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IntroductionThe objective for this guide is to provide insights and tips for warehouse operation, distribution, logistics center, plant, IT, or WMS (warehouse management system) program professionals to make their storage or pick concept with a WMS program a less complex project, make their warehouse operation efficient and cost effective, and make their WMS program more responsive. The sections focus on operation activities in a warehouse, distribution logistics center, or plant operation with a WMS program. Each section focuses on a particular warehouse operation activity to provide the reader with a quick and easy reference. The sections cover warehouse operation with WMS program equipment applications, concepts, and practices that are considered for implementation, whether the warehouse operation is a large, medium, or small business. The guide contains illustrations, forms, and tables that will assist in developing your warehouse operation with a WMS program to: -- reduce WMS (Warehouse Management System) identified SKU damage -- enhance WMS (Warehouse Management System) identified SKU flow -- increase employee productivity -- improve customer service -- reduce operating costs and improve profits -- maintain on-schedule customer-order deliveries -- assure asset protection It is necessary to understand that the guide's purpose is to help readers design, organize, and operate a warehouse operation with a WMS (Warehouse Management System) program project. Because the warehouse operation design and WMS (Warehouse Management System) program profession is constantly changing, the guide may not include the latest changes in warehouse operation technologies, equipment applications, or WMS (Warehouse Management System) program technology. It is also necessary to recognize that this guide cannot cover all the available warehouse operation and WMS (Warehouse Management System) program equipment and technologies in the warehouse, distribution, logistics center, or plant operations field. The guide does assist in training and obtaining practical experience, for which there is no substitute. To assist in this objective, lined illustrations and sketches are used to depict warehouse operation with a WMS program. It is important for the reader to use the collection of data, concepts, and forms as a guide. Prior to the purchase and installation of your new warehouse operation with a WMS program, it is essential that you develop and project a correct, accurate, and adequate facility, WMS identified SKU inventory and number, WMS identified SKU transactions data, equipment layout, WMS identified SKU and customer-order flow, and design factors. Because these are the basis for your proposed warehouse operation with a WMS program, it is prudent for you to gather and review warehouse operation and WMS program vendor literature and to visit existing facilities that utilize the warehouse operation (position and vehicle) or equipment and WMS program application. These activities will permit you to become familiar with the operational characteristics of the warehouse operation concept, equipment application, or WMS program under consideration for implementation in your facility. The warehouse operation with a WMS program and performance specifications, physical design, and installation characteristics are subject to redesign, improvement, and modification, and are required to meet vendor and local governmental standards and specifications. Each section in this guide deals with key warehouse operation or activity aspects and issues of planning and managing a warehouse operation with a WMS program project. The guide sections are sequenced to mirror a vendor-delivered SKU as it becomes WMS identified and flows through the warehouse operation activities, and as a WMS identified SKU for a customer order and the order flows through the warehouse. Some issues are how your warehouse operation and equipment layout and WMS identified SKU and customer-order flow and location affects employee productivity; when to use the 80/20 rule and where to locate your power WMS identified SKUs; how to route your order pickers and organize their work for the best productivity; what is the best small item, GOH, master-carton/pallet warehouse operation with a WMS program; how to control the batch release; what is required for a good warehouse operation or WMS; how to WMS identify a storage/pick position and to WMS identify a SKU; what is the best in-house transport design for your warehouse operation; how to implement a WMS program in a manual or conventional warehouse operation, an automatic pick machine, or AS/RS crane storage operation; what is a warehouse operation and WMS program conference room pilot study; what is included in a warehouse operation with a WMS program business narrative; what are the important warehouse operation activities with a WMS program project and who are the members of your warehouse operation with a WMS program project; and how to plan, control, and complete a warehouse with a WMS program project. Most logistics professionals have learned that a preplanned and organized warehouse operation with a WMS program project increases accurate and on-time deliveries, reduces costs, and improves profits. By getting and maintaining a warehouse operation with a WMS program project as outlined in this guide, it improves your existing warehouse operation with future WMS pro gram strategies. The authors would like to express their thanks to all warehouse, distribution, logistics, plant and IS & T, or WMS program professionals with whom they have had an association at various companies, as fellow managers, as a client, as a speaker at seminars, and as publishers.
Also see: Guide to Global Logistics |