Scanning System vs WMS: Choose the Right Solution for Your Warehouse

Scanning System vs WMS: Choose the Right Solution for Your Warehouse

We recently talked about the difference between IMS and WMS. But there is another inventory management solution known as scanning system. In this article I explain what is a sscanning system, how it differentiate from a WMS, and guidelines for you to choose between them.

What us a Scanning System?

Don’t get confused! Most WMS uses scanners to enhance its functionalities, but that is not a Scanning systems. Scanner systems are hardware and software combinations designed to ireduce erros in receiving, picking and shipping.

Scanning and Receiving: Scanners systems allow you to scan the items against the purchase order that you are receiving, ensuring that you receive the right product in the right quantities.

Scanning and Picking: Scanners systems allow you to send a sales order to that scanner and scan the picked items against that sales order, ensuring that you pick the right product in the right quantity.

But here the benefits end for a scanning system because that is all it does. It captures the data, compares it with what you are supposed to have, and tells you if you are right or wrong. It certainly represents a huge improvement from a paper based operation, but it does not address the optimization of the warehouse processes.

What is a Warehouse Management System?

A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is a specialized software solution designed to optimize and manage all aspects of warehouse operations. Its primary focus is on the day-to-day activities within the warehouse, ensuring efficient movement, storage, and retrieval of inventory. It offers a wide range of functionalities:

1. Inventory Management: WMS provides real-time visibility into inventory levels, ensuring optimal stock control and reducing overages and shortages.
2. Order Management: It manages the entire order fulfillment process, from order creation to packing and shipping. This includes picking optimization, route planning, and batch processing.
3. Replenishment and Slotting: WMS automates replenishment tasks and optimizes product slotting to reduce travel time for pickers, further enhancing efficiency.
4. Labor Management: WMS offers labor management features to track employee performance, assign tasks, and optimize workforce productivity.
5. Reporting and Analytics: WMS provides in-depth reporting and analytics tools to monitor warehouse performance, identify bottlenecks, and make informed decisions.

Which One is Right for Your Warehouse?

Choosing between a scanning system and a WMS depends on the specific needs and goals of your warehouse. Here is our experience:

LaceUp Solutions

The choice of how to manage and control the warehouse is entirely yours, but as part of our customized approach to our solutions, we carefully assess your current processes and long-term objectives to make an informed decision that will lead to greater productivity and customer satisfaction..

I hope this article has been helpful to you. I will continue to post information related to warehouse management, distribution practices and trends, and the economy in general. If you want to know how Laceup’s solutions can help you with e-commerce, click the link below to schedule an exploratory meeting.

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