When choosing a new warehouse management system (WMS ), companies usually focus on system functions, but often overlook the final implementation and long-term protection of the system. If you don't understand or pay attention to the method of system completion and support, you will pay a high price.
The investment required to implement and protect the WMS system may account for a large proportion of the total cost, but if an enterprise considers the long-term benefits brought by the WMS system, it simplifies the implementation process of the enterprise and connects with existing solution configurations without barriers. These related costs will be greatly reduced.
Some service providers rely on industry-approved implementation methods and comprehensive training programs to ensure the smooth operation of the system, while other service providers integrate the system, using WMS as one of the main components of the system, and placing the system in a specific Integrating with existing solutions will significantly increase the return on investment.
The following four magic weapons will ensure that the implementation of the WMS system is more complete and more cost-effective:
1. What kind of integration is the real "integration"?
Many software vendors not only provide WMS systems, but also provide solutions such as transportation management systems (TMS), order management systems (OMS), and human resources management systems (LMS).
Most vendors sell products with "integrated" system components. However, whether these solutions are actually integrated into a practical environment varies greatly. Many suppliers are acquired based on years of business, and their solutions only stay on "components". In this case, the supporting technology is scattered, the user interface may only look similar, and there are always problems with redundant data and excessive interfaces.
Some suppliers will provide solution "packages", hoping to further integrate on the basis of components. Although the solution package usually consists of related applications, these applications still rely on different technologies, are limited by redundant data (for example, three different order lists), and may need to adopt strategies that are consistent with the client company’s Conflicting middleware.
However, if the solution runs on the same platform and uses the same system structure, it can share databases and business goals, access through the same user interface, and help users truly optimize business processes while minimizing system ownership costs .
Platform solutions provide a more comprehensive approach to supply chain management. For example, if a company allocates orders to different warehouses, the OMS system will consider the capacity of each warehouse. If a warehouse needs to hire temporary workers at a high price to accept new orders, if the system can allocate the order to another warehouse nearby, the cost can be effectively reduced. In addition, integrated systems are particularly important for multi-channel retailers, because retailers must have the ability to handle and monitor cross-channel orders throughout the entire process from order entry to customer receipt. If an order processing OMS system that can be integrated with other systems is adopted, companies can more effectively divide inventory, which not only improves inventory transparency and distribution capabilities, but also increases profits and reduces costs.
2. Simple setting changes
If an enterprise has multiple warehouses, it is undoubtedly more advantageous to implement a unified WMS system in each warehouse, because the same implementation method and unified training method can make the configuration settings more standardized. Intelligent information technology solutions with configurable management tools mean that settings can be quickly changed at any time to support new business or operational processes. For example, a new picking process with relevant parameter settings can be implemented and tested in a controlled test environment, and then it can be implemented in the actual operating environment of a single warehouse or the entire warehouse with just a click of the mouse.
3. Automatic adjustment process
How easy is it for users to adapt to the workflow? The more advanced the system, the easier it is to change the job flow of the mapping process. In this case, the user can fully control the job flow, make adjustments according to changes in the business process, and perhaps set up multiple job flows to support all aspects of the same process.
In terms of goods receipt, the user can specify a comprehensive view of the incoming goods from supplier A, while the incoming goods from supplier B are only sampled. Users can also specify which products can only be released after quality inspection, and which products can be ordered and picked up immediately. After users are satisfied with the newly completed tasks in the test environment, they can initiate changes in the actual WMS system with a single click .
4. Barrier-free customization
For systems based on the latest information technology architecture, the cloud watch platform uses code-free development. In other words, no more program codes are used, and only some business logic needs to be changed to complete the secondary development.
There are many problems in the past WMS system formulation methods, because customization needs to be adjusted several times to meet the requirements of updates and upgrades, which is time-consuming and expensive, and often results in users not even being able to initiate the process. However, by using the cloud watch codeless development platform, enterprises can obtain the required flexibility through expansion. Since the central system foundation will not be changed, the integrity of data and processes is protected and the smooth implementation of system upgrades is ensured.