According to various studies, only a tiny proportion of warehouses are efficient, underscoring the importance of warehouse management. Hiring a warehouse manager to oversee all procedures and installing warehouse management software to automate all processes are two options for warehouse management.

The usage of a warehouse management system in the warehousing management process entirely automates the process. The majority of warehouses that have been labeled as efficient employ a warehouse management system, demonstrating that the efficiency of a warehouse and the use of a warehouse management system are proportional.

A warehouse management system is sure to improve all warehouse operations.

FEATURES TO LOOK IN WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Choosing the proper warehouse management system helps to optimize warehouse and inventory management in transportation and manufacturing logistics, as well as an increased company value. 

A sound warehouse management system will increase customer service, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and profitability. Without a good warehouse management system, it’s challenging to maintain a consistent customer base.

So, what are the features of a successful warehouse management system? Here are seven characteristics that an excellent warehouse management system should possess.

FUNCTIONALITY

The first thing to learn about a WMS solution is what it can do for you. “Will this WMS enhance our business operations?” A WMS should be able to track what tasks an employee has completed (and where they were completed), providing you with direct visibility into the efficiency of your personnel.

There are numerous other ways that a WMS can help you accomplish more with fewer resources (you can read about those advanced WMS features here). The conclusion is that a successful WMS maximizes what it can do for you while reducing the amount of labor you have to do.

EASE OF USAGE

If a WMS is simple to use, it will cut down on your time educating staff — from pickers to executives. Users can spend less time setting up and monitoring everyday operations with a well-designed WMS, allowing them to adjust to changing requirements quickly.

In addition, instead of weeks, new staff can be up and running in hours. Most essential, straightforward navigation ensures that all employees may take advantage of the WMS to its maximum potential.

When selecting a Warehouse Management System or WMS, look for simple menus to use and help screens that can boost usability.

GOOD TRANSACTION MANAGEMENT

A good WMS will allow you to handle everything from door to door, from receiving to manifesting. You need a WMS that provides you with detailed information on everything – items, personnel, and transactions – at all times. The following are some of the steps that should be tracked at a minimum:

• Receiving
• Receiving and storing products
• Picking up orders and counting the shipping cycle (inventory audits)
• Any item movement

You can undertake specialized analysis to assist you in recruiting more intelligent and stock things more efficiently if you can track everything that happens in your warehouse (from personnel to movement to products). So, while considering a warehouse management system, ask yourself, “Does this WMS track and assist me in managing all of my resources?”

FLEXIBILITY

A WMS solution must be scalable and adaptable to meet future requirements as a company grows. Because your company may change ERP systems as it grows, it’s critical to ensure that your WMS will be compatible with various ERPs.

A WMS should work with previous versions of:

• Scanners and terminals for RF
• RF terminals placed on fork trucks,
• label printers, and
• scales

Finally, how adaptable is your prospective WMS to various business types and sizes? A good WMS should have a track record of success with all levels of wholesale and industrial distributors.

If your company is successful, it will expand and expand. That’s why it’s critical to look for a WMS that can function with various ERPs, hardware brands and types, and business models and sizes.

USEFUL METRICS

A robust WMS, for example, may measure employee and warehouse performance in real-time across organizational groups. It allows management to compare the performance of different personnel groups (morning pickers, evening pickers, receiving) and operational organizations (east division, west division, etc.). You’ll want to invest in a WMS that assesses individual employees’ performance against criteria that include both speed and accuracy.

When considering a WMS, ask yourself, “Does this WMS provide me with warehouse analytics that I can use and understand?”

ERP INTEGRATION

Your WMS must work in concert with your ERP to keep a firm going. That’s why it’s critical to select a WMS that integrates effectively with major ERP systems.

You must ensure that your purchase’s WMS is fully compatible with your present ERP system. Inquire about a WMS’s compatibility with Activant, Infor, JD Edwards, MS Dynamics, and Oracle business solutions. A WMS provider should also be capable of building new ERP connectors.

FULL COMMITMENT TO LOGISTICS

The vendor’s widespread attention (or lack thereof) on warehousing and logistics is a final indicator. WMS solutions are frequently offered by organizations that provide business solution tools for various industries and requirements. This may allow such vendors to broaden their product offerings, limiting their day-to-day knowledge of the highly specialized warehouse management sector.

Tracking how regularly, consistently, and substantially a vendor upgrades their WMS is one solid approach to measure this commitment. Is it true that they offer free upgrades and updates?

Receiving and order picking are essential functions of a good WMS. Still, it should also be capable of managing more complex solutions (such as manifesting, paperless picking across several zones, truck route/stop management, and exotic lot number control).

WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BY EUNIMART

Eunimart develops solutions to help businesses of all sizes grow without friction. Eunimart uses a sophisticated platform and Artificial Intelligence to provide businesses with a single solution to integrate and manage their complete commercial IT stack from start to finish. Its mission is to assist businesses of all sizes to realize their full potential by facilitating access to new marketplaces and sales channels and improving backend operations efficiency.