Warehouse management system

Warehouse management System (WMS) is an application suite designed to optimize warehouse operations. WMS manages the entire warehouse operation cycle in a real time mode. The System controls warehouse personnel as well as material handling equipment, and operatively generates tasks for users based on the actual situation.

METALAG WMS is a leading-edge system capable of generating recommendations on the optimization of the technological operations in a warehouse as well as manage personnel and material handling equipment in order to achieve highest performance.

The system eliminates the need for paper documentation. All documentation is generated, transmitted, processed and optimized in the system and transformed into precise tasks sent individually to operators' RF terminal screens. Every operation is confirmed and logged into the system by the operator through either scanning a bar code, or entering data via the RF terminal keyboard. Therefore, information on product quantity and allocation in the warehouse is always accurate and up-to-date, so any mistakes or exceptions can be noted and immediately corrected.

The objective of METALAG WMS is automation of the entire warehouse management cycle - from the point that goods are received at the warehouse up to the delivery of customer's orders. The scope of implementations can vary from basic warehouse control (management system based on paper task-lists) to a complex, full-scale warehouse management system in real time mode using barcode, RF data transmission and material handling equipment that positions technologies and other automation means depending on the customers' needs.

WMS optimizes the put away and storage of inventory through dividing the warehouse into designated areas and utilizing space in the most efficient way.

Clients of the warehouse have possibilities to connect to the system and see goods flow, quantities, and stock, get different reports. Information about rest, incoming and outgoing goods is possible to get by e-mail, using EDI communication or via internet.

METALAG WMS includes basic as well as additional functionality, depending on the business technologies used in the warehouse and the type of material handling equipment utilized.
Optimization principles

Automatic identification of loads/identity control;
Warehouse zoning;
Control operations in real time mode;
Workflow optimization;
Remote personnel management;
Authority levels and privileges control;
Labor standards;
Keep record of any event and action;
Material handling equipment control;
Routing optimization and load tracking and tracing;
Order staging by optimal vehicle routs (task interleaving);
Graphical representation of the warehouse layout;
System configuration;
Report generation;
System of help;
Support of RF and bar code equipment;
Integration with ERP system;
Statistics exchange;
OLAP (online analytical processing).

Inbound management

Advanced notification;
Receive the nonstandard, unpacked product and returns;
Cross-docking.

Operations on product in stock

Automation and goods stocking and warehouse operations;
Put away and inventory storage rules;
Inventory allocation priority definition;
Inventory control;
Product age and expiration date control;
Load status control;
Load reallocation;
Sorting;
QC & quarantine Inventory management;
Inventory management by FIFO or by expiration date/shelf life;
Inventory by various units of measure;
Warehouse balance management/optimal safety stock level;
Stock inventory:
- Physical counting;
- Cycle counting;
Writing-off scrap and rejects;
Inventory update and elimination of load lost.

Order processing

Order planning;
Goods reservation/backup;
Picking;
Staging;
Reserving for special orders;
Kitting/assembling;
Wave processing;
Shipment;
Direct loading regardless of order continuity;
Prior consolidated orders shipment:
- forward picking and replenishment;
- оrder re-planning;
Order cancellation and processing changes;
Handling exceptional situations;
Screening.

Personnel management

Labor productivity analysis;
Reports on every warehouse operation during certain period of time;
Keep record on every fulfilled task.

More available functionality

Virtual warehouses (stocks) support;
Preparation of the warehouse for put away;
Receiving extra ware;
Receiving measuring product by parts;
Weight control;
Certification control;
Control during process of manufacturing:
- Random control;
- Single control;
Integration with the product manufacturing processes;
ISM (instock manufacturing);
Integration with conveyor (interfaces to control conveyor diverts and other MHE requirements);
Goods compatibility control;
Handling loads of extreme dimensions;
Loads labeling;
Palletizer and Applicator handling;
Vehicle loading optimization;
Re-loading.

Advantages of METALAG

Full time warehouse events tracking and tracing reduces or eliminates the need to stop all the operations in warehouse for inventory accounting to be done.
METALAG WMS allows customers to increase quantitative and stowage data accuracy to 99.9% while reducing the duration of receiving and shipping operations by 2-3 times.

Eliminate non-standard order shipment, create reports of extra shipment or order return;
Reduce expired product write off costs;
Increase quality of services.

Logistics

Optimize warehouse inventory flow;
Increase quantitative and stowage data accuracy to 99.9%;
Complete control over inventory flow;
Warehouse space optimization (increase warehouse utilization by 5 to 25%);
Increase inventory through-put and turns;
Employ best put away strategies.

Maintenance costs

Material handling equipment rational utilization;
Equipment deployment optimization;
Reduce transportation costs (save fuel and electricity, reduce maintenance costs and extend the life of material handling equipment).

Personnel management

Increase employee efficiency;
Eliminate employee errors and increase accountability;
Reduce time required for warehouse processes;
Enhance labor productivity by and average of 20% - 30%.

Management accounting and document circulation

Speed up data interchange;
Data access in real time mode;
Reduce paper work;
Inventory control without interrupting warehouse operation;
Integration with corporate systems.