10 core capabilities of a warehouse management system (WMS)

1. Warehouse receiving

A warehouse management system should streamline the goods receiving process by automating data capture with the help of innovative technology like barcode scanners and RFID scanning, providing real-time visibility into incoming shipments.

The best systems allow businesses to minimise the time required for unloading and processing large deliveries via staged receipt, while also having the flexibility to process unplanned shipments. They also allow you to automate the creation of documents that must be sent to suppliers detailing your packaging requirements.

Warehousing receiving functionality should:

• Provide clear visibility of future delivery details.
• Allow for the use of GS-1 Serial Shipping Container Codes.
• Facilitate staged receipt to improve inventory accuracy and minimise handling times.
• Offer the capability to handle advanced shipment notifications (ASNs).
• Optimise the storage of goods to more efficiently use warehouse space.

2. Stock control

A WMS should give you up-to-date visibility of your stock as it enters, moves through and is dispatched from your warehouse. It should automatically monitor stock levels and sales data so that as items are ordered, you always have a real-time view of your inventory and where goods are located.

Stock control functionality should provide:

• Continuous visibility of stock levels and statuses.
• Real-time updates and reports on inventory levels and stock movements.
• Barcode scanning and features to perform accurate inventory counts.
• Tracking via item serial number, batch and date.
• Support for Stock Keeping Units (SKUs).
• Stock allocation capabilities to facilitate First In First Out and First Expire First Out methods.

3. Consolidation of core systems

One of the key challenges of many ecommerce businesses is the complexity of managing multiple unintegrated software platforms. Integrating your warehouse management system with, for instance, your accounting, ERP or customer relationship management software simplifies your team’s daily tasks.

It means they do not have to manually transfer data between systems and can gain visibility of core business functions in one place, without the need to log in to multiple platforms. Ideally, a WMS will come with pre-built integrations for leading business platforms and offer an open API capability to integrate other third-party solutions.

4. Order management

A WMS removes the need to manually track your online stores and ecommerce platforms for orders coming in. The best systems can consolidate all your data into one platform, giving you real-time visibility and control of orders as they are received, all the way through to dispatch to the customer.

They enable you to consolidate orders together using filters to enhance the picking process, provide advanced data analytics functionality to spot trends and opportunities to increase efficiency, and can simplify the creation and printing of delivery labels.

Order management functionality should allow you to:

• Automatically receive orders from online stores and other ecommerce platforms, as well as via CSV uploads, API/EDI connections, EPOS systems or manual entry.
• Consolidate all your orders in one location so you can easily control and track progress.
• Sync your inventory data when orders are receiving and dispatched.
• Easily handle backorders.
• Change order details.
• Set up rules to automate processes.
• Gain insights with comprehensive reporting and data analysis.

5. Optimised picking and packing

The ideal warehouse management system should give you the ability to use differing picking and packing strategies. For instance, the system should be able to enhance picking efficiency by coordinating batch picking to pick multiple orders at once, or zone picking so staff members only pick items from a specific zone.

A WMS should also make it quick and easy to generate pick and pack lists as well as dispatch notes, and it should provide the visibility to track the accuracy of pickers.

Picking and packing capabilities should allow you to:

• Use a barcode scanner for greater pick accuracy and efficiency.
• Simplify the creation of pick and pack lists.
• Optimise picking routes to streamline the process and reduce errors
• Bypass damaged or missing items.
• Track the accuracy of pickers to spot mistakes and make improvements.
• Use multiple picking strategies – from piece picking to batch, zone and wave picking.

6. Data insights

Real-time, data-based insights about your warehouse operations help you spot trends and track key KPIs to constantly improve processes. The best warehouse management systems come with advanced data analytics and reporting capabilities to monitor order volumes and stock availability, with the ability drill down on specific data via filters.

They allow you to monitor metrics like on time in full dispatch times, order processing volumes and picker efficiency, as well as warehouse space and staff utilisation. Data analytics functionality also helps you spot trends like delivery spikes and to identify popular items.

In terms of data insights, a WMS should provide:

• The ability to schedule reports or tailor them to detail specific metrics or trends, as well as to drill down on data via filters.
• Visibility of the status, movement and availability of stock as well as order progress and daily dispatch summaries.
• The ability to spot and anticipate trends that develop over the longer term.

7. Returns handling

The ability to quickly and seamlessly handle returns is essential to maintain customer loyalty. A WMS should have the ability to automate processes required with returns, like customer communications and issuing refunds, and allow you to monitor the progress of returned items.

It should also streamline the process of creating any required documents and the logging of details around the return, such as the reason for the return and the state of the returned item.

WMS capabilities to handle returns should:

• Offer the ability to log the reason for the return and provide options to exchange or refund the item.
• Facilitate an inspection of the returned item to determine if restock or scrapping is necessary.
• Automate communications to the customer and track the returns process.

8. Warehouse optimisation

An ideal WMS can help minimise wasted space and improve efficiency by allocating storage locations for incoming inventory. For instance, placing fast-moving items in areas where they are easily accessible, while slower-moving items are stored in less accessible areas.

To optimise space, the best warehouse management system should provide:

• The ability to manage locations across several warehouses or zones within a warehouse.
• A visual representation of warehouse layout through detailed warehouse maps, enabling high-level visibility of location placements and contents.
• The ability to streamline stock control via barcode scanning.
• Classification of location types, including bulk storage areas, picking zones, etc.
• Implementation of access control measures to ensure security, adhere to health and safety protocols, and mitigate loss risks.
• Comprehensive reporting on location contents and inventory movement patterns.
• Unique identification codes for each location, considering factors such as aisle, column and shelf.

9. Delivery management

The ideal WMS offers integration with leading courier management and multicarrier platforms, which means you can control your shipments in a single location and do not need to log into separate platforms.

This integration saves time by automatically sending delivery information to the delivery partner, plus you can set rules to ensure the system chooses the most cost-effective partner.

Delivery management capabilities should enable you to:

• Generate shipping labels and return of tracking information in bulk.
• Select courier services automatically based on criteria you can define, like parcel weight, order value and destination.
• Automatically update all connected channels with shipment tracking information.
• Access data insights and reports about your deliveries.

10. Mobility

Mobile barcode scanning is essential in a WMS as it allows you to track and organise stock faster and with more precision. When an item is scanned with a mobile scanner, it is instantaneously updated in the WMS, which ensures you know exactly where it is and when it leaves your warehouse.

In terms of mobility, a warehouse management solution should ideally be accessible from anywhere at any time on a mobile device or laptop.

How Access Mintsoft can enhance your warehouse

If you are looking for a warehouse management system that offers all these core capabilities and more, Access Mintsoft might be the answer.

This intuitive cloud-based warehouse management solution empowers over 600 ecommerce businesses worldwide to eliminate manual tasks, simplify processes and get orders out faster.

Designed by ecommerce experts to help you save time, Access Mintsoft makes it easy to track inventory levels, customer orders and deliveries. It helps you simplify the management of delivery partners and streamlines the process of generating shipping labels, creating order/customer documentation and invoicing clients.

Access Mintsoft comes with 175+ pre-built integrations with leading couriers, multi-carriers and marketplaces like Shopify, DHL and Amazon, and its open API functionality allows for seamless integration with your business-critical systems like ERP, CRM or accounting software. This means you can easily access and control all your core fulfilment functions in one place.

Watch Video: Top 4 ways Mintsoft can help automate your order and warehouse processes