WMS evolves for 3PLs: Growing needs and functions drive software development

摘要

Warehouse management systems (WMS) and related software have gone through a number of design evolutions. If one goes back to ancient times, which is only a couple of decades ago, most warehouse management systems were in their infancy. Most were designed to operate mainly with paper-based systems, although a couple of providers had foretold the future with customized systems involving RF and barcode technology. The core of many WMS systems was functional capability like: 1. receipt processing, recording and exceptions (over, short and damaged); 2. putaway and pick slot replenishment; 3. less-than-full case order picking and packing; 4. shipping and manifesting; 5. inventory control (including in-warehouse location management, and lot control in some specialized cases); 6. support functions like inventory counting, archiving and records, pallet control, etc.