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Warehouse management is the control and optimization of the various processes in a warehouse. A warehouse management system (WMS) is an internal tool used to control and optimize the flow of materials. The functionality of the WMS is broken down into three operations; put-away, replenishing, and picking (Novák & Kraj?ovi?, 2011; Sahuri & Utomo, 2016). The basic principle for the WMS is directing the three operations to the relevant locations as per user defined criteria. A WMS can be a standalone or integrated with the organizations enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This paper will focus on a standalone WMS and the discussion will seek to establish both software and hardware requirements for the server-end and client-end, then determine the competitive advantage for using WMS, provide recommendations for improvement and lastly, draw a conclusion.
Server-Side Hardware Requirements
There are various WMS solutions and each has specific requirements. While there are basic WMS systems with minimal server-end requirements, there are also advanced WMS solutions that require equally advanced server-end requirements. This paper however represents medium requirements for the average WMS solution that will provide optimal but not-highly sophisticated solutions to SMEs. The system requirements this include windows server R2 2008 minimal, Intel Xeon, 6 GB RAM, Database, 2 × 500 GB Hard Disk Drive, and colored monitor with 1024 × 768 resolution (Young, 2015; Kasat & Yadav, 2015).
Server-Side Software Requirements
For the windows server...
For the database, the database software required includes MS SQL, MySQL, and Oracle. In addition, a Raid level 0 – 5 is also required.
Client-Side Hardware Requirements
The system required to access the average WMS has an Intel Core i3 or higher versions. The system should have at least 2GB RAM free space, and a Hard Disk Drive of at least 500 GB. A colored monitor with a resolution of 1024 × 786 or higher (Young, 2015; Kasat & Yadav, 2015). A terminal server, Windows Server 2012R2 or other higher versions, and networking equipments, intranet with a minimal data rate of 10Mbs are also required.
Client-Side Software Requirements
To access this particular type of WMS, the client requires a supported OS system which includes Windows 7 and later versions. A database running on MS SQL, MySQL, or Oracle Java Runtime Environment of 1.7 or higher is also required. To interact with the WMS, a user requires a browser - Microsoft Internet Explorer 11, Mozilla Firefox 24.0 or other latest versions (Kasat & Yadav, 2015; Young, 2015).
Competitive Analysis of the System
Primarily, WMS competitive advantage to the supply chain is through performance improvements. These include both tangible and intangible benefit. The first competitive advantage is through order fulfillment. WMS enhances on time order delivery, significantly increases order fill rate, improves on order and line accuracy, and shortens order cycle time from 773 minutes to 236 minutes, on average (Ramaa, Subramanya…
References
Atieh, A. M., Kaylani, H., Al-abdallat, Y., Qaderi, A., Ghoul, L., Jaradat, L., & Hdairis, I. (2016). Performance improvement of inventory management system processes by an automated warehouse management system. Procedia Cirp, 41, 568-572.
Kasat, Y., & Yadav, J. J. (2015). Microsoft Dynamics AX Implementation Guide. Packt Publishing Ltd.
Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2016). Management information system. Pearson Education India.
Novák, V., & Kraj?ovi?, M. (2011). Warehouse Management System. TRANSCOM 2011, 23.
Ramaa, A., Subramanya, K. N., & Rangaswamy, T. M. (2012). Impact of warehouse management system in a supply chain. International Journal of Computer Applications, 54(1).
Sahuri, G., & Utomo, F. A. P. (2016). Warehouse Management System. Information System Application, 1(1).
Young, N., (2015). Retail Warehouse Management System Installation Guide, Release 14.1. Oracle Inc.
Below, we study, both the primary and secondary drivers, to get a clear picture of WMS. Choosing a WMS Primary drivers include a group of fundamental functions and operatives of a warehouse system like the software components, technology, cost, support and other utilities as well as the precise graphic business necessities. Below is the further explanation of the applications included in the primary drivers (Sahay and Gupta, 2003). Software Components Software components and
The use of analytics for redefining inventory strategies based on greater visibility and more efficient optimization of resources is yielding a 20 - 30% reduction in inventory carrying costs, according to research on this best practice done by Aberdeen Group (22) in its report, Best Practices in International Logistics. The study concludes that greater visibility of inventory dynamics with analytics and better planning coordination with manufacturing, suppliers and buyers can manufacturers together can enable order management
Warehouse Management Systems: THE COSTS VS. THE BENEFITS Warehouse Management Systems enhance all warehouse operations through advanced technology and operating processes ("Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)," 2004). It combines computer hardware, computer software and external equipment with new operating practices in order to manage inventory, space, labor and equipment in warehouses and distribution centers ("Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)," 2004). This paper will take a look at how a WMS works, as well as
Also, the right products should be shipped to the right locations and this makes WMS labor-intensive and complex. However, a well established WMS is essential to reduce incidents and loss. Customer Service An effective WMS is essential to ensure a high quality customer service. Errors in deliveries can lead to empty shelves and in turn, this will result in a financial loss for the company because the product was not available
1. Privacy laws are continually in flux. The most recent blow to consumer privacy was the 2017 Congressional overturning of Internet privacy protections. According to the ACLU, those pro-privacy laws “would have prevented ISPs from sharing our browsing history with advertisers, forced ISPs to be clear about what information they’re collecting, and required ISPs to take reasonable steps to protect our data from hackers,” (ACLU, 2018). Several states, including Alaska,
AMR Research (2005) believes that companies must begin developing and redeploying current order management architectures with the focus on delivering more flexibility rather than a strategy that delivers far less. The move toward customer-driven fulfillment processes requires the ability to build and adapt channel-specific, product-specific, and customer-specific order flows quickly without an army of developers creating custom code. However, the days of big bang, rip-and-replace implementations are over, and any