A warehouse cannot function properly without an inventory management system or a WMS system. Such a system will give your business a boost. All activities carried out in the warehouse will be performed faster, more easily, and more accurately. Finding the WMS system that best suits your business and warehouse is not an easy task. If you finally think you have chosen the right WMS system, you still need to implement it successfully. A good implementation is crucial for the future operation of the WMS system. To implement such a system, you need to consider various factors. Below, we outline the steps you need to take to achieve a successful WMS system implementation.
Functional Analysis
Installing a WMS system will impact the current logistics flow within the warehouse. Therefore, you need to conduct a functional analysis of all internal warehouse processes. What should you analyze? You need to assess the current operation of the warehouse and compare it with the capabilities of the selected WMS system. Next, you should determine which tasks will be taken over by the WMS system. This means distinguishing between manual and automated tasks. This will allow you to create a new action plan that warehouse employees can use once the WMS system is installed.
Risk Analysis
Implementing a new WMS system also involves risks. Not all risks are immediately visible, but it is important to conduct a risk analysis in advance so that you can take the necessary precautions. For example, consider making a backup of the webshop that needs to be integrated. If you are already using another WMS system, it is advisable to back up the data stored there. This way, you avoid the risk of losing valuable information, such as customer data, email addresses, addresses, and birthdays—information that is particularly valuable to the marketing department.
Prepare the Warehouse for the New WMS System
Depending on the current operations and the way the new WMS system works, you may need to prepare the warehouse accordingly. Think, for example, about product codes and barcodes. If you do not yet have unique product codes, now is the time to assign a clear SKU to each product. The barcode is also crucial since more and more systems operate with a barcode scanner. This helps minimize errors.
Once your product range is in order, you should review the warehouse layout. A system like Webship uses warehouse locations. During picking, Webship Online will direct you from one warehouse location to another in the most efficient way possible. This allows you to pick multiple orders at the same time and reduces unnecessary walking distances, which increases efficiency. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the warehouse layout.
If you choose a cloud-based inventory management system, you need to ensure a strong internet connection throughout the entire warehouse. A cloud-based system is extremely user-friendly and accessible from anywhere, but a stable internet connection is essential. You must avoid dead zones where connectivity is lost. Additionally, think about the necessary hardware to optimize the new system, such as printers, label printers, barcode scanners, and computers.
Train All Involved Employees
Adopting a WMS system requires adjustments from all employees involved in the logistics process. It is crucial that all employees receive training to learn how to work with the system. Mistakes made due to a lack of training can cost the company a lot of money.
At Webship Online, we provide extensive documentation. In this documentation, you can find all the necessary information about the system. Depending on the selected subscription, we provide training for the project manager. During this training, the project manager learns every detail of Webship Online. With the knowledge acquired, the project manager can then train all employees. It is essential to divide employees into teams. After the general training, you can provide more in-depth training to specific teams, such as order pickers, focusing on their particular tasks.
Test the WMS System
Before putting the system into operation, you must have sufficient knowledge of it. As mentioned earlier, proper training is necessary. However, theoretical knowledge must also be applied in practice. That is why it is important to test the system extensively so that you can become familiar with all its functionalities. You can do this by creating test products and simulating purchase and sales orders. This way, the entire team gains experience with the new WMS system, and certain aspects can be fine-tuned if needed.
Deploy the WMS System
After a series of successful tests, it is time to deploy the WMS system. We recommend conducting a physical inventory count before going live. This ensures that stock levels are accurate from the moment you start using the system.
Next, you can integrate all necessary systems, such as the webshop! Finally, perform a last check to ensure that all functionalities work properly. If everything is in order, you can officially put the WMS system into operation.
Are You Looking for a Modern WMS System?
From experience, we know that many WMS systems are outdated or static. Webship is a fulfillment center that takes over the logistics process for many webshops. Because of this, Webship needed an inventory management system but soon realized that the ideal system was not yet available on the market.
That is why Webship developed its own inventory management system, Webship Online. Webship Online is a modern cloud-based inventory management system. We continuously improve the system by implementing updates and developing new features based on customer needs.
Are you curious about how Webship Online works? Request your free trial now or contact us at hallo@webship.online for more information!
