A business that ships products most likely has a warehouse. To manage the warehouse efficiently, you need to use a WMS or inventory management system. Choosing a WMS system is therefore crucial for the company’s profitability. However, there are a few things to consider before choosing your warehouse software. For example, you must decide between cloud-based inventory management or a locally installed program on the company’s computer. In this blog, we will explain what cloud-based inventory management is and why we would recommend it.
What is a WMS or Inventory Management System?
Inventory management is the management of a company’s incoming and outgoing goods. It encompasses all processes related to the flow of goods within the business. You need to keep track of what goods are being delivered, what products are being sold, and how large your inventory is. To manage these tasks, you need to rely on warehouse software such as an inventory management system or WMS. A WMS will map out all of your warehouse processes. This allows you to work more efficiently and optimize your warehouse. There are different types of WMS systems. We always recommend choosing a system that is managed from the cloud.
What is a Cloud Application?
We talk about the cloud when you access data that is not stored on your computer. Through the internet, you connect to a server that can be located anywhere, and then you can view and use all the necessary data and software. The cloud and the internet are therefore inseparably linked, which is where the name for this technology comes from. Cloud computing, in simple terms, is the online storage of data, software, and files that you can always access (possibly on request). This storage space is located in what is called the “cloud.”
In reality, you could say that the cloud takes over some of the functions of a computer. Take Google Docs, for example. The documents you create are stored in the cloud, are viewable only by you, and are not physically on your device. If you log into Google Docs on another device, you can also view your documents. The creation of these files also happens in the cloud, not via a program on your computer or other hardware.
Why Cloud-Based Inventory Management?
It’s simple: accessibility and security! Inventory management systems that are not managed from the cloud are often only accessible from one device. When you manage the system in the cloud, you can access it on any device connected to the internet. This is especially useful in a warehouse. A warehouse worker cannot always stay at their computer. The worker moves around the warehouse, so it’s important that they can consult the WMS via a tablet or smartphone. This will significantly reduce errors! You can also link this to barcode scanning to further optimize your warehouse.
Employees from other departments also need to check the WMS system for various reasons. Cloud-based inventory management is updated in real-time, so customer service employees can quickly respond to customer inquiries about their packages. Marketing employees can also benefit from managing the WMS in real-time because they can discover dormant inventory and plan actions to eliminate it.
Cloud-based inventory management is also incredibly secure. All cloud providers are invested in protecting your data as well as possible. All your files in the cloud are stored encrypted, and data centers are highly secured against hackers. These data centers have much better security systems than your own computer. We often hear about businesses whose computers have been hacked, causing all order data to be lost. If you work with cloud-based inventory management and your computer is hacked, you can still access the inventory management system through other hardware. By the way, what if the computer where your WMS system is installed suddenly fails? A true disaster for a business, unless you’re working with cloud-based inventory management.
Cloud-Based Inventory Management: Webship Online!
Therefore, we always recommend using an inventory management system that stores data in the cloud. Which system do we recommend? Webship Online, of course! Webship’s fulfillment center needed a new, user-friendly, and dynamic WMS system. A suitable system was not found immediately, so Webship decided to develop its own system. This is how the idea of Webship Online was born.
Today, Webship Online is a full-fledged WMS system. Cloud-based inventory management has never been so simple. Curious? Request your live demo now at hallo@webship.online or take advantage of the free trial!
