When you have hundreds of items in your warehouse, you can no longer remember or write everything into Excel. At such a time, you need a managed warehouse. To know what to expect, we have written down for you how the basic warehouse processes work in a typical e-shop connected to a managed warehouse system (WMS) step by step.
Receipt and storage of goods
1. First, you order goods from the supplier in the classic way. You enter the finished order into the information system, from where the WMS takes it over. The WMS processes the order and prepares the warehouse for its reception. For example, it changes the status of the goods in the e-shop to "ordered from the supplier", changes the theoretical stock level or blocks positions on the shelves in advance.
2. Once the supplier has delivered the goods, the warehouse worker will check the delivery note and perform a physical inspection to ensure that the goods are not damaged or that the quantity is correct. If they find a damaged or incorrect item, they will immediately return the goods and enter this information into the WMS.
3. When the goods are unloaded, the warehouse worker uses a barcode scanner and reads all the packages one by one. If the goods are not marked with barcodes, the warehouse worker prints labels from the order in the WMS and marks the goods. The warehouse worker can also accept goods without barcodes - for example, screws or other small parts. In such a case, the receipt of the goods is manually confirmed in the WMS.
4. By reading the barcodes, the goods are automatically entered into the warehouse , into the information system and into the e-shop - if the company has interconnected systems. This way, warehouse employees avoid manual rewriting and the status of the goods in the e-shop always reflects the real status in the warehouse and vice versa.
5. After loading all the pieces, the system compares the received goods with the order, so the warehouse worker immediately knows whether the order has arrived complete.
6. After receiving, the warehouse worker continues by storing the goods at their destination. Some companies use the WMS function to recommend a storage location. The system allocates storage locations based on a predetermined method, for example, taking into account the weight of the goods, turnover or capacity of free spaces. In this case, the warehouse worker's reader will guide the warehouse worker along the shortest possible route to the assigned storage location. Once all the goods from the order have been stored , the goods receipt is completed.
Goods issue
1. When a customer orders goods in the e-shop , their order is automatically transferred to the information system and WMS, where stocks are reduced. The ordered item is also blocked in the e-shop, so that, for example, multiple customers do not order the last refrigerator at the same time.
2. The system selects a specific piece of ordered goods according to a predetermined picking strategy - for example, FIFO (prioritizes the oldest pieces in stock), LIFO (prioritizes the newest pieces in stock), by expiration date, or by the closest pieces.
3. The managed warehouse creates a queue of tasks, which it prioritizes. The warehouse worker selects a task from the queue on his PDA and is shown instructions.
4. The warehouse worker will see on the display which goods he has to pick up and the fastest route to them. The WMS will guide the warehouse worker according to an understandable address system, so that even a newcomer who is not familiar with the layout can quickly reach the goods. The warehouse worker will also learn the number of pieces and the size of the goods, so that he knows whether to take a basket or a trolley for them. The system can assign multiple orders to the warehouse worker so that he can pick them up at once and not have to go back and forth.
5. Once the warehouse worker has picked the goods, he or she starts packing them or hands them over to the packers. They place the goods in a box or other container, add protective padding, and use a scanner to print a shipping label, delivery note, or invoice from the WMS (if the company does not send it electronically). Finally, they prepare the shipment for the shipping area, where the carrier will pick it up.
Other warehouse processes
Inventory is taken in a controlled warehouse in such a way that warehouse workers gradually read all the goods with a scanner and then the system automatically detects the differences in the status in the specified warehouse and the expected warehouse. A controlled warehouse significantly speeds up inventory and employees can handle it during normal operations - you do not have to suspend the warehouse for several days.
If you have multiple warehouses and move goods between them (so-called cross-docking ), the system will take the goods out of stock to block them in the e-shop, and reactivate them after they are moved. This is used, for example, by companies that receive goods at a central warehouse and then send them to distribution warehouses.
WMS also makes it easier to replenish goods . For some goods, the system will recommend replenishment to the lower part of the warehouse, where warehouse workers can reach even without a forklift. For example, goods that are going to be sold or small goods. For goods in the lower part of the shelf, you set a minimum quantity and the system will promptly notify the warehouse worker with a forklift that it needs to be replenished.
WMS also takes into account complaints or unclaimed shipments . If a customer returns an item due to a defect, WMS assigns it a special warehouse position and determines that the item cannot be sold. This is followed by a complaints process, after which WMS instructs the warehouseman to issue replacement goods. For unclaimed shipments or returns, WMS helps by ensuring that the warehouseman does not have to beep each item in the package, but simply reads the code on the shipment and thus stocks all the goods inside.
Some companies solve so-called value-creating processes in the warehouse. For example, they mix goods into gift baskets, attach Czech instructions to them, or divide them into smaller pieces. In this case, the WMS will indicate that this type of goods needs to be prepared, and indicate how many pieces of which material the warehouse worker needs for this. Once the goods are made, the WMS sends the information to the accounting system, which calculates the costs. Finally, the warehouse system stores the finished product.
WMS saves hours of time in warehouse processes that employees would spend manually rewriting, searching for the right goods or storing them. If you are also interested in a managed warehouse, take a look at our LOKiA WMS solution. We will be happy to prepare a free demo for you.
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