What is a WMS system?
A WMS system is a system support for managing warehouses. All WMS systems offer management of items, balances, and storage locations, and more complete solutions support the management of incoming and outgoing deliveries, the production of picking lists with optimized picking routes, and other functionality that can contribute to efficient warehouse management.
5 common functions in a WMS
A WMS can have very many and complex functions, but the main functionality revolves around these five components.
1. Stock balances and stock placements
A system dedicated to managing a warehouse naturally starts from the ability to search and modify a register of articles and their number per shelf space. Together with this functionality, there is support for inventory, which makes it possible to check that registered stock balances correspond to reality.
2. Incoming and outgoing deliveries
In simplified terms, a warehouse is a form of intermediate storage of goods that are delivered in and then to be delivered out. A WMS, therefore, starts from powerful functionality to manage precisely outgoing and incoming deliveries. Smart systems support with suggestions on placement for goods that are delivered in and to be placed on warehouse shelves and also helps in the steps required for an outgoing delivery - such as producing shipping documents or booking freight.
3. Order management
A change in the warehouse begins with an order that is handled in the system with, for example, a list of items to be picked and handled for outgoing delivery. A WMS receives orders, creates picking lists from them, and can follow an order from when it comes in, via picking and unforeseen deviations such as a backorder of an item that needs to wait for an incoming delivery until the order is packed and ready for outgoing delivery.
4. Integrations
For a WMS to function effectively, integrations with several other systems are required. Integrations enable, for example, that orders from an e-shop or store can be registered automatically, that shipping labels can be produced with the touch of a button, and that updated stock balances can be continuously evaluated in, for example, a purchasing system.
5. Reporting and analysis
A WMS manages masses of data about the flow of articles in a warehouse and can often create reports and allow analysis of things such as articles that have been lying for a long time without moving, time for different work steps, and variations in order flow, data that can advantageously be integrated with a WFM system for staff planning so that the warehouse is continuously optimally staffed.
