Characteristics and classification of automated warehouse management systems. WMS warehouse management systems for retail stores. Human Resource Management

Warehouse management system is a program that controls all operations that are carried out during storage. The abbreviation WMS originated from the English name "Warehouse Management System". There are hundreds of varieties of WMS systems.

When using WMS, the computer automatically selects best place for placement of products, determines the optimal path of the cargo and the procedure for action. He also gives commands to the staff. Any manipulation (putting an item on a shelf, picking it up, counting objects, etc.) is performed on a separate command.

A characteristic feature of most WMS programs: all actions are recorded in real time. Warehouse workers report after each completed operation. The information is instantly sent to the main server.

WMS architecture

Typically, the architecture of the program is built on a three-tier scheme.

First level: interface

At this level is what the user sees - client application... Through it, the warehouse employee interacts with the machine: enters data, sends requests, receives reports. The application can be installed on a computer, smartphone and other devices.

Second level: server

"Hidden" level. This is a database server, all information is stored there. An ordinary user can access it only through the client application. Cloud (virtual) servers are often used.

Third level: business logic

It is also called "processes" or "tasks". It is here that information is processed according to certain algorithms, transmitted from user to server and vice versa. The physical embodiment of this layer is software code.

Feasibility of implementing control systems

Installing a WMS system is costly. It's not enough just to buy software. It is necessary to adapt the system to a specific warehouse, to take into account all the features of goods and premises. It is necessary to install special equipment, modernize the marking system, revise the schemes of trade. You will also need to retrain staff. The implementation process can take a couple of years.

But the efforts are paying off: the automatic control system allows you to significantly speed up work, increase turnover, and cut costs.

The main advantages of using WMS:

the warehouse is actively managed (the computer takes into account analytical data and makes forecasts)
you can instantly get accurate information about any product
search and selection of products is significantly accelerated
the terms of storage and sale of goods are carefully controlled
simplified cargo handling processes (sorting, inventory, etc.)
thanks to accurate calculations, the premises are used as efficiently as possible
the cost of maintaining equipment is reduced (the program chooses the shortest paths for the loaders)
the quality of the work of the staff increases

There are warehouses where it makes no sense to implement WMS. For example, filled with the same product - there is practically nothing to optimize. In a small facility where only 1-2 people work, there is no need to transfer control to a computer either.

Program functions

When properly configured, WMS systems are capable of managing nearly all warehouse processes. But what exactly are they doing? Let's list the main tasks.

At the stage of creating an order:

grouping of orders (orders are classified and then processed and sent in groups)
setting up the possibility of identifying goods by packaging
division and consolidation of batches of products

At the time of receiving the goods:

identification of the cargo (even if information about it was not received in advance)
fixing the arrival of products in real time
barcodes
acceptance of goods for safekeeping
reconciliation and correction of product information

If acceptance and loading take place at the same time:

redistribution of products for subsequent shipment to the customer
transit

When warehousing:

warehousing process automation
development of rules for product placement
formation of storage tasks
creating cells by calculated parameters
determination of a specific place for each product
preparation for the placement of bulk products received from different contractors
formulation of rules for joint storage
handling dangerous goods, creating a control system

At the stage of order picking:

object recognition using radio terminals and bar codes
formation of batches of products
control of stacking goods on a pallet (taking into account weight, shape and other ergonomic properties)
placement of products on a conveyor belt
selection of goods (units, containers, pallets)
opportunity to use different kinds assemblies (group, discrete, combined)
automatic submission of voice commands to personnel
product packaging management
personalization of orders
assignment of cargo identification numbers for further tracking

When loading

automatic creation of a loading schedule (prioritization)
control of the loading process (radio terminals are used)
grouping and distribution of goods for sequential delivery
determination of the carrier
preparation of accompanying acts
affixing marks of conformity
check dispatch status

During storage

providing information about all goods in real time
the ability to search for an object by serial number, bar code, batch or container number, name of the cargo owner
inventory control
tracking storage and sales periods
development of replenishment strategies
support of various forms of replenishment of reserves (pieces, containers, pallets)
creating and submitting replenishment requests
inventory of goods
manipulation of weight products
creation of a flexible system of movement, regrouping, re-shipment of goods
consolidation of reserves
ensuring maximum effective use squares
goods issue according to FIFO, LIFO, FEFO, FPFO, BBD methods
examination warehouse equipment, sending alerts for scheduled maintenance or refueling

When managing employees

formation, sending and tracking of tasks for personnel
time control
creation of reports on the use of human resources
defining working standards, calculating expected labor productivity

WMS Implementation Process

Each warehouse is automated according to an individual scenario. The procedure depends on the initial state of the object and the set of desired functions. But there is a certain general algorithm: despite the variety of WMS programs, they work according to the same principle.

First of all, the space is divided into zones. Each procedure (loading, shipment, processing, storage) has its own section of the warehouse. This allows you to streamline the actions of personnel and delineate responsibilities.

Then all information about the warehouse is entered into the program: physical parameters of the premises, characteristics of loading equipment and other equipment, instructions for operating the mechanisms. Subsequently, this information will help you find the best paths for the loaders so that they do not "idle". Also, the control system will automatically select the technique that is best suited for a given purpose.

Product characteristics are also recorded in the database. Described the necessary conditions storage (temperature, humidity, rules of joint placement), expiration dates and sales dates, the names of the supplier and the customer are indicated. Based on this data, WMS determines the optimal place for placing the cargo.

Warehouse workers are given radio terminals. These are special laptop computers that support input and output functions. The entered information is transmitted to the main server via a radio link. In response, the central computer sends personal commands to the employee. All tasks are divided into elementary step-by-step actions.

Information is entered automatically. Upon arrival, the goods are marked, most often - with bar codes. The system can print labels with its own code or use existing factory markings. When the goods are received, the radio terminal reads the barcode, and that information is recorded in the database. The inventory process proceeds in a similar way.

After completing each action, the employee scans the barcode again. This allows the system to fully control warehouse operations and minimize the human factor.

Information about all cargo is updated instantly. Often, WMS systems support the graphical monitoring function: all processes occurring in the warehouse are reproduced in the form of two-dimensional models.

Types of WMS systems

There are many versions of WMS programs, both foreign and domestic. Products of fifty manufacturers are widely used in Russian warehouses. In addition, there is a high percentage of "unnamed" systems written by employees of the company itself.

There are two ways to organize WMS. The first way is by the level of functionality. Here the systems can be divided into traditional (designed for a single sales channel) and multichannel (with several sales paths).

The second way of classification is where possible modification and adaptation.

Warehouse management systems are:

Entry level

With a limited set of functions, they are intended for small companies with a modest product range. The amount of information processed is limited.

Boxed

For warehouses with an area of up to 10 thousand m 2, with a small turnover. The nomenclature can be quite varied.

Adaptable

They are used in logistics companies, distribution centers, as well as in large warehouses (from 5 thousand m 2). Initially configured for the needs of a particular enterprise.

Configurable

Programs with the maximum possible set of functions can be significantly modified during operation. They are created for large warehouse complexes with a high turnover and a diverse range of products.

WMS of the first and second type can be ready-to-install products built on the basis of ERP systems. Adaptable and configurable systems are usually made to order.

A logistics center management system or WMS is a set of software that automates many business processes of a warehouse complex.

What storage facilities are WMS suitable for?

Since the WMS systems presented on the domestic market are very diverse, they are suitable for premises of any size: both small warehouses and large logistics centers.

Conventionally, WMS can be divided into the following types:

Initial. Such a system is suitable for companies and shops that have a small warehouse space and the number of commodity items is also small.
Boxed. It is being implemented in warehouse areas from a thousand to 10 thousand squares with a small turnover, but a wide range of products.
Adaptable. Suitable for large logistics organizations, distribution and logistics centers and warehouses with an area of 5 thousand squares.
Configurable. It is used in warehouse areas over 5 thousand squares, a large number of commodity items and a high turnover.

Why implement WMS?

WMS operation will help to organize efficient management logistics complex. It optimizes the use of storage space. With its help, the speed of picking up goods increases, it is easy and quick to provide correct information about the location of products inside the warehouse. The WMS system helps in organizing the rotation of goods with a short shelf life.

Thus, a warehouse complex equipped with WMS receives a flexible tool that helps automate processes, increase labor productivity and reduce storage costs.

What tasks does the warehouse complex management system help to solve?

With the help of WMS, you can successfully solve a number of tasks related to acceptance, loading and unloading operations, warehousing, ordering, planning and rotation of stocks, and administration of warehouse personnel.

Acceptance of products

acceptance of received goods for safekeeping;
receiving goods using radio terminals or paper carriers;
printing and barcode recognition;
the ability to set up preliminary notifications from suppliers about the expected arrival of goods;
checking the quantitative conformity of products and making adjustments to the documents and the database.

Simultaneous reception and loading

transit shipment of goods through a logistics center;
reloading of products delivered from the supplier for shipment to customers.

Storage of products

flexible rules for the placement of goods for optimal use of the warehouse volume;
simplification or automation of warehousing;
assessment of important parameters for organizing storage cells;
automatic creation of warehouse tasks for personnel;
preparation for storage of bulk products from various suppliers;
appointment and determination of the exact place of storage of goods;
progressive storage optimization;
optimization of storage by shelf life;
control over the storage of dangerous goods.

Inventory tracking

customizable strategies and criteria for the need to replenish goods;
replenishment with incomplete pallets;
joint replenishment of a certain group of products on one pallet;
automatic sending of tasks for the delivery of the necessary goods;
the ability to replenish stocks in different units of measure (for example, piece, box, pallet);
organization of convenient work with weight products;
flexible transfer and adjustment of stock availability;
conducting an intermediate inventory of goods;
carrying out a complete inventory (with the calculation of weight / quantity at the entrance and exit);
tracking up-to-date information stored stocks;
the ability to consolidate stocks across all distribution centers;
warehouse complex zoning for the localization of stocks;
tracking various attributes (for example, batch number or serial number) and product owners;
automatic accounting of the date until which it is necessary to sell the stored products;
customizable re-shipment system, breakdown into small lots for stock transfer;
flexible technologies release of stored goods (FIFO, LIFO and others).

Order picking

automatic creation and sending of tasks to staff for the collection of orders;
ergonomic equipment directly into the pallet (dimensions, weight and other product characteristics are taken into account);
picking goods onto a conveyor belt;
the ability to make a sample by the piece, boxes, pallets, etc.;
the procedure for identifying products by packaging when loading or returning;
bundling with consignments of goods, while you can use radio terminals, labels, voice commands;
the possibility of complex grouping of orders to optimize resources and time;
consolidation or division of product groups;
various assembly options - discrete, group, combined;
product packaging;
collecting orders with their personalization;
generating the ID of the shipped containers for subsequent tracking of their location.

Loading works

competent consolidation of goods, taking into account the sequence of delivery during loading operations;
scheduling for the shipment of products, taking into account priorities;
formation of accompanying documentation;
checking and closing of loading and dispatching operations via radio terminals;
selection of a cargo carrier;
conformity marking.

Container management

location tracking;
placing in a container different groups products and determination of restrictions on their joint storage;
applying information about a license or patent;
identification of goods by packaging.

Production facility management

moving products within the company;
automatic replenishment and movement of goods to additional warehouses;
inspection of special equipment of the warehouse complex;
planning of refueling warehouse equipment;
planning of repair work.

Human Resource Management

accounting for the number of working hours;
formation of tasks and tracking their implementation;
scheduling the sequence of tasks, taking into account the priorities;
scheduling and interleaving of tasks;
massive movement of tasks;
preparation of reports related to human resources;
development of personnel standards;
planning and determination of labor productivity;
task management and their automatic generation for acceptance of goods, their placement, movement, replenishment, calculation of turnover, order picking, loading and unloading operations, sending goods.

How do WMS systems work?

The main principles of WMS are the introduction of barcoding and zoning of the warehouse complex. The area is divided into zones according to the types of operations taking place in them. This allows you to automate the same type of procedures, to give the personnel clear instructions for the reception, placement, and shipment of products. Clearly delineated job duties and empowerment help employees to efficiently carry out warehouse work.

At the stage of implementation, detailed physical characteristics of the warehouse complex, handling special equipment, parameters of warehouse equipment are entered into the WMS-system. The rules of work are also fixed. Then all stored goods and newly arrived products are marked with barcodes. Now the system, based on the data entered into it, will be able to carry out control and suggest optimization methods.

Warehouse special equipment and employees are equipped with radio terminals for data input / output. Such a terminal is a minicomputer connected to the main server via a radio channel. WMS can use existing barcodes or print special labels with internal codes entered in the warehouse complex.

During the inventory, personnel use radio terminals to read barcodes that are automatically entered into the databases. The WMS-system takes into account all the requirements for storage conditions of products (such as humidity, temperature, shelf life / sale dates, compatibility with other goods, etc.) and correctly allocates places for storage of goods. She not only finds storage space, but also independently prepares individual tasks for warehouse employees. Such tasks enter personal terminals and are displayed on screens in the form of simple step-by-step commands.

When forming tasks, WMS determines the optimal routes for the movement of special equipment throughout the complex, which makes it possible to reduce the idle mileage of loading and unloading devices. For each operation, the control system finds such special equipment that best suits the task at hand. Execution is monitored by scanning the product code. Consequently, WMS monitors the actions of employees and allows you to reduce erroneous product placement or incorrect order picking to almost zero.

The system displays real-time data on the location of goods, availability of products, actions of employees. For ease of observation, you can watch a 2D image showing the layout of the warehouse complex.

WMS regularly generates various reports (on the work of the staff, the condition of the premises, etc.). They can be either printed or viewed electronically.

What is the architecture of WMS?

A typical system for managing a logistics center has three main components: a user interface, a database, and business logic.

A user interface is a software application displayed on a monitor or device screen. In it, personnel enter, change or delete information. It also displays tasks for performing actions, generates the necessary reports, etc. You can install the interface on a computer, tablet, smartphone, special terminal.

The database is stored on a server (regular or cloud). Employees interact with it through an interface. They set a request for generating reports, displaying a plan of a warehouse complex with a placed product, enter new data into it, and change outdated information.

Business logic is specialized software consisting of many functions. It carries out the correct processing of the entered data, develops optimal routes, forms tasks, determines the sequence of actions. The personnel sees the results of the work of business processes in the user interface.

Warehouse Management System is computer program, which provides the process of automating the management of warehouse processes at the enterprise.

The system allows you to optimize all internal business processes of the enterprise, increasing the efficiency of processes and resources, helping to reduce costs for each operation in the warehouse.

WMS-Warehouse Management System provides effective management of goods turnover at enterprises of various industries. A set of certain functional characteristics of the system allows you to systematize accounting in a warehouse that has a different hierarchy of accounting and the level of complexity.

WMS-warehouse management system will allow you to:

human resource management;
document management;
monitoring warehouse operations;
identification of goods in the system;
warehouse operations with goods.

An automated warehouse management system allows you to quickly navigate the database of a warehouse of a large industrial enterprise, wholesale and retail base, customs terminal, transport company with a significant cargo turnover, a pharmaceutical company and other enterprises and organizations that carry out fast and error-free processing of goods.

This system is selected for each enterprise individually in accordance with real needs. It is possible to integrate WMS with other information systems of the enterprise, allowing you to check the entire turnover. In this case, all the necessary reporting can be transferred to corporate system companies. It is not always advisable to use a full-featured WMS system. These systems require appropriate technical (server solution and Web-technologies) and software.

Automated warehouse management system can be ready to install software product... Such a system is being developed on the basis of ERP systems from SAP, Oracle, Axapta and others. It will be the optimal solution for a warehouse with simple, standard technical processes. The system has limited ability to automate processes due to the versatility of the product. This system is designed for 10-25 WMS users.

A custom WMS is being implemented in a large enterprise with complex business processes. This system can be used on multiple platforms (typically IBM iSeries (AS / 400) and Unix). Oracle and other high-tech DBMS are used as a database coordination system. The system is designed for 50 or more users. The functionality of the system is developed individually for the needs of the enterprise. The development and implementation period can cover 1-2 years. World suppliers of these systems are Manhattan Associates, Catalyst International, RedPairie.

WMS-warehouse management system in real time manages material, money and information flows that pass through the warehouse. The system provides a comprehensive check commodity stocks at all stages technological cycle taking into account all the characteristics of the goods and the requirements for its storage. WMS allows you to streamline and optimize the course of warehouse work, significantly increasing its efficiency by reducing the duration and labor intensity of operations in the warehouse, increasing the efficiency of accounting and the safety of goods during transportation.

The following automated warehouse management systems are in greatest demand:

Solvo.WMS (firm "SOLVO") allows you to control the turnover of medium and large warehouses with various forms accounting for goods;
RadioBeacon WMS (Radio Beacon Inc.) is designed to automate complex distribution operations in the warehouse and to improve the accuracy of work;
the Exceed WMS 1000 system (developed by SSA Global) will be the optimal solution for automating warehouse accounting in small and medium-sized enterprises;
Distribution Center Solution of Columbus IT Partner Russia has a number of developments for the automation of processes at trade enterprises, warehouses based on ERP systems and distribution centers;
AWACS from Lambda Business Systems will be the optimal solution for an ERP-based warehouse;
Avalon system vision (AVALON group) will provide online access to reporting data in the warehouse;
COS.WMS of the company "Center open systems and high technologies ";
"System # 1" of the company "Adalius" will be the optimal solution for the management of production warehouses and terminals, distribution centers and warehouses for safekeeping;
solutions based on 1C: Enterprise 8.0 products: Warehouse Management System and others.

Automated warehouse management system 1C or on any other platform (Warehouse Management System, WMS, ВМС) provides operational management of warehouse business processes, such as topology, product nomenclature, control of warehouse operations to increase the turnover of warehouse resources. Automated inventory of goods in the warehouse solves organizational and technological problems of inventory management.

Objectives of WMS

In what areas is the WMS system applicable?

Automated warehouse storage systems introduce wholesale and retail companies, including distributed points, 3PL operators, production and distribution of FMCG and fashion goods.

Under what conditions do you need to implement WMS systems?

WMS warehouse management systems 1C or on another platform become necessary when the business grows and scales. Usually these are more than 250 unique SKUs and more than 1500 sq. M. warehouse space, and turnover more than 25 days. Also, the warehouse can move and expand.

According to what principles does the automated warehouse accounting system WMS work?

Upon acceptance, the goods are marked with barcodes and the automated warehouse accounting system WMS controls the goods by barcodes and cells. Also, upon acceptance, a record of storage conditions is kept, such as temperature, humidity, shelf life, manufacturer, sale period, supplier, compatibility with other goods. Storage locations are allocated automatically.

Automatic receipt of individual commands to warehouse employees with the ability to control the task, billing resources and a method for resolving problem situations.

The position of analytics on the availability, location of goods online.

Key functions of WMS systems

The warehouse automation system performs the following functions:

Acceptance, shipment, inventory, picking, posting of goods
Packing taking into account weight and dimensions
Document management
Warehouse personnel control

Tasks that are solved when automating warehouse accounting:

Fast acceptance and posting of goods (also for safekeeping), verification of compliance with the order.
Automatic warehousing, taking into account the use of the storage area.
Grouping orders, batch accounting.
Cross docking.
Replenishment orders (pieces / boxes / pallets / incomplete pallets) are generated automatically.

Variable assembly of orders.
Shipment, taking into account the sequence of delivery, labeling, documentary support.
Control of the condition of goods, inventory, support for various methods of warehouse accounting.
Control over the work of warehouse workers, billing resources.
Optimize storage, the need to understand where the cell is.

What are naval warehouse management systems (classification)

WMS warehouse management system is a separate and independent class of software solutions, but interconnected with accounting ERP.

An entry-level WMS for keeping records of a small warehouse with a small assortment.
Boxed WMS for warehouses with low turnover.
An adaptable, customizable and configurable system, such as ABM WMS, for DCs, warehouses with a large assortment and turnover.

Warehouse automation system to save costs. What you get by implementing a WMS system in a warehouse

The warehouse automation system allows you to save up to 13% on storage costs. The specifics of implementing a WMS system depends on the type of activity of the company, but there are general aspects, such as:

Algorithm for building a WMS system

1st level - user interface. A window where an employee can enter and change data.

2nd level - a cloud server where data is stored and processed, commands are received from the 1st level and records are entered into the database according to the algorithm.

3rd level, as a business algorithm, for processing data from the server and its output in the form of an algorithm to the 1st level.

We are ready with you to evaluate the efficiency and return on investment from the implementation of a WMS warehouse management system!

WMS stands for Warehouse Management System, or Warehouse Management System. You can often find the Russian-language abbreviation SUS, and some manufacturers refer their systems not even to WMS, but to IMS (inventory management system), WCMS (warehouse complex management system), and so on. Those who are a little more immersed in the warehouse theme, when they mention warehouse management, immediately remember radio terminals, labels, barcodes and other mandatory attributes of implementation. Those who are less loaded associate the expression "warehouse management" with " warehouse accounting", Which sometimes leads to some terminological disagreements: if barcodes are a reference to automatic identification technologies, then" warehouse accounting "is more often associated with the preparation of shipping documents and maintaining information on warehouse balances.

Before we move on to the first section, I would like to say that the article does not aim to consider all possible functionality. It is, rather, an introductory one - just for those who have heard or know the general words about WMS, but want to learn more.

Automatic identification

In simple terms, the essence of AI can be determined directly from the name. A variety of cargoes arrive at the warehouse, and one of the most important tasks is to identify the parameters of each cargo at the entrance and exit. The name and logistic packaging most often serve as a parameter, a little less often - expiration dates and production dates, manufacturer, production lot number, and so on. Naturally, to transfer this data between participants logistics chain it is impossible to use a centralized data storage, which means that information has to be placed directly on a single, group and / or transport package in the form of a label or radio tag. Most often, labels with a barcode are used, although sometimes it is possible to find goods marked with radio tags (for example, clothes made in Europe). Since radio tags are used extremely rarely, a barcode can also be found on products. Thus, if we do not have equipment for reading RFID tags, we can use a barcode.

Barcodes come in a variety of formats, but the most commonly used are EAN-13 and EAN-128. The first usually includes information about the product and the logistic unit, and the second is the so-called "block" code, and can be represented even not by one, but by several labels, where each subsequent one will supplement the previous one. The block code is divided into segments, separated from each other by special separator characters, and each segment contains a data type identifier as well as the data itself. The data type identifier can be "product", "expiration date", "production date", and much more. Since the content of the EAN-128 code is standardized, this code is often used by manufacturers.

Execution control

There is such a class information systems management as a "performance control system". Their task is to use a variety of tools (barcode scanners, check numbers, and so on) to make sure that the task was completed by the performer. Just for the purpose of control of execution, in the warehouse, all objects with which employees can perform any operations are marked with a barcode. For example, each warehouse cell (storage bin), where the goods can be placed, receives its own barcode. Let's now think about how we will control the execution of the task of placing the cargo in the cell? Decomposing this task into simple components, we have:

1) An employee approached a given cargo located at a given place
2) The employee moved with the cargo to the specified cell
3) The employee has placed the cargo in the cell

Thus, to ensure execution control, we need a barcode not only for the cell, but also for the cargo. If we give the employee the opportunity at each stage to scan the barcode with a special scanner, we will be able to determine that he:

1) I went to the cell from which it was necessary to extract the cargo (scanning the barcode of the original cell)
2) Took the correct load (scanning the load barcode)
3) Delivered the cargo to the target cell (scanning the target cell's barcode)

Depending on the enterprise and the type of warehouse that we automate, a wide variety of equipment can be used: radio terminals, information kiosks, pick-by-light, put-to-light systems, as well as commonplace computers with a connected USB scanner located close to the original and target cells. Most often, however, you can find just radio terminals - special industrial PDAs with a built-in barcode scanner (and not only - depending on the configuration). All radio terminals are connected to a common radio network, so that the employee receives instructions on the terminal screen in step-by-step mode: "Come to the place ... and scan its CC", "Take the load ... and scan it CC", "Place in the cell ... and scan it CC" ... In addition to monitoring performance, we also get useful statistics on the time an employee moves between cells, as well as the time spent at each stage of the task. The main thing is not to get carried away too much, since scanning a barcode also takes some time, and in those warehouses where a large number of operations are performed - for example, 20,000 operations per shift - a delay of even 2 seconds will result in 40,000 seconds of overhead, which exceeds 11 resource / hours.

End-to-end dispatch

Taking into account that each employee is equipped with a radio terminal, and performs tasks in a step-by-step mode, it is time to think about where these tasks come from. The dispatching functionality is one of the fundamental capabilities of WMS, and it is a correctly configured and efficient algorithm for distributing the current volume of tasks between performers that allows the warehouse to work quickly and efficiently. Imagine an employee on, say, a forklift. The loader drives around the warehouse and has the ability to place and remove loads from the racks, as well as move them between floor cells. Not all currently relevant tasks have the same priority: there are higher priority ones (if a car has arrived and is waiting for us to ship the goods), and lower priority ones (at the gates adjacent to this car, they recently finished accepting goods, and there are loads for placement) ... The scheduling algorithm can go in several ways:

1) Perform all tasks by FIFO (tasks are performed in the sequence in which they were created)
2) First, arrange the goods that came to the warehouse, and then send the contractor for shipment (you can also do it in reverse order)
3) Complete the entire list of tasks in a "passing" mode

Now, in more detail about the "passing" mode: the goods to be placed in the car that is waiting for shipment are in the warehouse, in the so-called "dispatch expedition zone". Let's imagine that these are places on the front shelving close to the gate. We take the cargo, deliver it to the transport (or deliver it to the loaders at the gate), then we take another cargo from the neighboring gates for placement, place it near the next cargo from the shipping expedition zone, and continue the shipment procedure, alternating it - thus - with the procedure constellation from acceptance. This functionality is often called "task interleaving", and it is the ability to configure it flexibly and the availability of ready-made algorithms that characterizes a really good WMS.

In addition to moving loads with a forklift, there are many other operations that can be performed by hundreds of employees in parallel. In this case, it is important to distribute tasks in such a way as not only to provide the required prioritization, but also to prevent such elementary nonsense as sending several performers to the same alley (aisle between the shelves), where they will push and interfere with each other. At this point, a competent reader will probably comment that it is important not only to get rid of collisions, but also to distribute the goods throughout the warehouse so as to ensure an even load on the available area, but one does not exclude the other, but complements, which we will see when we talk about placement strategies.

Placement strategies

Here you will have to digress a little and consider the current WMS classification. As a rule, in most cases, there are 3 classes: "box" systems, adaptable and custom-made. "Boxed" products have a fixed logic that can only be changed by setting parameters. Adaptable systems offer ample opportunities for configuring algorithms using rules and constructors, and custom ones are written for a specific customer, and - in addition to fixed logic - they often do not even have basic tools for making changes quickly.

Why did I turn to system classification when the chapter is about placement strategies? Because the majority of WMS users under the "placement strategy" are used to seeing exactly what is offered by the cheapest "box" level systems, like this: "The first one is in the recruitment zone, the rest is for storage", "Place next to the same product", “Heavy down, light up,” and so on. The most significant limitation of this concept is the mixing of “warm” with “soft”. For example, we may well want everything at the same time: place heavy ones - down, light ones - up, put newly arrived cargoes next to the same goods, and put the first cargo that arrives in the collection zone, so as not to waste time on replenishment later. That is why, in adaptable systems, the concept of "strategy" is very conditional: you can construct dozens and even hundreds of rules that will build logic exactly as it is needed now. This is a huge advantage of adaptable systems over boxed ones when it comes to a commercial cargo handling warehouse that provides storage and handling services (so-called 3PL warehouses). After all, when a new depositor (warehouse client) comes to the warehouse, he may have a wide variety of products: from nuts and canned food to chilled meat. There are situations when loads have to be placed taking into account such unimaginable attributes as the first few characters of the product name.

Nevertheless, whatever the system is, one of its important advantages will be the availability of ready-made rules (options) that can be used - this will greatly save time when preparing the system for operation.

Redundancy strategies

The reservation procedure allows you to fix a certain quantity (volume, weight) of goods in favor of a certain document, operation or other accounting object. Since in the warehouse management system, the accounting of balances has a rather serious degree of detail, including information about the location of the cargo, it is not entirely correct to reserve goods immediately, taking into account the entire volume of details. Let's start with the fact that a certain document comes into the warehouse management system, on the basis of which we must make a reservation. Let's say this will be a sales order for the shipment of a certain quantity of goods. First, we must make sure that the specified quantity is in stock, otherwise there is no point in sending this document to work. It is this option of reservation, which establishes a reserve at the level of the commodity and some basic accounting parameters, is often called the "top-level reserve". It is usually performed according to the following parameters:

1) Product (material)
2) Warehouse (if the system serves several physical warehouses)
3) Owner of the stock (depositor)
4) Type / category of stock (free use, suspected marriage, quarantine, discounted, etc.)
5) Batch number or code (possibly a compound attribute)

You can list the list as long as you want, because advanced control systems can take into account many parameters of inventory accounting, and even expand this list without the need for programming.

As you can see, the top-level reserve is created for the document, since the document is the highest (enlarged) level of detail in the control system, which has to work at the level of atomic operations. But it is precisely for the execution of atomic operations that the creation of reserves is required at the "lower" level, which includes the identifier of the cell and the load. The fact is that several tasks may exist for the same cargo, and it should not be allowed that two employees are sent to the same place, one of whom suddenly, on the way to the cell, finds out that there is clearly not enough product to complete the task. Moreover, some systems impose a reserve at the level of the warehouse zone, building tasks in real time, and it is with such systems that the above conflicts are possible.

Naturally, the top-level reserve must take into account the lower-level reserve, so two reserves rarely coexist - more often they are converted from one level to another. It is within the framework of this transformation that the system must determine in which zones of the warehouse which operations will need to be performed. For example, you want to ship 1000 pieces, and 600 pieces are placed on one pallet. The box holds 40 pieces. Thus, the control system must find one complete pallet of 600 pieces, and collect another 400 pieces in ten boxes. Since it is extremely difficult to pick up goods from a great height (you can use special equipment or - banally - a ladder, but the equipment has a high cost, and a ladder implies very low productivity), lower tiers are used to set boxes and / or pieces, allowing an employee of average height to reach to the required loads.

Again, depending on the class of the system, the strategy can be represented by a fixed algorithm with options for settings, or by a flexible logic of rules. The reservation strategy is most often tied to a specific warehouse zone, therefore, a list of the "overview" of the warehouse zones by the system is obtained, indicating exactly how the goods will be reserved in this zone, for example:

1) Reservation of whole pallets in the storage area (higher priority)
2) Reservation by FEFO (first expired - first out) in the dial zone (lower priority)

In adaptable systems, with a high degree of probability, there will be an opportunity to create rules in relation to arbitrary attributes, and not only to the type of order or product, as it is implemented in cheap "boxed" options. Thus, we again return to 3PL warehouses, where flexibility plays a large role in competitiveness, and once again state that adaptable systems are the most suitable for such objects.

Formation of tasks

After the conversion from the upper-level reserve to the lower-level reserve has been performed, we will receive two types of tasks: tasks for moving whole pallets (which can be performed using material handling equipment, hereinafter referred to as PTO), and tasks for a set (selection, picking, order picking - there are many terms). Now the following problem arises: tasks need to be combined into groups according to a number of characteristics in order to ensure their efficient execution.

We have already mentioned the movement tasks, and they greatly simplify any further optimization by the fact that the PHO operator can take only one pallet per movement, so something can be improved only by arranging the tasks in a certain sequence. Of course, there is a variant of equipment with long forks (you can take two pallets at a time), as well as low pallets (several pallets are stacked on top of each other, and the equipment transports them), but I would take a review of such algorithms next time.

Recruitment assignments truly open up scope for creativity. The fact is that the zones of the set for transport, group and unit packages can be either separate or combined. Some zones are located at the same level of the warehouse, and one employee can recruit simultaneously in all these zones, and some are divided by levels (for example, a multi-level mezzanine for a piece set), and one performer will not be able to get into another area of the warehouse. ... In addition, units of different sizes are packaged in fundamentally different containers. If transport and group packages are usually collected on large commodity carriers (for example, wooden pallets), then piece and small-piece units can be collected in boxes or trays.

So, the system needs to combine tasks by execution zones, then group them by common feature(in some warehouses, custom picking is used, while in others, the entire flight is collected at once). Further, depending on the zone and - as we have already said - the packaging, it is necessary to select the optimal container for the set, and distribute the tasks by container units. After that, the system forms a set of containers for the performer, and only after all the indicated steps do we receive a ready-made task for the performer. Please note that the contractor will not scroll through the list of orders on his radio terminal, and will not make a decision on the sequence in which he needs to perform tasks. The algorithm of its work will look something like this:

1) "Take: 1 pallet, 2 trays"
The contractor takes a pallet and 2 plastic trays, scanning their barcodes and confirming the correct size to the system.
2) "Go to place X"
The contractor scans the barcode of the location
3) "Take item Y in quantity Z, and confirm quantity"
At this stage, the contractor can change the amount of collected goods. A situation may arise when he does not find the required quantity in the cell, and the system must offer him an alternative, if any.
4) "Place the specified quantity on the pallet / tray N and scan its barcode."
The contractor scans the barcode of the pallet or tray - depending on what the system indicates, and confirms that the selection was made in the correct container
5) …
Again: different systems - different levels of detail and options, but it is the system that "decides" which tasks, in what sequence and in which container a particular employee will assemble.

Consolidation zone management

As we said, tasks can be grouped in completely different ways. One performer can simultaneously collect 4 trays belonging to different orders, and moreover, to different flights. Another contractor will collect shipping packages for several different orders on a single pallet to optimize runs through the warehouse. At the exit, all cargoes must be sorted so that it is convenient to load them into the transport and, accordingly, unload them from the transport.

The recruiter shouldn't think about all this. The system should give him a clear task: go to a specific place in the consolidation zone, unload 1 tray there, in another place - 2 more trays, and in the third - the last one. The next person will receive information on how to distribute the palletized transport packaging to the bins in the same area. The result is that we get optimally sorted goods that can be brought to the transport and loaded, being sure that the system has withstood the correct sorting (the goods are loaded first according to those orders that will be unloaded from the transport last).

Summary

This is the foundation, the most basic part of almost any industrial WMS. Now there are many systems on the market, about which they say that "they are all 90% similar", but only the processes that they automate are similar in them. Implementation - of course - varies greatly, and this is what makes it possible to coexist in one market for more than a hundred different products. I hope that subsequent articles will be able to give the reader even more useful information about the differences between systems and the principles by which they work.

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