【正文】 ind that the equipment will drive the selection of the WMS. As with automated data collection, you should be working closely with the equipment manufacturers during the software selection process. Advanced Shipment Notifications (ASN). If your vendors are capable of sending advanced shipment notifications (preferably electronically) and attaching pliance labels to the shipments you will want to make sure that the WMS can use this to automate your receiving process. In addition, if you have requirements to provide ASNs for customers, you will also want to verify this functionality. Yard Management. Yard management describes the function of managing the contents (inventory) of trailers parked outside the warehouse, or the empty trailers themselves. Yard management is generally associated with cross docking operations and may include the management of both inbound and outbound trailers. Labor Tracking/Capacity Planning. Some WMS systems provide functionality related to labor reporting and capacity planning. Anyone that has worked in manufacturing should be familiar with this type of logic. Basically, you set up standard labor hours and machine (usually lift trucks) hours per task and set the available labor and machine hours per shift. The WMS system will use this info to determine capacity and load. Manufacturing has been using capacity planning for decades with mixed results. The need to factor in efficiency and utilization to determine rated capacity is an example of the shortings of this process. Not that I’m necessarily against capacity planning in warehousing, I just think most operations don’t really need it and can avoid the disappointment of trying to make it 7 work. I am, however, a big advocate of labor tracking for individual productivity measurement. Most WMS maintain enough data to create productivity reporting. Since productivity is measured differently from one operation to another you can assume you will have to do some minor modifications here (usually in the form of custom reporting). Integration with existing accounting/ERP systems. Unless the WMS vendor has already created a specific interface with your accounting/ERP system (such as those provided by an approved business partner) you can expect to spend some significant programming dollars here. While we are all hoping that integration issues will be magically resolved someday by a standardized interface, we isn’t there yet. Ideally you’ll want an integrator that has already integrated the WMS you chose with the business software you are using. Since this is not always possible you at least want an integrator that is very familiar with one of the systems. WMS + everything else = ? As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, a lot of other modules are being added to WMS packages. These would include full financials, light manufacturing, transportation management, purchasing, and sales order management. I don’t see this as a unilateral move of WMS from an addon module to a core system, but rather an optional approach that has applications in specific industries such as 3PLs. Using ERP systems as a point of reference, it is unlikely that this addon functionality will match the functionality of bestofbreed applications available separately. If warehousing/distribution is your core business function and you don’t want to have to deal with the integration issues of incorporating separate financials, order processing, etc. you may find these WMS based business systems are a good fit. Implementation Tips Outside of the standard “don’t underestimate”, “thoroughly test”, “train, train, train” implementation tips that apply to any business software installation ,it’s important to emphasize that WMS are very data dependent and restrictive by design. That is, you need to have all of the various data elements in place for the system to function properly. And, when they are in place, you must operate within the set parameters. 8 When implementing a WMS, you are adding an additional layer of technology onto your system. And with each layer of technology there is additional overhead and additional sources of potential problems. Now don’t take this as a condemnation of Warehouse Management Systems. Coming from a warehousing background I definitely appreciate the functionality WMS have to offer, and, in many warehouses, this functionality is essential to their ability to ser