One of the criteria of efficiency and at the same time improving the competitiveness of modern business - automation.The more processes can be trusted with the management of the computer, the more time to solve the problems is people.WMS-systems - solutions which, because of its features are quite capable to promote Russian companies in terms of increasing the level of automation of business processes.What are the distinctive features of these products?
Determination
first small excursion into the subject of the main question.WMS-warehouse management systems are designed to automate and streamline the functions performed by the staff of objects corresponding destination in enterprises (or companies whose activity is focused on the provision of services related to the storage and recording of goods).In practice, the WMS is a hardware and software platform, including adapted for operation in distributed storage networks.Typically, the ability of these systems include topology management, maintenance of the register range of goods, planning, operations, logistics, etc.The main objective of the implementation of WMS-warehouse management systems and enterprises - increased turnover of relevant departments or the main resources of the firm.
Features WMS
WMS-system - that is, the variety of ERP-solutions or separate class hardware and software products?Most experts agree that a more fair to talk about the second option.Of course, some common elements have the same WMS and ERP there, as well as with CRM and other solutions designed to automate business processes at different levels.For example, ERP-systems in general are related to enterprise resource planning.It is understood that the warehouse - is also a kind of productive resources.Therefore, some experts consider it possible to allow WMS-system highly specialized subspecies ERP.
However, in practice the typical ERP contain not many resources to manage a particular warehouse.And therefore allocated IT-specialists, as a rule, in a separate category of solutions.CRM-system, in turn, have a much greater dissimilarity with WMS - they concentrated on aspects of the relationship of the company with customers.Of course, the warehouse - is an example of the structural divisions of the enterprise, which cooperates with partners are actively taking the goods or shipped it.But the problem as a whole does not put a few ones that are characteristic of CRM - the maintenance and expansion of the customer base, increase sales dynamics, improved services, etc.Thus, WMS-system - it is a narrow section type of software and hardware products.
There are, of course, and "hybrid" solutions in terms of those that we have listed.In this case, a software vendor can release a product that is designed to perform several groups of tasks.Example - Warehouse Management System SAP WMS, SAP EWM.As a way of saving, as an alternative to individual installations, narrow-profile distribution, implementation of such decisions - quite suitable option.Many businesses prefer integrated software products from one IT-brand.
functions WMS
General description of a warehouse management system that we have given at the beginning of the article, as well as the marked features of our WMS is useful to supplement the transfer of key functions such systems.Of course, depending on the decision of a particular provider of spectrum will vary.But, according to experts, most modern WMS-systems are able to include:
- control of basic warehouse operations (such as receiving, inventory, equipment, posting, shipping, etc.);
- simulated circuit packaging of goods with regard to their size and the conditions of carriage;
- lead document (both internally and in terms of interaction with the external structures of the company);
- effectively manage human resources;
Many WMS feature and other useful functions, such as, for example, simulation of traffic - both within the warehouse and across the enterprise, and even beyond.
In some cases, the WMS can be complemented by solutions designed for management of orders and sales.First of all, WMS - an automated warehouse management system.And because of its function somehow imply a greater capacity of the software system with respect to decisions made by people.
Advantages of WMS-systems
Apart from the intensification of the warehouse, which still has advantages from the introduction of systems in question?Of course, much of this aspect zaisit on the specifics of the company.However, there are some common elements.Call them.
Firstly, WMS-warehouse management systems tend to provide the highest accuracy of the information about the number of available products, as well as tools for monitoring the movement of wealth.This is achieved mainly by synthesizing two mechanisms - address storage and statistics.
Second, the obvious benefits of WMS-WMS - warehouse automation.That is the appropriate components of the company or companies in the profile to spend less time in the relevant calculations, and therefore perform better.
Third, the system in question, as a rule, are able to optimize storage resources to allocate product placement so as to use the available space most useful way.Many WMS able to simulate the location of objects and calculate their optimum placement, based on their height, width, length, weight, etc.
If a person, as a rule, places the goods on the basis of a rough calculation, the WMS-system involve in the process precision "formula."
Fourth, many WMS reduces operating costs on warehouse equipment.The system counts the best routes to the machine involved in the shipment and distribution of goods, distribute the load on each of the types of units.Because of this reduced depreciation costs, saves fuel and electricity.
Typical tasks
What kind of tasks are typical WMS-warehouse management system?Experts call the following:
- operative (often in real-time) information about the operations performed in a warehouse;
- optimization of engaging storage space and other resources;
- raising economic efficiency utilization of resources (for example, the allocation of unused space that can be rent);
- selection of the best parts of the room, based on the properties of a particular product (sensitivity to humidity, temperature, size, etc.);
- statistics, data archiving, fixation and documentation of information for accounting;
- track correctness of the information in circulation among warehouse personnel and interacts with the structure of the enterprise;
- organization of the team of employees through the software and hardware solutions;
This is certainly not an exhaustive list of tasks that solve the corresponding systems.There WMS, focusing on some specific directions.For example, it often happens that the main area, within which the WMS-WMS - warehouse logistics.Or, alternatively, accounting.However, almost always WMS provides at least a minimum in terms of functionality to solve each of these problems, even if the purpose of the system is supposed to be narrow.
Applications
Which sectors of business information can be used Warehouse Management System?The spectrum of uses WMS is very wide.This may be a trade - both wholesale and retail: WMS will be particularly useful for remote from the main points of the implementation of warehouses or distributed.This can be the provision of storage services in the form of outsourcing (just one option when the appropriate profile for the company's activities - main).WMS is very productive when used in the food industry, the factories that produce electronics, clothing, household and other consumer goods.
When there is a need for WMS-system?
reasonable question arises: how to determine what the company needed WMS-system?Such solutions are expensive.For example, WMS-warehouse management system 1C in some versions can cost a few hundred thousand.As a rule, the advisability of implementing such solutions occurs in medium and large retail chains in the industrial warehouses of big factories, from which the shipment of goods for distribution.
Some experts divide consumers WMS-making into two main categories - are users of logistics services and providers of services.The first group includes businesses whose activity is to sell goods of their own or third-party production.The logistic function in this case has an auxiliary character.In turn, service providers - a company whose activity is due to the basic profile is focused on logistics.Basic services they provide - safekeeping and storage processing.
main consumers of WMS-making
Consumers WMS-solutions of the first category tend to feel the need for the introduction of appropriate systems for the growth of warehouse area and size of the business as a whole.If we talk about specific numbers, the company is a consumer logistics services typically serves 300 or more positions of the nomenclature, the area of its existing warehouse - 2000 sq.m or more, the dynamics of goods turnover - 30 days or more.Of course, in some cases, you can send questions to the storage management outsourcing.In this case, the company does not need to take into account many of the costs specific to a process such as the introduction of WMS-Warehouse Management Systems - employee training for example.However, the specificity of many businesses may not have quite the conclusion of appropriate functions to outsourcing.This may be due, for example, trade secrets or specificity implemented factory production.
Major factors that may be an incentive for the introduction of WMS-system - the emergence of practical difficulties in paper (or semi - using Excel spreadsheets, etc.), document management, and team management, warehouse moving into a more complex architecture anda large area of the room.There are companies whose management, in principle, may not be aware of such decisions as the WMS-system, what it is.Seeing the presentation of this hardware and software product and realizing that this is what you need, the top managers of the enterprise or organization may want to immediately implement it in your organization.
Architecture systems
We examined the extent to which may be useful WMS-Warehouse Management System.Implementation of WMS-program, as we found out - a process that is largely predetermined by objective factors - business growth, an increase in the area of warehouses, etc.Another aspect of the study of WMS, which is helpful to understand - is the architecture of these systems.That may be part of the relevant decisions?As a rule, three-level principle is respected.
Regarding the first level we can say that it operates the user interface, that is, the application window on the screen in which the employee performs the main warehouse operations, to enter and modify the data, interact with other professionals, receives the results of automatic failures warehouse operations.
The second level operates the main system server, where the data is stored and processed.In modern versions WMS it is usually cloudy.The server received the command from the first level, make appropriate entries in a database managed under the special algorithm.
third level implies the involvement of code to build the so-called "business logic" of the system.There is processed the data received from the server and returns them as desired algorithm which ultimately is displayed on the first level.
main types of WMS
What are the main criteria for the classification of WMS, not counting their functionality?Experts identify the following common types of systems.
Firstly, the WMS is an entry-level, intended for the management of warehouses and stores of small firms, in which there are not too diverse product line.
Secondly, the so-called "boxed" platform for warehouse management of medium and large-area (10 sq m.) And varied nomenclature, but that the dynamics of trade turnover is relatively low.
Third, the so-called "adaptive" platform.They are used by big business, which main profile - logistics and distribution centers.
Fourth, is "configurable" platform.They are designed for warehouse management with a large area, a diverse nomenclature and high dynamics of trade turnover.
