Best IT Practices Checklist
Some consultants define best information technology practices for the plant and warehouse as anything that works in your facility. Still, the most common best practices can be broken down into three categories.
The classics- Warehouse management systems (WMS) track the location of inventory and direct activities on the floor.
- Wireless radio frequency (RF) communication enables wireless mobility.
- Automatic data capture (ADC) utilizing bar code scanning, imaging technology, voice technology or radio frequency identification (RFID) improves accuracy and productivity.
The next level
- Integration of best-of-breed or point solutions into a unified solution.
- Advanced ship notifications (ASN) streamline receiving operations.
- Yard management systems (YMS) synchronize the flow of goods from the yard to the warehouse.
- Dynamic slotting maximizes storage space and locations.
- Labor management and task interleaving optimizing labor and lift trucks.
- Voice technology improves productivity of piece and carton picking.
- Reverse logistics automates the returns process.
Emerging best practices
- Visibility and event management solutions improve productivity.
- Inventory forecasting determines how much inventory should be kept on hand and where that inventory should be stored.
- Distributed order management determines how best to meet demand from multiple warehouses and suppliers.
- Warehouse optimization determines the best way to pick and ship an order based on warehouse and transportation constraints and customer service requirements.
- RFID and wide-area wireless networks enable communication from more points in the supply chain.