Warehouse delivery – procedures and optimization with WMS

There is a wide range of diverse approaches to how to organize a warehouse, based on functional and efficiency criteria. The logistics activities of picking (collecting items from the shelves) and packing goods in warehouses are conditioned by the start of the incoming order processing, and the completion of the product packing triggers the final loading & shipping processes. Here are the general features of the picking activities and the opportunities to streamline them, facilitated by automation and optimization with a WMS (Warehouse Management System).
What activities are involved in preparing the delivery of goods from the warehouse
In addition to picking, the outbound flow from the warehouse includes the grouping of packaged goods on transport orders, the allocation and scheduling of trucks to loading ramps and the actual loading of parcels based on transport orders, as well as the actual delivery (shipping).
Economic operators carry out a variety of activities in warehouses. The organization of a warehouse depends on the primary function of the storage space: collection, distribution, transit and transhipment warehouses, seasonal or long-term storage warehouses. Depending on the characteristics of these logistical units, products are stored on racks, in containers or on pallets, and the preparation of goods for delivery is carried out inside the warehouse, in auxiliary or intermediate locations.
Parcels prepared for shipping are checked (ordered products, quantities, delivery details) to receive the necessary validation for delivery, then grouped by transport order and finally loaded. The diversity and complexity of the activities requires the implementation of a WMS system, with specific modules and functionalities to automate and optimize deliveries from the warehouse, ensuring synchronization of work processes as well as data collection and processing.
What procedures are in place for the preparation of deliveries from the warehouse
Goods outbound flows managed via Warehouse Management System (WMS) applications comprise complex processes based on multi-level procedures and fully automated operations.
Axes Software’s solutions are flexible and tailored to your warehousing activities. Picking methods are automated according to their characteristics, and grouping of deliveries by transport orders can be done either through a special module integrated into the xTrack WMS software solution for this purpose, or through an integration of the WMS application with xTrack TMS (Axes Software’s TMS – Transport Management System solution).
Thus, from picking to loading, xTrack WMS (independently or combined) can automatically coordinate the steps as follows:
- outbound warehouse orders, delivery orders to customers, transfer orders between warehouses are imported from ERP or entered as primary data into the WMS running on the computer;
- the goods in the warehouse are collected from the shelf and checked with the mobile computer taking into account the picking list;
- parcels are loaded into vehicles (vans, lorries etc.) according to automatically established transport orders based on selected grouping parameters of the goods to be delivered (e.g. delivery order, addresses, delivery deadline, truck loading restrictions);
- delivery results are exported to ERP for reporting alignment at company level;
- documents for each shipment are issued according to technical specifications and working procedures (AWBs, Waybills, etc.).
The preparation of the delivery of goods allows the implementation of modern technologies for stock management and product traceability: barcodes, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Pick by Light, Put to Light or Pick by Voice.
How to optimise the preparation of goods delivery with WMS
WMS systems streamline work processes, collect and provide real-time information about warehouse picking activities, resulting in a reduced number of picking & loading errors and tight control of flows in logistics facilities. Full automation of data flows helps to optimize stocks, reduce storage space, prioritize activities, quickly identify and correct any errors in the organization of deliveries.
In addition to the desktop version of the xTrack WMS solution, Axes Software also offers a web-based WMS version that does not require installation on workstations. The web-based application can thus be run without restrictions imposed by operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc.), is reliable and suitable for use on mobile devices, both in terms of data storage space and memory allocated to order processing. The WMS system includes ‘virtual dispatcher‘ functionalities that provide real-time data and instructions through tasks sent to warehouse workers.
With the help of WMS, TMS and POD solutions created by Axes Software, companies in various sectors can optimize their warehouse picking activities, efficiently prepare deliveries according to transport routes and monitor trips until goods are delivered. With desktop client versions connected to cloud-based WMS and TMS servers or servers at the customer’s location, companies that are involved in the storage and delivery of goods can coordinate their actions and achieve cost-related savings not only during the actual transportation of goods, but even from the cross docking stage (if applicable) or during the delivery preparation stage.
The use of xTrack WMS software as an integrated warehouse and inventory management system ensures the optimization of delivery activities in the warehouses of online shops, traditional “offline” shops and manufacturing business operators. Efficient picking means establishing procedures and streamlining processes through WMS deployments, as this type of system is the best option for automating logistics activities to achieve warehouse performance targets.
In addition to the xTrack WMS and xTrack TMS solutions, Axes Software offers solutions for the management of specific logistics activities and other components of the supply chain: xTrack PMS (Returnable Packaging Management), xTrack MES (Manufacturing Execution System), xTrack YMS (Yard Management System), xTrack POD (Proof of Delivery) and xTrack ReT (automation of processes involved in the declaration of high tax risk goods in the RO e-Transport system). For more information, send us a message by filling in any form on our website.