Rapidly evolving business strategies and customer demands have created great complexities for manufacturing and retail companies. They need to depend on advanced technology or modern tools for the smooth running of their warehouse operations.
Therefore, the use of a dedicated warehouse management system (WMS) software is a rapidly growing trend in all business niches.
The use of WMS software has instant value for managers as it eases their burden of overseeing multiple tasks with maximum accuracy and incredible efficiency, in as little as 90 days.
From warehouse layout to real-time inventory control and a scalable path to order management, WMS software assists with all aspects of a successful fulfillment operation.
What is WMS Software?
WMS software, also called a warehouse management system, is a broad range of tools that help warehouse faculty run all operations smoothly and effectively. It is equipped with all crucial tools which activate the automatic processing of multiple functions including:
- real-time inventory tracking
- data reporting
- labeling
- Picking & packing labeling
- and sending products to customers in under 24 hours with virtually zero errors.
An efficient warehouse management system is not only responsible for control inside the warehouse, it also plays the role of bridge between multiple warehouses, helping to communicate or collaborate toward sales and revenue goals. However, the right selection of WMS software tools according to your business needs is crucial to achieving the desired results.
Must-Have Features of WMS Software
Various top-ranked warehouse management system software such as Deposco are available with a wide range of features and specifications to serve both small and large-scale businesses equally.
However, understanding your unique warehouse needs and required WMS capabilities is essential to ensure the right selection and enjoy fast, smooth growth of the business.
All warehouse management system software has unique tools and features to support a specific type of business, but they all share some mutual features. These must-have features of WMS software are vital to fulfilling the basic requirements of any kind and size of a warehouse. This checklist makes it easy to explore what must-have WMS software capabilities you need:
1. Inventory Management
Accurate and effective inventory management is the key to running a warehouse smoothly. You need to ensure accurate and timely delivery of customer orders, streamline shipping processes, and handle high volumes more profitably. Therefore, real-time, automated inventory management is a primary feature that your WMS software must have.
This feature helps to receive, label, and scan goods through barcoding. It also keeps an accurate record of available stock, fulfillment activities, and costs to fulfill goods to avoid order cancellation and other shipping troubles.
2. Real-Time Reporting
Warehouse management involves massive calculations and data reporting of stock, orders, costs, billing, and more. An effective warehouse management system must possess the feature of real-time reporting which teams can count on at all times.
This tool eliminates the need of managing bulky, error-prone, or out-of-date spreadsheets and files, allowing teams to pull automatic reports for analyzing customer orders, inventory, labor performance, and warehouse productivity. Having real-time reporting helps warehouse managers to make crucial changes, reward good performers, and reap more value.
3. Auto Picking and Packing of Goods
Picking and packing goods to ensure accurate and timely delivery of customer orders is a time-consuming task without WMS software in place. Slight mistakes in this process can result in massive damage to the financial health of the business. Therefore, an efficient warehouse management system must have the feature of auto-picking and packing goods.
This feature works on the basis of visual graphics and a barcoding system to scan, pick and prepare customer orders to be delivered on time, and correctly.
4. Expense Tracking
Another important feature of the warehouse management system is expense tracking. It provides information about the total number of orders received, shipping cost, stock value, and estimated revenue growth. It also provides an estimated cost to fulfill each order, enabling optimization and savings.
5. Labor Management
Labor plays a massive role in the smooth, cost-effective running of a warehouse. Therefore, automated labor management is a key feature of effective WMS software. It provides accurate tracking of staff metrics like hourly pick rates, mispicks, and over time, which boosts the overall performance of the team. It also builds trustworthy relationships between employees and management to reduce the risk of customer disruptions and poor customer experiences.
6. WMS Integrations
Integrations are also a must-have feature of warehouse management software, particularly with the fast pace of change and shifting customer preferences. A WMS software integration allows the business to integrate its WMS software with other supply chain management systems and consolidate data flows across multiple warehouses. This feature saves both time and money for businesses.
Final Thought
Effective WMS software is always equipped with the above-mentioned features to deliver outstanding results in all aspects of warehouse management. You can use this WMS capabilities checklist to find an effective solution for your warehouse problems.
Always prefer to go with credible WMS software partners that can help you find the perfect fit for your warehouse management requirements and growth goals.
