Our Warehouse Management System

"WAREHOUSE MASTER WINDOWS"

 

FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION

Warehouse Master Windows is a new approach to control of the warehouse. It goes beyond the needs of your accounting department to allow you to have and use the real time information that is needed to run a warehouse or distribution center with minimal cost and maximum productivity. It was developed by a warehouse expert who has spent an entire career consulting on and teaching the importance of control, productivity, and real time inventory data to the successful operation of the physical distribution function.

Warehouse Master Windows is designed to take full advantage of the micro-computer revolution; that event that places the power and speed of the mainframe at the full priority of the warehouse operations. More importantly, it does this at a fraction of the cost usually associated with total control. It accomplishes this goal with a degree of user friendliness rarely seen in the software industry. Menu driven activities walk the user through the operations of:

  • Receiving Stock
  • Directed or manual putaway
  • Order filling by FIFO, Expiration Date, or by Julian production code
  • Direct or manual order selection
  • Downloading orders or expected receipts from your corporate system
  • Uploading actual orders or receipts back to the corporate system
  • Up-to-date Management Reports in real-time
  • Quality Control Hold and Release capabilities
  • Self-contained File Management and cleanup capabilities

These menus subdivide to lead the user to all the functions needed to manage a modern warehouse in real time. A number of short cuts have been developed that save time in the use of the screen menus.

HOW DOES WAREHOUSE MASTER WINDOWS DO WHAT IT DOES?

The software manages to control the warehouse so well because we tell it everything there is to know about the facility and the products to be handled. This includes the types, sizes, and capacities of each location as well as the preferences for each product. It works efficiently with bar codes and R/F terminals because it is possible to track individual pallets by a "license plate". Modules have been developed to allow fast processing of such individual pallets. Such a routine allows pallets to be moved, adjusted, putaway, or picked as a group or marked subgroup.

Special screens and menus called master records are used to indicate such things as:

  • What defines a pallet or random storage unit?
  • What is the height or base of that random storage unit?
  • What is the height of each storage slot?
  • Do we want to store single pallets in a rack or many pallets in a floor slot?
  • Will we pick by FIFO, Expiration Date, or by Production Code?
  • Will lot numbers be tracked for a given SKU?
  • In which preferred zone should an SKU be stored in order to place random storage by popularity or velocity?
  • Shall we use forward pick slots and automatic replenishment calculations?
  • What are the units of measure for each SKU?

The various tables are set up and customized to the items and features of the individual warehouse by the user. In effect then, the program's use of this information allows it to act as would an extremely clever warehouse manager endowed with a remarkable memory.

FEATURES

Over the years, Warehouse Master Windows has developed an impressive list of features that will be recognized as important by most warehouse operators. They are and were as follows:

Warehouse Master WINDOWS Standard Features

FIFO Rotation By Receipt Date
FIFO Rotation By Expiration Date
Random Storage
Forward Pick Lines For Cases Or Units
Optional Lot Control
Lot Shipment History
Zoned Putaway
Empty Slot Report
Warehouse Utilization Report
Aging Report By Receipt
Aging Report By Expiration
Activity Report
Pick Slot Replenishment Report
Costed Inventory Balances Report
Consolidation Of Less Than Pallet Quantities Report
Cycle Count Reports
Lot Shipment History Report
On Line Query By Item
On Line Query By Location
Automatic Putaway With Manual Override
Automatic Pick With Manual Override
Group Automatic Allocation Of Putaway Slots
Group Automatic Allocation Of Pick Slots (dedicated or random)
Group Automatic Verification Of Putaway Slots
Group Batch Automatic Verification Of Pick Slots (dedicated or random)
Stores Pallets In Rack Positions Or Floor Stacks
Keeps Track Of Pallet Patterns
Converts Order/Receipt Units To Warehouse Units Such As Cases, Pallets
Uses Any Locator System
Generates A Custom Sequenced Putaway Document
Generates Putaway Pallet Labels
Generates Move Documents
Generates A Pick Document In Any Pick Path Desired
Custom Pick Path Sequencing Of Pick Document
Replenishment Of Pick Slots
Empty Location Report
Rack Or Floor Slot Putaway Optimizes Capacity
Automatic Putaway
Automatic Pick
Direct Putaway
Direct Pick
Bar Code Interfaces Available
Printouts For Cycle Counting Or Physical Inventory
Forward Pick Lines Or Random Picks from Reserve
Zoned Random Storage
Matching Item Size To Slot Size
Units Of Measure Are User Definable
Password Protection
Full audit trail history
Keeps:

receipt history
move history
history of inventory adjustments
all can be printed out on demand.

Some High Control Features

Some of the additional features that enhance WAREHOUSEMASTER WINDOWS' ability to keep tight control over quality and possible recalls are:

Automatic Quarantine
Quality Control Release Module
Lot Shipment History
Lot Start/Stop Date
Moving Quarantined Stock
Aging Reports by Expiration
Also keeps all histories listed for Warehouse Master Windows above.

ADDITIONAL WAREHOUSE MASTER WINDOWS FEATURES

Note that the following features have been added or are available on request.

  • Receive Odd Pallets: Allows under or overcount pallets to be defined "on the fly" when receiving.
  • Rx Three Passwords: To allow three entry passwords that restrict various accesses.
  • WMWINDOWS One Password: To control access to "moves" and inventory adjustments menus
  • Stock Status: Allows material to carry a two character status code with user defined meanings. These can carry a "product may not be picked" block out.
  • One "Thing" Per Location: Allows purity of stock at an address. Will not mix receipt dates. codes, or SKUs in an address.
  • Auto Aggregate Put: Allows the automatic placement of incoming stock into a dedicated case pick slot if the stock coming in is absolutely the newest. i.e. no older stock in the warehouse.
  • Multiple Pallets in Aggregate: Allows the capacity of a dedicated case pick slot to be greater than one pallet.
  • Pick Document Total: Shows total cases and pallets on pick document
  • Costed Inventory Balance by Zones: Allows costed inventory balance to report by zone
  • Location Status Report Enhancements: Status reports can be by range of addresses and may have SKU information as part of it.
  • Location Consolidation Report Enhancements: Allows a request for a range of SKUs or a range of locations
  • Stay in Pick Location: Keeps a pick in one location and reduces filling from more than one location.
  • Barcoded Direct Putaway from Scanner PDT: A download from a portable data terminal/scanner is imported, discrepancies are printed and the transaction is completed(logged)
  • Barcoded Direct Pick from Scanner PDT: A download from a portable data terminal/scanner is imported, discrepancies arc printed and the transaction is completed(logged)
  • Barcoded Direct Move from Scanner PDT: A download from a portable data terminal scanner is imported, discrepancies are printed and the transaction is completed (logged)
  • Initialization Program: Loads the warehouse with stock by location using a flat file output from an inventory take. It includes SKU, address, lot number, on hand, date received, code date.
  • Cases on Pick Document: Shows total cases on a pick document
  • "Fast" Direct Putaway: Allows a special screen to "direct put" in quantities of multiple pallets rather than one pallet at a time.
  • "Fast" Move: Allows a special screen to "move" in quantities of multiple pallets rather than one pallet at a time.
  • "Fast" Inventory Adjustment: Allows a special screen to "adjust" a location of multiple pallets in quantities of multiple pallets rather than one pallet at a time. also useful for mass emptying of a slot. Allows inspection of contents of a multiple capacity location in a series of "batch screens".
  • "Fast" Direct Pick: Allows a special screen to "direct pick" in quantities of multiple pallets rather than one pallet at a time.
  • Cross Dock Shipping: Allows a special "pick" of merchandise just received or produced for immediate shipment without first receiving and putting away. . The history reflects the transactions
  • Inventory Overlay: Imports a flat file of an inventory take and changes the WMWINDOWS inventories to match. makes a printed record of each change.
  • Wedge, Bar Code Input: Allows a wedge, scanner, thermal offset printer to record incoming pallets , generate a multi-part bar coded pallet tag, allocate a putaway spot and use the returned portion of the tag to log into location. This tag printing capability also exists in the direct putaway and move modules in addition to the "print document or tag".
  • File Align: A general purpose utility that will fix almost any discrepancy caused by strange exits and weird operator behavior.
  • Password Lockout: Allows fork truck drivers access only to the "bar code wedge" transactions
  • Adjusted Pick Order Printout: Prints out the actual quantities picked based on any changes before logging. May be used as a packing list
  • Adjusted Receipt Printout: Prints out the actual quantities put away based on any changes before logging. Can be used as a confirmation to purchasing.
  • Pick Full Pallets Only: Allows partial pallets to be ignored and picks next appropriate full pallet. Can be part of the import procedure. It may be set so that all imports are full pallet picks. A modification capability that allows orders to be changed to and from full pallet pick.
  • Put "Like With Like": When turned on, this feature will search for other material of same SKU that is in the warehouse in a location with some capacity left. It will store the new with that already in location and start a new location when existing is full. It may be set to mix lot numbers, receipt dates and codes.
  • Alternate Zone Putaway: If the specified zone is full, this feature can designate an alternate zone for putaway rather than go to next highest zone.
  • De-allocate Receipts: An allocated receipt may be de-allocated in a way similar to de-allocate a pick. This takes it back to the status of a newly entered order.

We have used Wedges to control the flow of full pallets from production to putaway, Scanners with Portable Data Terminals or Radio Frequency terminals for receiving, storing, picking and material transfer. We have available a totally economical R/F barcode system that uses Warehouse Master Windows' many capabilities, and is costed well below the market. In addition, a large range of R/F hardware is supported.

ACQUIRING WAREHOUSE MASTER WINDOWS

In general, the software is priced in a modular fashion. This allows the user to get exactly what is needed and also assures upward compatibility with new releases and even upgrading to Radio Frequency.. As an example, the user could start with a real time paper based system and move upward through bar coding to Radio Frequency without loss of data base or investment. Leasing is available and integrators can supply hardware as needed.

Source code is available at a multiple of the software cost. We upgrade at least twice per year and no charge upgrades are part of the support package which is 10% per year of the software price. Basic on site training is provided and additional days are available at a per diem rate. We have prepared an installation guide which has allowed clever users to go on line in less than a week. Demo disks and additional literature are available on request.

The contact at Howard Way and Associates is:

Arthur Liebeskind
P.O. Box 5387
Baltimore, Maryland 21209
Voice: 410-542-4446
Fax: 410-542-9218
Email: Internet art@howardway.com

 

All content copyright 1999 by Howard Way And Associates, Inc.