7 Signs a Business Needs Warehouse Management Software
When does a business know it needs Warehouse Management software? The following are some tell-tale signs.
1. Inventory is tracked on paper and spreadsheets.
Tracking inventory on paper and spreadsheets is manual, leading to errors, extra work, and extra re-work and stifling opportunities for automation, integration, and the efficiency that comes with them.
2. It’s hard to be sure what's in stock.
If it’s not easy to access complete, accurate, real-time information on products and their counts, a business could use an Inventory and Fulfillment software which provides greater than 99% accuracy on inventory counts.
3. It’s hard to know the total value of your inventory.
Inventory valuation is central for a number of finance- and compliance-related reasons. Inventory and Fulfillment software takes the first step toward inventory valuation with accurate counts, then applies cost analysis and price modeling tools for precise valuation.
4. A business physically stores products, but doesn’t consider it inventory.
Many businesses hold others’ products on consignment yet don’t consider those products inventory. While it’s true that products belong to someone else, the consignee should nonetheless manage the inventory like its own. In the case of a disaster, the consignee needs to know inventory counts and valuation. At the very least, the consignee selling this inventory will want a good handle on what it’s selling and what it’s worth. Failing to keep track of inventory, even if it’s someone else’s inventory, invites trouble.
5. Inventory doesn't suit workflow and operations.
When it feels like inventory, operations, and workflow are running on different schedules, it’s time for Warehouse Management software. The software can automate workflows for picking, packing, shipping, auditing, replenishment, and more.
6. There’s no way to integrate warehouse fulfillment with the rest of the business.
Warehouse Management software integrated with a Business Management System or ERP, ecommerce website, and/or other systems (including third-party systems) can automatically generate documents and workflows for maximum efficiency. When the warehouse isn’t integrated, it’s usually a sign of manual processes that are unnecessarily time-consuming and error-prone.
7. There’s no way to easily analyze stock and replenish.
Without Warehouse Management software it can be hard for a business to stick to its own inventory rules. Rules related to safety stock, reordering points, and material requirements can be missed without a software that automates stocking and replenishment workflows. Inventory and Fulfillment software can automatically analyze stock, issue alerts for replenishment, and even automatically generate the necessary purchase orders to keep inventory levels optimal.
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