Welp MagazineA WMS for manufacturing software stores all batches of raw material that could be used to manufacture finished product. When a quality issue is detected in a certain batch of raw material, the WMS for Manufacturing software can determine all the finished product made from this raw material.
What is a WMS?
A warehouse management system is a software application designed to support and optimize warehouse functionality and distribution center management.
Why do you need a WMS for manufacturing?
KPI measurements are generally used to measure the effectiveness of a process, and many organizations use KPI’s (key performance indicator) to manage employees. Variance reports are used in organizations to measure the effectiveness of inventory management and the use of a warehouse management software (WMS). The data collected from the use of a WMS can be used to optimize or improve the organization’s operational inefficiencies. The importance of measuring these errors is in determining the correct levels of inventory between raw materials and finished products.
Summary of the benefits of a WMS?
For inventory management the benefits of a WMS can be measured as an increase in sales, decrease in inventory levels, a decrease in operational costs, and an increase in the satisfaction of the customers.
WMS for manufacturing is installed to increase sales due to the reduction of excess inventory in the supply chain. Reduced inventory levels lead to shorter lead times to the customer. Decreased operational costs occur because the distribution center manager is able to make warehouse management decisions based on both the cost and the value of the material being managed with the WMS, as well as the warehouse location. Also, due to the effective implementation of a WMS, customer satisfaction is increased because of the decreased lead times.
What is a buffer?
Buffers are used in inventory management to control inventory levels and prevent damaging effects of overstocking or understocking. A buffer is a stock quantity that is kept above or below a specified level (also known as a target level) of raw or finished products.
A buffer can be created to prevent overstocking of raw material on the WMS system. In the case that the raw material is used in the production of a finished product and the defect defect is detected in the finished product, you can use the WMS software to find the amount of overstocking. If a buffer is kept small, the results will be a small overstocking. If the buffer is kept large, the overstocked amounts will be larger.
When the buffer is kept small, the activities are more sensitive to a change in inputs. This means that a slight change in the usage rate of raw material will have a small increase or decrease in the inventory levels of finished product. The higher the buffer, the less sensitive the inventory management will be to a change in the usage rate of raw material.
WMS for manufacturing is a very common, complex, powerful business software solution. In addition to supporting your warehouse distribution centers, it can supply you with all the data calculation, planning and advanced analytics you may require to better manage your business.
What to look for in a WMS for manufacturing?
There are many different software options for your warehouse management system and a lot of different features to consider. Here are some points that will help you choose the best software for your needs.
- Ease of use
The WMS shoud be easy to learn and easy to use. If your company chooses to use an on-premise solution, it is recommended to choose a cloud-based solution. Just because it is cloud-based doesn’t mean you won’t receive the same level of uptime. It only means that you are not paying for the headache of maintaining and paying for your own server.
- Scalability
If you have acquired a small software company and want to grow, you will need a scalable solution. This means that the software will grow with your company and you won’t be required to replace the software when you grow.
- Reporting
Reporting is used to determine the efficiency of a process. The selected software should be powerful and it should have integrated reporting functionality and adequate reporting tools. Your requirement may be for reporting based on segmentation of retailers, including trend analysis and forecasting.
- Integration
The features to consider when deciding on a WMS for manufacturing solution should be in line with your company’s vision. Do you want to track, trace, recall and control inventory in your entire enterprise or just one unique warehouse?
- Supplier Integration
This is another critical factor in the success of your warehouse management solution. If you choose a warehouse management system, it should be connected to a supplier management system. This means that your warehouse management system will not only have data input and reporting on materials stocked in your warehouses, but it will also be linked to your suppliers’ databases. This way you will fulfill your customer orders from your stock warehouses with your suppliers’ inventory.
- Network Support
If your warehouse is situated in a remote location, with no area, you will need a network that can support connections to your WMS for your remote distribution or distribution center.
- Integration with your ERP
It is also very important to integrate your warehouse management software with other systems in your enterprise and your ERP.
- Connectivity
I want your warehouse management system to be connected to the outside world, that is, your customers (wholesalers, retailers, and resellers at your end and at the end of your suppliers).
- Data accuracy
Your warehouse management system should be able to keep accurate data. Data should be accurate, consistent, and secure and you should not be able to change data in your warehouse management system without permission (I am not talking about a data analyst type of permission, but written permission from a warehouse manager or supervisor of your warehouse).
- Safety and security
Your warehouse management system should be safe and secure data and data handling. It should be controlled by an active firewall and should be protected from hackers and other security threats.
Benefits of a WMS for manufacturing
Rapid data entry of inventory details on the WMS and having the ability to view those details on multiple screens by looking up the item by its barcode, SKU, or EAN13 number.
To reduce the time spent on gathering inventory information when conducting physical inventories, which may contain a significant amount of data
To avoid mistakes when performing inventory reconciliation
The ability to automatically generate reports that may be required for inventory management.
The ability to:
To improve customer service by reducing delivery times from the inventory in the warehouse, and
To help customers reduce turnover and increase sales by reducing excess inventory in the supply chain. Reduced inventory levels lead to shorter lead times to the customer.
To reduce the time spent on gathering inventory information following the receipt of a shipment
To develop opportunities
To develop and implement new warehouse management solutions within the organization. This can be achieved by connecting to existing business systems to offer an integrated business process.
WMS software for manufacturing
There are many different types of WMS software. Some are best for manufacturing, others are better for retail. You need to have pre-sales support because they have experience in your industry and know the best solution for your unique situation. They can also help you with the implementation of the solution. You will need a good software partner for WMS software for manufacturing.
- WMS for medical
- WMS for retail
- WMS for industrial
- Human resource management (OBIEE)
- Planning and project (Primavera corporate planning)
- Sales and procurement (Primavera project solutions)
WMS has revolutionized the way inventory is managed. Managing inventory can be done in two ways: with a WMS system or without a WMS system. Let’s explore the benefits of WMS.
WMS can reduce inventory costs and inventory levels by
Reducing the inventory costs. WMS provides better order to cash visibility and is more reliable than manual record keeping.
Reducing inventory levels. There are situations that require you to keep excess inventory. For example, you may have excess inventory in case of sudden high demand. The risk of stockout can be minimized with a Warehouse Management System.
A systematic process of tracking, tracing, and controlling stock levels and movements based on a company’s desired stock levels will the decrease the shortage of stock caused by losses and theft. The only problem is stockouts will increase in the short term while the stock levels are being reduced. This is usually done when there is high demand and stock levels are too low, or when the safety stock is below zero. When lead time is short, safety stock is usually consumed. Take safety stock to zero and lead time is reduced.
The system controls inventory levels with lean manufacturing, just-in-time inventory, and ABC inventory.
WMS implementation
A warehouse management system helps you to make sure you always have the right amount of goods in stock. As a company operator or warehouse manager, you have the choice if you want to do this manually or in a better way. Introducing a warehouse management system can be less costly and more reliable method for managing inventory. The benefits of a solid warehouse management system (WMS) implementation are:
- WMS allows you to manage stock and other inventory by linking it with other software and business systems.
- WMS can improve the productivity of your employees to work smarter and faster to get more done.
- WMS can reduce the time spent on physical inventories and inventory-related tasks.
A warehouse management system can be implemented in different ways. You can either do it in-house or outsource the task to a warehouse management system provider. The benefits of outsourcing are:
The costs of an in-house implementation can be up to 80% less than an implementation done in-house by your own employees.
If you outsource the implementation, you will get the complete project in one turn-key package. You will get all the equipment, customizations, and developments you will need. You will not have to pay for anything extra. Everything will be included in the price you sign.
Acquiring a WMS as a consultant
As a company operator or warehouse manager, you can acquire a full-fledged warehouse management system as a consultant. You will buy and install a warehouse management system in your warehouse. This is the best option for companies that want to optimize their inventory management. They want to control their inventory daily and want to be as efficient as possible.
The advantages of this kind of acquisition are
The by far best results for inventory management are always achieved when a warehouse management system is correctly implemented in the warehouse.
You can choose the best parts of a package and combine those. You can also choose not to buy a package that you don’t need. For example, you can delete the features of your package that are no longer relevant for your company and create new ones.
As a result of the customized design, the solution is owned by yourself. The customization makes the solution fit perfectly with your company and your business needs. The customization also makes the package your own.
The disadvantages are
You will have a large bill at the end of the process. You will end up paying 10 – 15 times your original budget.
You will never know exactly how much the solution is for you until the end of the process. You see, your customized solution always has to be calculated.
As a company operator or warehouse manager, you buy the parts that you need. Contrary to the complete package, you can’t calculate the whole price of your warehouse management system.
Summary
A warehouse management system can manage a warehouse. It can be a simple system or a full blown warehouse management system.
A WMS benefits both the company operator and the warehouse manager.
A warehouse management system can be a complete package or a consultant.
The advantages of a WMS
There are many benefits to using a warehouse management system (WMS). A WMS is the best way to manage inventory levels. There are also other benefits to the use of a WMS:
- Because the WMS is connected to many other systems of the company, it has the ability to increase the performance of the company.
- The WMS makes it easier to manage the stock and the inventory of a company.
- The WMS helps you to get the best usage of your warehouse.
- WMS can also help you to minimize the amount of inventory you are keeping in stock and reduce inventory levels.
- The WMS also manages the investment in equipment and other assets.
- WMS enables better visibility of previous movements of stock and inventory items.
Moreover, it helps you to trace items, control costs, and track your storeroom.
The WMS increases the capacity and the productivity of your employees. It is much easier for your employees if the loading of goods and replenishment are automated.
The WMS enables your business process to be managed by the WMS. The software can integrate other business functions and processes.
The WMS will be able to retrieve information anywhere in the world with a few clicks on the computer.
The use of a WMS can increase the availability of your goods.
The WMS will help you to improve your deliveries to your client.
If you decide to take the route of WMS, then you will have the ability to add more value to your business. You will be able to add more value by using a WMS in your company.
