Available determination of WMS (Warehouse management system)

In Gartner determination a warehouse management system (warehouse management system, WMS) this application for management of a warehouse or the center of distribution. Refers acceptance of goods, sorting, monitoring of a remaining balance, inventory management, an order of distribution of goods and their collecting to basic functionality of the WMS systems of Gartner, packaging, transportation, human resource management, automation of the hoisting-and-transport equipment and others.

In most cases WMS are used for active management of a warehouse, increase in speed of set goods, obtaining exact information on location of goods in a warehouse, effective management of goods with a limited expiration date, increases in efficiency of warehouse business processes, optimization of use of warehouse.

Principle of work

Integral part of WMS is introduction of addressing in a warehouse. At least the warehouse is divided into some zones for simplification of search of these or those goods. As a maximum the code is assigned for each pallet, and this place is called "cell". Cells integrate in zones and the card of a warehouse with address storage turns out. After that all operations in a warehouse are performed with indication of a certain cell.

The real physical model of a warehouse or warehouse complex taking into account its these sizes and characteristics are entered into a system. As a rule a system allows to browse this plan in 2D and/or 3D the mode.

Distribution of goods between cells can be conducted on a paper basis: this method both is cheap, and is labor-consuming. Usually the data collection terminals transferring data to the central system on a wireless network are for this purpose used. Marking of cells is often optimized, applying barcoding that saves from need to mark cells and goods manually.

Barcodes are used everywhere – on goods, on a pallet, on labels of cells. On the terminal the barcode is read out using the laser by a one click of the button and the employee quickly and precisely confirms the actions – what goods it took from where and where put.

terminals, the wireless equipment and printers of barcodes raises the price of the project, but considerably increase the speed of basic processes.

A system considers all requirements to storage conditions at distribution of storage locations for the goods arriving on a warehouse. For example, the humidity, temperature condition, expiration dates, producers, implementation terms, suppliers, rules of compatibility and any other parameters can be considered. WMS automatically selects storage locations for the accepted loads and creates tasks for warehouse workers. Tasks arrive on the screen of radio terminals in the form of elementary step-by-step commands individually for each worker.

A system also develops optimal routes of movement of the equipment across the territory of a warehouse complex that allows to reduce a single run of loading means. In it all information on location of loads, existence of goods in a warehouse, actions of workers and the made transactions is instantly updated. For convenience there is a possibility of observation of a warehouse in the mode of two-dimensional graphic display. Based on work or to a warehouse status a system allows to create reports.

Often WMS systems it is used together with technology of bars codes and radio tags of RFID which allow to organize system operation in real time. According to requirements of most of modern buyers, Gartner also refers to functionality of the WMS systems management of voice, additional services, billing with 3PL-operators and human resource management of a warehouse as basic components.

Automation of a warehouse integrates warehouse management systems, technology of barcoding, radio terminals, scanners, the warehouse and transport and loading equipment, production procedures and personnel in a uniform working complex which should interact effectively with all other business processes within uniform logistical cycle. A warehouse management system – a basis of this complex.

Other articles on the subject WMS in the specialized section of TAdviser