You have multiple warehouses to manage. What’s the best tool to keep track of inventory?

Inventory is always the backbone of any warehouse. Without proper inventory, a warehouse can never function smoothly. To keep precise inventory, the first thing we have to place a proper system in place. The choice between ERP and SAP is also very strategic in terms of complexity and type / speed of operations i.e. B2B and B2C model. Cycle count, monthly PI, ABC categorization in inventory (based on movement and value of product level inventory) are major ways to control it. Location & type of inventory mapping are major tools to have complete control over inventory. In the same way, proper recording of inward and outward movement of inventory i.e. Physical vs system control during throughput is also important aspect of inventory control.

In My experience TOC or buffer management system is best tool to manage inventory at different warehouse as it helps to ensure availability of parts at different level and optimum inventory at each location. It’s gives better visualisation in terms of level of parts like RYG, Black and white. It works on principle of defining stock level at each node based on lead time and ordering time. It further splits Inventory level in different colours to have actionable inputs to all. Kirloskar is best example of implementing TOC.

For all practical purpose nothing wrong in having multiple warehouses when u have multiple products with varieties at product level. To monitor inventory status @ realtime basis one must have very strong ERP e.g. SAP. We can identify every warehouse with unique location & material movements can be tracked @ individual level. For common SKUs we can put @ single storage location to effectively serve next customer. Having common warehouse for all products variants will help to monitor inventory or materials movements but it puts us @ larger risk from any eventuality. Otherwise inventory monitoring can happen in both scenarios effectively with strong ERP.

- Inventory is a major part of working capital and hence needs a real time visibility by all the end users like finance, supply chain , sales etc. - to manage all the movements of the goods and services , related financial dash boards , inputs for MRPs etc we need an application which is an inventory management tool - As we know we have various applications and softwares like Oracle , SAP with related modules and interfaces to pull the data and information on the inventory, consumption patterns , stock availability and stock out situations, - A real time dash boards are provided by these applications which is an input for decisions - As this is a part of the working capital , these dashboards and contents impacts process and financials

WMS tool is the best solution for FMCG & Manufacturing industries. However, No tool will ensure 100% solution. Need proper process & train people along with the tool. Proper master data maintenances is prerequisite to make any tool functional.

Before implementing any tool, one has to be clearly define the objectives to be achieved either quantitative and qualitative another aspect to consider would be the scalability and integration of the tool for other use cases. Basis which the right tool can be selected and tested with a POC.

It doesn't matter how good your systems are if the carbon based interface is lacking in corporeal functionality at a level that can execute the required systems action

Accurate Inventory Tracking: An inventory management tool provides real-time tracking of stock levels, ensuring accuracy in inventory records. This helps businesses avoid stockouts, overstocks, and discrepancies between actual and recorded inventory. Efficient Order Fulfillment: With features like order management, businesses can efficiently process and fulfill customer orders. This includes order creation, picking, packing, and shipping, leading to improved customer satisfaction and order accuracy.

We here at SmartPharma360 use a unique Cloud-based application for Inventory management for multiple warehouses to track the Inventory considering multiple checkpoints and increase the transparency with automation of the stocks with no manual intervention

Uma ferramenta de gest?o de estoques possibilitará que você tenha visibilidade e informa??es relacionadas aos seus materiais. Através do domínio e avalia??o dos dados, será possível avaliar cenários buscando maior eficiência e rentabilidade ao seu negócio. Lembrando sempre que a qualidade das informa??es transacionadas é essencial para garantir a qualidade e acertividade no processo decisório.

Business Requirements: Clearly define your business requirements and objectives. Identify specific challenges and pain points in your current inventory management processes that the tool should address. Consider factors such as order volume, product variety, and multi-channel selling. Scalability: Choose a tool that can scale with your business. Ensure that the inventory management system can accommodate growth in terms of product lines, order volumes, and business expansion. Scalability is crucial for long-term use and efficiency.

A escolha da ferramenta de gest?o de estoque dependerá de uma defini??o clara dos processsos, interfaces, gaps, resultados esperados, informa??es desejadas e velocidade de processamento e resposta. Estas s?o algumas veriáveis importantes para o processo de escolha, mas certamente n?o est?o limitadas a estas variáveis. Entender bem a dinamica da empresa, o estágio em que ela está e onde quer chegar, será essencial para o sucesso de escolha da ferramenta.

Al seleccionar una herramienta de gestión de inventario, hay que evaluar sus capacidades para realizar un seguimiento preciso de existencias, integrarse con sistemas existentes, ofrecer informes analíticos, ser escalable y adaptarse a sus necesidades específicas. Hay que considerar también la usabilidad, la capacidad de automatización y el soporte técnico para una implementación exitosa.

Among other things to consider, opting for a tool with a user friendly interface and mobile accessibility. Adoption of the tool and the time it takes to train users is critical for successful implementation. Mobile accessibility is essential if your team needs to manage inventory on the go. These features often get overlooked but can easily make or break your tool.

De acuerdo, y creo que en lo que ya se ha nombrado es muy relevante el presupuesto con el que se cuente para destinar a estás herramientas, de ahí la importancia de ver muchas opciones y revisar los contratos a los que están sujetos estos servicios ya que la mayoría siempre buscan amarrar a un cliente por medio del soporte técnico "lo cual es muy necesario" así como también las actualizaciones que mes tras mes van saliendo para el caso de los software, los cuales con el paso del tiempo se van enriqueciendo y esto hace que deban ser actualizados y por ende demandarán un nuevo costo de inversión para la compa?ía, hasta el caso en el que si tú no te actualizas entonces te dejan de brindar soporte.

En mi experiencia creo que es importante definir los roles y las responsabilidades de las personas que van a estar a cargo del proyecto de implementación como primera medida, no pueden ser personas que solo miren el proyecto desde arriba sino que deben estar inmersos en el mismo, ya que de ahí parte que se pueda hacer un correcto levantamiento de los procesos actuales y verificar así como con la implementación de la herramienta estos se verían modificados o simplificados para hacerlos más productivos. Una vez realizado este mapeo se debe hacer una gestión del cambio frente a las personas que van a comenzar a usarlo, ya que si algunas personas se resisten a los cambios, está gestión puede hacer el proceso más amigable.

En mi experiencia la mejor manera de gestionar varios almacenes y realizar un seguimiento eficiente del inventario, es utilizando un sistema de gestión de almacenes (WMS), integrado con tecnologías de identificación, como RFID o códigos de barras. Esto facilita la visibilidad en tiempo real, optimizando la precisión y eficiencia en la gestión del inventario. Además, la automatización y análisis de datos en tiempo real mejorarán la toma de decisiones y la eficacia operativa en toda la cadena de suministro.

A implanta??o de qualuqre ferramenta de gest?o em um ambiente envolvendo tecnologia, deverá garantir o correto mapeamento e integra??o dos pilares: pessoas, processos, sistemas, interfaces e infraestrutura. A aplica??o de metodologia de PMO deverá suportar o processo de implanta??o, visando atingir o sucesso esperado.

Optimizing your inventory management tool involves fine-tuning your processes and configurations to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and overall performance. Here are steps you can take to optimize your inventory management tool: Regular Audits and Reviews: Conduct regular audits of your inventory data to ensure accuracy. Regularly review and update product information, reorder points, and other relevant details. This helps maintain the integrity of your inventory records. Refine Reorder Points: Analyze historical sales data and adjust reorder points based on demand fluctuations. Fine-tune the parameters to ensure timely restocking while avoiding unnecessary surplus inventory.

N?o existe uma única maneira ou mesmo uma receita para a otimiza??o de uma ferramenta de gest?o de estoque. A otimiza??o deverá considerar todas as informa??es levantadas ao longo do processo de implanta??o, tais como, processos, interfaces, etapas, necessidade de treinamento, complexidade para o uso, integra??es com sistemas de dentro e de fora da empersa, velocidade de resposta, dentre outras. Lembrando que quando compramos uma solu??a de mercado, amplamente testada e utilizada em diversos setores e segmentos, deveremos sempre buscar adaptar os nossos processos ao sistema e n?o o contrário. Certamente a ferramente foi desenvolvida por especialistas, visando a máxima eficiência e produtividade.

Importante el uso de KPI's, la medición y la evaluación constante de los procesos de inventarios permiten hallar problemáticas que pueden ser solucionadas con la intervención de la herramienta o el desarrollo de nuevas funcionalidades dentro de la misma.

I love SAP . The capacity to view /check in the history any movement ( finance , wh management)and the easy way to check any movement for Wh management ( from Po to returns by material, TO, location, storage type, category) is key to successful manage stock in complex Wh ( like bonded fiscal Wh , high value , multiple sku’s) . In top of this lot of options to integrate automation like offloading , loading and packing . The set up to block movements in case of errors is helping to keep hight stock accuracy.

Inventory can be a devil to manage in business operation, since inventory is a direct asset to the balance sheet. Appraising the various. Working tools to manage your inventory, one need a tool that is user friendly, easy to analyze data, that is easy automated with real time processing for inventory data accuracy. From my experiences in using various inventory tools, I will recommend the use of SAP ERP software,.

For efficient inventory management across multiple warehouses, consider using an integrated Warehouse Management System (WMS). It provides real-time visibility, automates processes, and helps streamline logistics operations, ensuring accurate tracking and control of inventory levels.

The best tool to manage inventory across multiple warehouses is either Warehouse Management System (WMS) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).The latter integrates inventory management with other core business functions such as finance, transportation/shipment, sales, and procurement. When selecting the best tool/software for tracking inventory across multiple warehouses, consider factors such as scalability, integration capabilities, user-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and the specific needs of your business operations. It is essential to choose a solution that aligns with your organization's size, complexity, and long-term growth objectives.

For sophisticated inventory management across diverse warehouses, employing an integrated Warehouse Management System (WMS) or specialized Inventory Management Software.