both these processes significantly help in reducing the costs once they are installed because of the reduced manpower needs that were earlier required to keep track of all items manually.

In the case of these technologies, each item is fitted with a tag on which a unique identification code is entered using a computer system. Each item has a bar code that is different from the rest. This helps identify every item that is in stock so that missing items can be pointed out instantaneously. This not only helps keep track of any discrepancies on the part of employees but also helps increase overall accountability. As the exact stage when products go missing can be determined, the factors responsible for their loss can be properly recorded. This information can be effectively used to eliminate such problems from recurring.

Bar coding forms an essential part of an effective inventory management system as without the maintenance of complete and comprehensive records of the stock, a firm cannot hope to maximize its sales or profits. There are a host of advantages that have been known to accrue to businesses that incorporate bar coding into their inventory management systems. There is a certain amount of training that needs to be imparted to employees on the use of bar coding technologies initially for the seamless transition to this method of maintaining inventory related records. This can be provided by holding workshops for the same and educating the employees regarding the benefits and correct usage of bar coding and RFID.

McLane Logistics Technology provides Inventory Management Software system for effective Inventory Management in your business firm. For more details visit them at 4001 Central Pointe Parkway, Temple, TX 76504 or call at 1-800-989-7568.

Inventory Management Software - Inventory Management System