Warehouse Management Systems and WMS Systems
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) are a key part of the supply chain and provide directed stock rotation, intelligent picking directives, automatic consolidation and cross-docking to maximise the use of valuable warehouse space. The systems also direct and optimises stock put-away based on real-time information about the status of bin utilisation. Having a WMS in place means you don't depend any more on people's experience, the system has the intelligence built into its driving algorithm.
Warehouse management systems utilise Auto ID Data Capture technology, such as barcode scanners, mobile computers, wireless LANs and potentially RFID to efficiently monitor the flow of products. Once data has been collected, there is either a batch synchronisation with, or a real-time wireless transmission to a central database. The database can then provide useful reports about the status of goods in the warehouse.
Many warehouse management systems are interfaced with an Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP), or accounting package. This provides a method of automatically receiving inventory, processing orders, and handling returns.
