Warehouse Management

Remote Fulfillment Services Directory

Publishers often operate a warehouse where books are picked, packed and shipped.

Most book publishing software solutions offer integrated warehouse management system (WMS) functionality or integration with 3rd party warehouse management solutions.

When you are evaluating WMS software you want to visit publishers or distributors that use the warehouse management system you are evaluating.

There are three levels of warehouse operations;

1. Basic - At the basic level stock is stored on shelves and picked manually from instructions printed on the invoice and/or pick list.

Software at this level should handle:

• Multiple stock locations for each product
• Printing pick lists/invoices with stock locations
• Transmitting an order's ship-to information to the shipping manifest system (UPS or FedEx) used by the publisher

2. Intermediate - At this level the publisher uses portable bar code scanners to improve the accuracy of stock receipts, transfers and physical inventory counts.

3. Advanced - An advanced warehouse operation makes extensive use of bar codes, bar code scanners and wireless data terminals to manage the entire fulfillment process and maximize employee productivity.

IBS Bookmaster, SAP and Vista solutions have an track record of implementing integrated functionality at this level.

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Warehouse
Management Functionality Ranking
(as of Dec 22, 2009)

1. SAP
2. IBS Bookmaster
3. Publishing Technology
4. Klopotek
5. HiPoint
6. Acumen
7. Cats Pajamas

Integrated Warehouse Management

vs.

Third Party Warehouse Management

The difference between these two systems often comes down to a choice of Real Time Updating vs. Batch Updating.

With real time updating your warehouse management system (WMS) is continually updated with new orders as they arrive.

In a batch update process the WMS is updated on a periodic basis, often once a day and usually at night. In such a system orders which arrive on Monday can't be picked until Tuesday.

You choice may also affect the resolution of technical problems. Sometimes; not always, when you integrate two systems and encounter problems the vendors may point the finger at the other one.

Recommendation: Look for a solution with good references.