Warehousemanagement is theart of movement and storageof materialsthroughout the warehouse. Warehousemanagement monitors the progress of products through the warehouse. It involves thephysical warehouseinfrastructure, tracking systems, and communication between product stations. Warehouse management deals with receipt, storage and movement of goodsusually finished goodsand includes functions like warehousemaster record, item/ warehouse crossreferencelists and such things ason hand, allocated, transfersin process, transfer in process, transfer lead time, safety stock, fieldsfor accumulating statisticsby location.
A warehousemanager needsto perform several crucial functionssuch as overseeing and recording deliveriesand pickups, loading and unloading materials and supplies, maintaining inventory recordsand tracking system, determining appropriateplaces for storage, rotating stock as needed and adjusting inventory levelsto reflect receiptsand disbursements. An individual handling the warehousemanagement needs to have knowledge about inventory control and warehousing systems, loading and unloading procedures, risky and materials storage and mathematical knowledge.
A warehousemanagement system isa critical component of an effective overall supply chain management systemssolution. Warehouse management system began asa system to control movement and storageof materialswithin a warehouse. Today it even incorporates tasks such as light manufacturing, transportation management, order management, and entire accounting systems.
Implementation of Warehouse Management System (WMS) will provideyou an increasein accuracy, reduction in labor costs if thelabor employed to maintain the system is less than thelabor saved on the warehouse floor and a greater ability to servicethecustomer by reducing cycletimes. WMS may not serveyou with inventory reduction and greater storagecapacity. An increase in accuracy and efficiency receiving process might lead to reduction in level of safety stock required. But theconsequence of this reduction will hardly bevisibleto the overall inventory levels. WMS might just not affect thefactors (lot sizing, lead timesand demand variability) controlling the inventory levels.
Lately in thefield of warehouse management, Infor, the largest global enterprise software provider is developing solutions for themanufacturing and distribution industries. Infor'smanagement technology is meant for enterprise resourceplanning (ERP) system. Infor technology can be used for singleaswell as multiple warehouses. It allows manufacturersand distributorsto perceive and monitor the location of particular items within the facility. The technology is also extremely beneficial in ascertaining the sizeand weight of incoming shipmentsto set up the perfect way to transport and placethem in the warehouse. The professional expertsat Infor are planning to integrateit into Infor'sMicrosoft.Net based ERP system for manufacturers.