7 Capabilities That Define a Robust Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

It’s the day and age of automation.

With the inception of advanced tech & machine learning capabilities, the supply chain industry has also found itself catalyzing procedures from procurement to delivering the final product more efficiently. With comprehensive dashboards helping stakeholders overlook end-to-end processes, SCM benefits immensely from implementing software that eases out collaboration, management, & finances and ultimately keeps up with the quality of operations throughout the value chain.
One such tech implementation that transcends warehouse performance is through the channels of WMS, also known as Warehouse Management Systems. Arguably, the most active leg of the supply chain in the scheme of online orders & e-commerce boon – warehouse functioning from receiving, storage, picking, packing, and shipping to return order process has seen a simplified method being adopted with automation upgrading the traditional techniques for better accountability, higher throughput, tracking, better information keeping & amping up better strategic action plans for the workforce involved.

In this write-up, we are going to focus on the capabilities that define a robust WMS (Warehouse Management System) for a value chain operation.
These pointers are essentially a checklist to ensure that the leadership of an organization invests in the right platform that results in a company’s foreseeable prospects coming true on the counts of scalability, revenue & a better market presence. Let’s dive in straight ahead.

What Exact Capabilities Should an All-Season WMS Cover?

1. Core & Extended WMS Functionality

   A core WMS includes receiving, inspection, put-away, cross-docking, inventory management, geo-positioning, cycle counting, picking, replenishment, packing, and shipping, as well as support for radio frequency (RF) technology in conjunction with bar codes to better track the consignment in delivery transit. Any warehouse management platform that accounts for the above solutions in their offerings can quantify as the core functionality of the titular application.

   Extended functionality, in addition to the core WMS software, will allow extensive support of task planning & optimization, workforce accountability, dock scheduling, vendor/3PL documentation & billing processes, etc. Of course, the virtues of core & extended offerings depend on how well it synergizes with the industry it is being used for, the configuration with the client’s existing system & the subsequent application of its capabilities.

2. Usability

   A key standout factor for a WMS application is its ease of usage. A software's relevance & its quick acceptance in an organization is directly co-relational to how responsive its UI design is, how easily it makes the workflow management tick, its visualization capabilities, and how adaptive the UX is based on the multiple requirements for various stakeholders ranging between operators, supervisors, managerial personnel among others. A platform's usability makes an excellent case for itself if it allows room for personalization of the dashboard, its appeal with its simplified interface & navigation, and streamlines the process with a minimum no. of user inputs.

3. Analytics

   Warehouse activities involve a lot of data handling day-in and day-out – and an intelligent WMS tool enables the information at hand with algorithms to roadmap its way to analytics which will eventually help the enterprise's supply chain at large. With descriptive & diagnostic reporting available, a warehouse management tool can open avenues for improving value chain framework by looking at functioning that didn't work in the past & bolster a framework that handles sudden bottlenecks & scale-up operations whenever required. Such transparency by the platform enables more thoughtful decision-making for SCM, which benefits the organization's goals.

4. Seamless Integration

   A WMS introduction to a company’s current setup should be as seamless as a hand in a glove. With time being of the highest essence to a business, a warehouse management system should be able to deliver on its capabilities & facilitate its deployment with comprehensive technical support without any considerable downtime.

5. Adaptability

   The adaptability of a platform translates into how well the system is responsive to changes brought by the organization. This defines the flexibility the tool has when it comes to its configuration capabilities and workflow management, among others. If an enterprise brings forth any framework changes, the WMS software should be able to integrate it seamlessly without compromising its abilities.

6. Support for Technologies

   A highly rated warehouse management system is synonymous with how well it collates with various tech stacks that organizations use. With companies looking to upgrade efficiency factors with the virtues of the latest innovations, a WMS works seamlessly with any advancement the tech world has to offer. This extended support enables an organization seamlessly amalgamate its functionalities into newer mechanics without overhauling its proven operative techniques.

7. Scalable

   An industry of both small & large scale can use a WMS. A standout system solves issues for an enterprise in its nascent stage of operations to the tune of conglomerates managing multiple locations across a nation. The functionality of software should enable mechanism with minimized human prompts and be scalable for an SCM to drive its efforts to its objectives.

   
   

   These capabilities above help leadership plan well for their investment in WMS software. Aligning efficiency with better output and real-time risk administration, a warehouse management system bodes good on asset utilization, inventory control & overall value chain ascendancy driving an organization's revenue goals & brand prospects.