Receiving, putaway, storage, picking, packing, as well as shipping are the six basic warehouse procedures. By optimising these six procedures, you will be able to simplify your warehouse operation, save costs and mistakes, and achieve a greater flawless order rate.
In this post, we will go through each warehouse process in order to better understand and enhance your operations. Following the explanation of each process, broad advice for optimising each one would be given, and in-depth optimization resources would be provided for your convenience.
Receiving
Receiving is the initial and most important warehouse procedure. To successfully complete the receiving procedure, the warehouse must be able to verify that it has received the correct product, in the correct amount, in the correct condition, and at the correct time. Failure to do so will have ramifications for all following procedures.
Receiving also entails handing over accountability for the products to the warehouse. This holds the warehouse accountable for keeping the products in excellent shape until they are dispatched. Receiving cargo correctly allows you to screen out faulty items and avoid liabilities for them.
How to optimize receiving?
The goal of improving the warehouse receiving procedure is to accept goods in an effective and correct manner while avoiding buildup at the receiving docks. Power pallet trucks as well as conveyors, for example, will help you to unload freight and clean port areas more quickly and effectively. Dimensioners can automate the capturing of weight and dimensions of goods and pallets, allowing you to speed up receiving processing while obtaining verified measurements. Finally, tools such as labour management systems and dock schedulers enable you to effectively deploy employees by precisely forecasting forthcoming shipments.
Put-Away
The second warehouse procedure is put-away, which involves the transportation of products from the receiving dock to the best warehouse storage site. Failure to position products in their most optimal location might reduce warehouse efficiency. There are various advantages to correctly storing goods:
- Cargo is handled more quickly and efficiently.
- Travel time is reduced.
- The security of products and employees is assured.
- The usage of warehouse space is optimised.
- Cargo is simpler to locate, track, and reclaim.
How do you optimize Put-away
The goal of improving the putaway procedure is to transport commodities for storage to the best possible place as quickly, efficiently, and effectively as possible. Slotting and space management systems, for example, automatically allocate ideal places for each cargo, allowing for a simplified putaway procedure and maximum space usage. Furthermore, putaway smartphone apps and technologies guide clerks to store merchandise in the proper spot.
Storage
Storage is the warehousing process of placing things in the most appropriate storage area. When done correctly, the storage procedure completely leverages existing warehouse space and boosts worker effectiveness.
What can you do to optimize storage?
Optimizing your storage procedure is only achievable if the appropriate KPIs are tracked. Having software that automatically estimates warehouse storage usage and records the appropriate storage KPIs allows you to assess how efficient each component of your storage operation is. Slotting optimization technologies can also aid you in determining the ideal storage placement for a certain shipment. Finally, choosing the correct warehouse storage solution for your facility’s size and product mix lets you to maximise horizontal as well as vertical space whilst enhancing warehouse productivity.
Picking
Picking is the warehousing process of gathering items in a warehouse to meet client orders. Because it is the most expensive activity in the warehouse, accounting for up to 55% of overall operating expenses, improving it will allow you to considerably decrease costs while increasing warehouse efficiency. Simplifying this procedure must also prioritise accuracy, as mistakes can have a direct influence on client satisfaction.
How to optimize picking?
Incorporating the appropriate technology is one method of optimising the choosing process. Mobile as well as wearable technologies, for example, can help to simplify the picking procedure by allowing workers to read picking lists wirelessly, access technologies in real time, and scan wherever in the warehouse. Other feasible methods include doing an ABC analysis to optimise your warehouse architecture, determining the correct picking approach, and using software to help clerks through the picking process.
Packing
Packing is the warehousing process of combining selected products in a sales order and preparing them for shipping to the client. One of the most important aspects of packing is ensuring that damage is minimised from the time things depart the warehouse. Furthermore, packing must be light sufficiently not to raise the weight of the items while being minimum enough to limit package expenses.
How do you optimize packing?
Using software to assist individuals through the packing process can help to optimise the packing procedure. If a packing system is given all of the essential information, including dimensions as well as weight, it can instantly decide the type as well as amount of packaging material that would maintain the object secure while keeping packing costs low.
Shipping
The ultimate warehouse procedure and the beginning of the voyage of items from the warehouse to the client is shipping. Shipping is regarded effective only when the correct order is processed and loaded, despatched to the correct client, travels via the correct mode of transport, and is completed securely and on schedule.
Earlier operations, including ordering, putaway, picking, and packing, are also critical to shipping performance since they have a significant impact on whether the order is completed properly and securely.
How to optimize shipping?
It is vital to have software solutions in place to simplify many of the operations involved in the shipping procedure in order to improve the shipping procedure. Labor management systems enable you to assign the appropriate amount of resources in order to avoid excess or under allocation. Possessing a shipping smartphone application and smartphone on hand allows you to have the necessary data at your fingertips and in real time to check shipments on the run. Loading systems can also provide you with guidelines that explicitly teach you on how to load freight securely and effectively.
The warehouse sector is expanding as a result of changes including the advent of e-commerce, globalisation, and the pattern of outsourcing warehouse services. These market developments represent chances for you to capitalise on by acting quickly to streamline your warehousing procedures. Ideally, this essay has assisted you grasp the goal of each phase and provided optimization recommendations.