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This is the product locations inquiry screen
in WMS Pro. Click this picture to enlarge it.
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How does it work?
Warehouse
The system allows for you to divide your warehouse into logical picking areas.
For example 30% of my warehouse is small bin locations with small plumbing fittings. Another 30% is used for storage of plumbing fixtures such as faucets that are boxed and bar coded. The rest of the warehouse contains bulk storage for pipe and bulking items such as shower stalls. By dividing up your warehouse you can make better use of your personnel and equipment. With the example above you may have staff in the bin area pick product to a picking container that will be boxed before shipping. The fixture area may be picked using carts, while fork truck drivers pick the bulk area. Each location in the warehouse must have a location ID. This system gives you a four-position description of five characters per position. An example might be aisle, section, shelf and bin. You will use these location ID’s to define sections of the warehouse. Locations can be defined as permanent to a product. Minimum and maximum storage levels can be stored by location or location type. Every location must be unique and belong to only one picking queue.
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Example of the layout of a warehouse
WAREHOUSE 1
Picking area 1 (name is user definable)
- Zone A
- Zone B
- Zone C
- Zone D
- Zone E
Picking area 2
- Zone A
Picking area 3
- Zone A
- Zone B
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Location Maintenance.
Click this picture to enlarge it.
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Order picker's gun, readouts give instant
feedback. Click this picture to enlarge it.
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The example above defines a warehouse with three picking areas. The first
has five defined picking zones with in the area. The second has one zone
and the third picking area has two picking zones. When a order picker
begins, they must select a warehouse, then select the picking area and
finally the zone.
Order Queue
The system currently allows for four forms of product picking. These are RF picking,
pick-to-light, traditional picking ticket and label picking. You can use all picking
techniques simultaneously. Before you can release orders you must have a very good
The order queue is the heart of the system. It is the first place you will want to look when new orders have imported into the system. From this screen you control the picking on the system. You will release orders to your warehouse staff in a variety of ways from this screen. It is very important that you understand all functions on this screen. If you have not reviewed the screen field names and descriptions above please do so now. The following will make more sense if you do.
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Orders in the queue are displayed here.
Click this picture to enlarge it.
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The system currently allows for four forms of product picking. These are RF
picking, pick-to-light, traditional picking ticket and label picking. You can
use all picking techniques simultaneously. Before you can release orders you
must have a very good understanding of how your warehouse has been defined in the current warehouse
location scheme. You will release orders to one or more areas of the warehouse
using one of the four methods mentioned above. Question- do you have any
sections of the warehouse that are set for full case qty only? You should
know the answer before releasing orders.
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Pick-to-light in action.
Click this picture to enlarge it.
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When you are ready to release orders determine the queues and queue
hierarchy required and select it in the drop down. Then select
the orders to be released. You have many tools to review and sort
the orders for release. Before releasing orders you can setup a
location for the order to be placed for shipping. Example – A pallet
position for a LTL shipment. Once the orders have been selected you
choose what method of picking to use. Once the orders are released
the product is committed from a location. REMINDER- No product will
be committed or picked if its location is not active in one of the
defined picking queues. When releasing orders you may have the
system notify you of products that will not be shipped due to lack
of inventory in the proper location. NOTICE I said proper location!!!
Once orders are released the games can begin.
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