Typical errors WMS of projects

The majority of mistakes which often make at implementation and other classes of business systems is characteristic of WMS projects: this incorrect planning and setting of the technical specifications (TS), bad interaction within a project team, bad training of personnel for implementation, non-compliance with an order of project phases, revaluation of own forces and the overestimated expectations from the project.

Implementation as craze

That implementation of a WMS system made success, it is not enough to be guided by the principle "let's make as at neighbors". It is necessary to understand accurately what real defects of work of the existing warehouse a system will help to eliminate that exactly to focus attention on them during the project. At the same time it is necessary to understand that WMS is not a universal panacea, there are many issues which are resolved not by automation.

Planning errors

The most critical errors occur at a stage of planning of the warehouse and its processes – for example, incorrectly planned selection zone capacities after implementation directly influence warehouse performance. It is also important to have the made technical specifications are accurate and transparent. Only in that case if both parties in parts understand what is required and what is as a result delivered, the project can be successfully implemented.

Incompetent choice of the partner and solution

The market of WMS solutions is extremely competitive: the number of solutions and suppliers is calculated by several tens. At the same time any supplier presents the solution the most advanced and effective that complicates the choice and increases risks at implementation. Therefore the analysis stage and the choice of WMS solutions need to pay special attention: study project practice of the companies, responses of customers and to try on systems capabilities on itself. Approach when a system is purchased "for growth" is absolutely not correct: it not only raises the price of the project, but also can turn back its total failure.

Lack of interaction in a project team

The lack of the established feedback between teams of the contractor and customer can not only tighten the project, but also in general shine it on "no". It can lead also to incorrect adaptation of the solution to business processes of the customer.

That the project team worked fully, it is necessary to have the project manager from the customer who has time for participation in it (as a rule, it is the logistics director or the head of the warehouse). The project team shall include future users of WMS. The structure of group needs to be fixed documentary, having previously once again estimated employment of its participants.

Unprepared personnel

According to Igor Sidorenko, the commercial director Buhta, insufficient readiness of personnel to the process of system implementation can also seriously complicate case. Happens that in connection with the current load, not all personnel are trained before start of a system in commercial operation that can cause difficulties in work at the initial stage. "Most often process of implementation is carried out to a season, low for the company, on load. And in our practice there were cases when at this responsible moment key staff was sent on leave", - the expert told.

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Violation of project phases

The technology of input of a system in operation is very important, and at the same time it is very often broken. Suppliers can put end in itself of sale of licenses, without focusing attention on consulting. If to consider that its cost is commensurable also with the cost of licenses, and with equipment cost, then it seems that it is economy of a third of means. Meanwhile purchase of a system without consulting often predicts in advance failure of the project as the supplier can just refuse to support the sold solution. Implementation should be made by the company the customer and the supplier in a close sheaf with each other.

Low-quality data exchange of WMS/ERP

One more widespread error - the low-quality organization of data exchange between WMS and ERP or the accounting system of the customer. "Without complex integration it is impossible to achieve the important objectives of the WMS project - as much as possible to reduce manual work on information processing and to allow interested persons to obtain online the consolidated data on a trade inventory on all divisions of the company", - Ilya Luzhansky, the business analyst of the Logistics direction of Ansoft company says.

Low-quality adaptation

Implementation of WMS is not just sale of a system. It is first of all its adaptation under the specific customer. Problems can arise not only for the reason that the customer, for example, wanted to save. The system provider is not always the owner of the code. Developers of systems not always go for change of the customer-specific code. Quite often requirements imposed to change of standard functionality are dictated by the business process different from the commonly accepted business practices. It is necessary to analyze accurately the reasons of deviations and to estimate correctness of the made demands of changes. Otherwise incorrectly made decisions threaten with need to introduce amendments after start of a system in operation.

The overestimated expectations

The overestimated expectations from projects arise at clients very often, especially under the influence of excessive marketing activity from suppliers. It is quite natural that the these expectations are higher, the it is more then disappointment. Therefore any solution needs to be estimated soberly and not to wait for an instant economic miracle.

The WMS system does not protect from thefts, does not create the price, will not secure for 100% business against a negative impact of "a human factor". Delusion also is the opinion that, having purchased WMS, it is possible to do nothing any more – support, completion, system testing nobody cancelled.

Return of investments

It is better to conduct calculation of return of investments from implementation of WMS independently. It is previously necessary to decide accurately what amount the company specifically on this project locates and to be ready that the budget can slightly rise during the project. At the same time it is necessary to budget equipment costs, the maintenance of a system. It is possible to count approximate equipment costs, having added 40% to the specified cost. In WMS projects of 30% of cost, as a rule, it is the share of licenses and 70% - on services of consulting and implementation.

Project terms

Terms of development and project implementation especially) are essential for warehouses under construction. But excessive forcing of implementation of WMS can lead to system operation decline in quality. Therefore to define, "on when", better, not only considering own requirements, but also consulting on the supplier – for a single warehouse an implementation time depends on the size of an object and complexity of business processes.

Human factor

Kind of the warehouse management system controlled processes, it is necessary to be ready to the fact that "the human factor" can be shown. Though in WMS there is a possibility of threefold control of actions of employees of a warehouse, they are sometimes sure that they "know better, than a system". Therefore personnel which will work with WMS it is necessary to select very carefully. As option, it is possible to hold for it mini-examination on knowledge of processes.