Wow your warehouse with hidden Astro WMS® features
The increasing demand for fast delivery and returns combined with cost pressures across the supply chain means logistics companies are constantly looking to optimize operations.
Astro WMS® has lots of features people don’t take advantage of that can make a huge improvement to cost and time savings. After all, efficiency is key to maintaining a competitive advantage.
At the latest Consafe Logistics Superuser event in Holland, Business Process Manager Thord Sjölin outlined four clever features that make a big difference to warehouse operations and management.
1. Replenishment just in time for picking
REPLPRIO lets you prioritize replenishment assignments based on what’s most critical for completing pick rounds. It monitors articles that will soon be in shortage but haven’t yet reached the low water mark. Every 3 minutes, it looks at which picker is closest and creates replenishment assignments accordingly.
It’s similar to order-driven replenishment and runs alongside this, but only uses ongoing pick assignments in the need calculation.
2. Avoid pick runs with very few boxes
Astro WMS®’ L54Hold function puts assignments on hold until a set number of boxes of a package type accumulate. You can set the trigger based on total number, weight or volume. Assignments with that package type are queued until they reach the trigger level. This means you always run with the maximum number of boxes on pick-up.
3. Slotting
Slotting is the process of analyzing and adjusting SKU placement in the warehouse to reduce costs and improve throughput.
The Astro WMS® slotting functionality visualizes deviations between the assigned zone and actual frequency statistics. Then it provides decision support for adjusting SKU placement. This helps improve picking efficiency and flow, reduce operating costs, optimize use of warehouse space and increase order shipping accuracy.
The cumulative benefits are vast – one user, Løvenskiold Logistikk, boosted picking round efficiency by 15% and saved NOK 4 million using slotting.
4. Efficient loading and reporting of parcel trips
Often, normal routing and trip logic are insufficient, and parcel trips are sometimes ‘indefinite’ in capacity. Astro WMS® allows you to define a route as ‘in-house’. Orders and order lines are then automatically assigned to the destination trip when moved and loaded. You get full visibility of the destination trip, complete with user-friendly reporting.
This feature is easy to set up and leads to massive efficiency gains for ecommerce companies.
Are you maximizing cost savings and efficiency in your warehouses?
