Simple

By Mary Ann Von Bank Activant Solutions

checks only on an annual basis because of the time and effort required. Each year, these dealers brace themselves for the inevitable surprises the inventory check brings. Thankfully, there are new systems available to manage important warehouse functions. The technology is called warehouse management systems (or WMS). These systems work with a company's enterprise resource planning system to manage the flow of materials in and out of the warehouse and process the associated transactions. A WMS controls all important warehouse tasks, including: receiving materials

. putting away materials into its proper locations picking materials

. loading trucks for delivery

. cycle counting and inventory management

. directed replenishment

I-TECHNOLOGY has come a long |- way in the lumber and building materials market. While many dealers were initially slow to adopt technology solutions, almost every one of them is using some sort of computer-based solution today to track and run their businesses. Today, most LBM dealers rely on computers and software solutions to help them manage just about every part of their business-except for the warehouse.

For this reason, the warehouse is the "final frontier" for LBM technology. LBM dealers can have systems in place for tracking and analyzing sales and managing inventory, but the best systems can be rendered ineffective if warehouses are not performing prop- erly. Dealers can ruin an otherwise positive customer experience by taking too long to deliver the order or sending out the wrong items. A wellrun warehouse must fulfill two basic functions: it must carefully track what comes in and send out the right items when orders are filled.

Regardless of how automated they are in sales or in their back office, most dealers still rely on manual, paper-based systems for moving items into and out of the warehouse. Unfortunately, this process puts pressure on every warehouse employee to know the location of every item in the warehouse and yard. Also, these paper-based systems force most dealers to perform physical inventorY managing shop, remanufacturing, pre-hanging operations

Most WMS solutions utilize auto I.D. data capture technology (e.g., barcode scanners, handheld devices, and wireless local areas networks) to automate the process of identifying and monitoring items as they move through the warehouse. This information is transferred to a central database, which can then provide accurate, real-time reports on the status of goods in the warehouse.

The goal of a well-run WMS system is near-perfect inventory accuracy: the right product in the right quantity in the right location. These systems are able to accomplish this by managing and verifying that the proper steps are taken in receiving, stock-

ing. pickirru anrl shiltpinu.

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