LEA REPLY™ WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT

Supply Chain Digitalisation has led to a shift in focus from stand-alone solutions to platform-based models which drive visibility and collaboration. LEA Reply™ Warehouse Management is built on LEA Platform's microservices architecture, designed to enable simplicity and agility in order to add new functionalities when needed and to allow companies to collaborate effectively with their suppliers, distributors and other partners to ensure quality deliveries to end-customers.

LEA Reply™ WMS enables companies to manage and oversee their warehouse operations, maintain total control of stock at all times, optimise space allocation, reduce turnaround times and facilitate the real-time monitoring of activities. The software supports numerous customers across different industries in both distribution and production environments and can manage finished products, semi-finished products, and spare parts inventories.

The software can be integrated with all major ERPs and is compatible with highly automated warehouses, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), and the latest supporting technologies: RFID, smart tags, Pick-to-Light, voice solutions and wearables.

Typical warehouse activities can be classified in two categories: the main flow and supporting processes.

MAIN FLOW

The main flow of processes can be subdivided into the following four phases: Receiving, Putaway, Planning and Order Fulfilment.

Receiving:

• Receiving - goods and relevant documentation arrive at the warehouse and are loaded into the system, the preliminary quantity of stock is registered
• Counting - the goods are inspected and organised, the actual amount of stock and its palletisation are recorded in the WMS

Putaway:

• Allocation - For each pallet of goods, the optimal location to store the stock is assigned, manually or automatically (through optimisation logics) according to product characteristics such as size, weight, expiration, etc. Lists are generated for order fulfilment
• Storage - The pallets are then moved to their assigned storage locations, the correct placement is verified by scanning the barcode and the entry document is updated

Planning:

• Planning - shipment orders are received and updated taking into account the availability of stock
• Stock Allocation - The most suitable stock to be picked is identified based on various criteria with a focus on streamlining operations
• Picking organisation - picking lists are generated based on different criteria and logics

Fulfilment:

• Picking - the stock for fulfilment is picked from its storage location. In Pick&Pack mode, the shipping unit is prepared directly during the picking process
• Packing - shipping units are prepared using the stock picked, the appropriate packaging is selected and the parcels are weighed and labelled
• Shipping - after the order has been closed, the stock is divided into parcels, loaded onto the relevant means of transport and leaves the warehouse

SUPPORT PROCESSES

Support processes include all of the processes that ensure the effective monitoring and control of inventory and warehouse resources:

• Inventory Management: handling and quality control to ensure alignment between the system and the physical stock
• Space Management: the configuration of physical space and handling units
• Processing: value added processes related to particular sectors such as assembly, bills of materials, sampling, etc.

Alongside the classic benefits that a WMS brings, choosing LEA Reply™ WMS provides a number of additional benefits.

LEA Reply™ WMS BENEFITS:

• Business Services: Our modular, business service-based approach allows development teams to rapidly deploy or modify individual services, which act as building blocks to create new applications at an unprecedented rate.
• Integration: LEA Reply's open API framework facilitates the fast and easy integration of systems and technologies. Make the most of your existing IT investments by choosing a cloud-native WMS that is able to interact and share information, the Cloud is a natural platform for collaboration and integration between systems, customers and suppliers.
• Visibility & Collaboration: LEA Reply WMS enables you to easily view relevant information, with real-time reports that allow you to monitor activities and track performance. Moreover you can respond to trends as they happen and proactively address anomalies. Information can also easily be exchanged across supply chain players.
• Better ROI: An efficient WMS allows you to improve margins due to better demand planning, space utilization and labor optimization. Additionally with SaaS-based model all of the costs are covered within the monthly subscription, there is no need for upfront investments in servers, software license and engineering services and maintenance.



CLASSIC WMS BENEFITS:

• Optimised Space & Resource Allocation: Managing product placement and space utilisation means that products are shelved based on inventory logics, to reduce transportation time and ensure continued productivity in the warehouse.
• Speed Up Fulfilment: Human and automated resources can pick, sort and process more orders in less time, increasing efficiency in order fulfilment
• Reduced Waste: If you handle perishable goods or other date-sensitive stock in your warehouse, a warehouse management system can help reduce waste by identifying which units need to be picked first. Inventory management logics and Just-in-time management enable stock to be moved based on expiration.
• Fewer Errors & Returns: an efficient WMS ensures accuracy of inbound and outbound orders and processes leading to fewer errors and returns, increasing customer satisfaction.