Dec 1, 2022 | Blog
What is SAP?
Initially known as System Analysis Program, and later abbreviated to SAP, this company has become one of the leading producers of software business management processes. It grew from a small five-person team to over 105,000 employees world wide. With more than a hundred applications produced by SAP, you can connect all aspects of your business together into one digital platform.
How Does the SAP Fulfillment Process Work?
With SAP Sales Order Fulfillment, you can manage the orders filtering in through your business. It begins at the creation of a sales order and is highly communicative with the customer so they can monitor the status of their purchase. With SAP Sales Order Fulfillment you can create delivery documents, invoices, release credit blocks, reject sales orders, generate account documents, and much more.
What Does an Order Fulfillment Provider Do?
When it comes to shipping goods to your client, you will need to do this yourself, or find a fulfillment provider. Many companies opt to utilize a third party fulfillment provider due to the high cost of building out a logistics process. An order fulfillment provider will sort, store, pick, pack, and ship orders for your business from its physical fulfillment center.
What Are the Benefits of Using an Order Fulfillment Provider?
With an order fulfillment provider, your high quality order processing and shipping process will make things simple for those who wish to purchase from your brand, which will generate repeat business. And as a business you get to strategize with a company who has deep knowledge about the logistical industry. The best fulfillment providers will look at your order history and help you consolidate your inventory to key locations and create more efficient logistical processes to save you money.
Check out ShipHero’s fulfillment services!
Factors to Consider While Selecting an Order Fulfillment Partner for SAP
Order Fulfillment Speed
Companies like Amazon have made speed a huge purchasing factor for your clients. If they put an item in your cart, and see it won’t ship to them for 5-7 days, they are highly likely to leave your platform all together and go try to find the same product elsewhere. When it comes to providing top tier service and staying top of mind, you need to make faster shipping a priority. An order fulfillment partner can help.
Storage and Fulfillment Fees
The cost of a fulfillment partner’s services often accrue in different fees. The top being the cost of storing your inventory and fulfilling your order. This may appear as a monthly overall cost based on your average order volume, or a small fee per order. Either way, they are fees to be aware of when looking for a fulfillment provider. However, compared to the cost of building your own logistical process and investing in the buildings, equipment, and people needed for it, many business owners feel these fees are worth the price.
Pricing
When searching for a fulfillment provider, make sure you are keeping an eye out for what best fits your budget. Pricing is highly different between companies. Some offer you a free trial. Others offer a demo. Some want a full understanding of your inventory and order volume before they will quote you. Others have transparent pricing on their website where you can generate a quote yourself. Because this pricing will vary between companies, be sure to pick a provider who is forthcoming with any fees or overage costs you may incur.
Returns Management
A customer is less likely to buy from your store again if they have something they need returned, and the returns process is extremely hard. A good fulfillment partner will help you create a process to handle these returns smoothly for your client. They will also communicate with you on if you want the item to be restocked or shipped to the manufacturer if there was a defect.
eCommerce Platform Integration
A high quality fulfillment partner will integrate into the order processing technology your company currently uses. Without this integration, orders could get lost, manual data entry may be required, and it could slow down your order process. Which makes eCommerce platform integration essential for your business. Some fulfillment providers will even have engineers on site who can help build these connections between your platforms if a native connection does not already exist.
Ease of Use
It’s important you as a business owner get as much time in your day as possible. Which means whatever platform your company uses shouldn’t be difficult to figure out. Fulfillment providers will work with you to access their solution and tie their programs into your own. But those programs should be relatively simple for you and your teams to use. Keep this in mind when a fulfillment provider is showing you their solution.
Additional Software For Your eCommerce Business
If you use SAP, you know there are many different integrations you can utilize to amp up the effectiveness of your eCommerce business. And as we grow within the digital age it’s important to understand what options are available to you. Softwares which improve your marketing, your cart check out rate, give you an ERP system, aid your sales team, or aid in the customer experience help when expanding your business. Below, is a list of software which will help you fulfill orders and enhance your eCommerce business. Let’s take a look!
Best SAP Fulfillment & Software Integrations
With fully outsourced fulfillment options, ShipHero helps their clients develop a powerful logistics solution. They offer both order processing software and high quality outsourced fulfillment which will help you impress your customer every step of the way.
Pros
- Fully outsourced fulfillment solution
- eCommerce Integration
- High quality customer support
Cons
- No QBO integration (anticipated in 2023)
Pricing
- $0 Setup
- Pick, pack, box & postage included in cost
- Can request a quote on website
Check out ShipHero’s fulfillment services!
2. Zoho Inventory
With Zoho, you can manage and fulfill orders, streamline multiple sales channels, and oversee your warehouses all in one platform. This inventory management software focuses on helping growing business across the US. Their app works on both Android and iOS devices so you can be connected to your business wherever you may be.
Pros
- Warehouse management
- Multiple shipping integrations
- High number of out of the box integrations
Cons
- Focused on US businesses only
Pricing
- Free to sign up
- Pricing plans include several different options to choose from
3. DiCentral
As a global leader in EDI (electronic data interchange) DiCentral can help businesses expand their supply chain. They are a leading provider of supply chain solutions around the world.
Pros
- Integrate with any industry
- Has several systems you can use (ERP, WMS, accounting) if you don’t have your own
- Highly flexible EDI
Cons
- Needs a high amount of training
- Errors can be hard to fix
Pricing
- Offers basic, standard, professional, and enterprise packages
- Offers a free demo
4. Procurify
This is a procurement and purchasing software which helps your team track, control, and analyze your business spending. With this program you no longer need to use spreadsheets for your purchasing needs. You can generate purchase orders from virtually anywhere.
Pros
- Develops transparency in your organization
- Improves your operational efficiency
- Standardize your workflows
Cons
- Not many advanced filtering features
- Reports have low customization options
Pricing
- Offers different package types per your business needs
- Allows for customer pricing plans if needed
5. Prodsmart
This is a manufacturing solution which helps you enhance your production and can be used in a modular way. It empowers your shop floor workers and is built with a data security mind. Their systems will help you track your orders, shipping, and give you real-time visibility into production.
Pros
- Clean design and ease of use
- Highly customizable
- Professional and helpful customer support
Cons
- Some steps get repeated through the process
Pricing
- 14 day free trial
- Offers a product demo
- Transparent pricing and modular options
Check out ShipHero’s fulfillment services!
6. Sana Commerce
This company has a solution which will help you expand to meet your customer and market expectations. While not a fulfillment provider, this platform provides an integrated shopping cart software for both Microsoft Dynamics and SAP.
Pros
- Integration with SAP is easy to set up
- Well thought out training materials
- Robust product
Cons
- Lack of reporting and analytics
Pricing
- Offers a free demo
- Packages include essential, pro, and advanced options
7. Pepperi
With their B2B eCommerce platform, your sales channels can all funnel into your own branded eCommerce app. This program helps you understand buyer trends so you can strategize key promotion plans. Their goal is to help you increase your sales and improve your margins with Sales Force Automation (SFA).
Pros
- Can extract helpful customer information
- Can be used on web and mobile (iOS, Android)
- Accepts payments
Cons
- Updates can sometimes break the software
- Can be complicated for first time users
Pricing
- Pay as you go pricing model
- Free demo available
- Customized quote for business needs
8. Tradogram
This cloud-based procurement management software allows you to gain control of your purchasing. It is highly customizable and offers tools for managing and improving your purchasing processes. With it you can manage supplier lists, item catalogs, user permissions, approvals, budgets, inventory, and even build custom reports.
Pros
- Highly customizable
- High quality support team
- Easy to use and to teach
Cons
- Limited reporting capabilities
Pricing
- No contract required
- Offers basic, premium, and enterprise packages
9. inSitu Sales
This software is designed for wholesalers who look to enhance the capabilities of their sales team. With it you can create sales orders, mobile invoices, estimates, and take payments. You can also generate sales routes and track sales representatives with live GPS. And it integrates directly into your ERP solution to streamline the ordering process.
Pros
- Offers mobile invoices for sending sales orders & receiving payment
- View of inventory picklist
- Deep integrations into several ERP systems
Cons
- Works best if you are a wholesaler
Pricing
- 14 day trial available
- Offers free demo and onboarding
- Tiered subscription pricing options available
10. k-eCommerce
With k-eCommerce, SAP users have access to ePayment solutions worldwide. It is built for sales with the goal to drive continual growth. It has an ERP integration with SAP to help you automate and unify your business processes.
Pros
- Helps you secure your website
- Integrates with SAP and Microsoft Dynamics
- Ovvers payment solution integrated into your ERP
Cons
- Slow support response to program bugs
Pricing
- Can request a quote on the website
Final Thoughts
There are several solutions available to help your eCommerce business rise to the next level. As you compare businesses to find the right solution, keep in mind a good fulfillment partner should amplify your business and key software can give you time back in your day. Which should make it easier to reach your clients with your product and enable your supply chain to become a well oiled machine.
Order Fulfillment for SAP FAQs
What Is SAP Order Fulfillment?
This is a fulfillment app which allows you to monitor sales orders in key stages, collaborate with your third party fulfillment partners, and address any issues which may arise.
What Is the Fulfillment Process in SAP?
Once a sales order has been created it starts the fulfillment process. From there, your order gets sent to your fulfillment provider who picks, packs, and ships the product out. Through the program, they can confirm receiving the order as well as send you tracking information. That way you can ensure the customer can monitor the status of their order.
How Can I Improve My Order Fulfillment?
While there will always be aspects of your order fulfillment you can improve, here are a few which can make a big impact if you get them right.
- Make sure your fulfillment systems are fully integrated together
- Ensure your warehouse locations are specific to the location of key customers
- Continually measure and review key warehouse metrics
- Look for ways to simplify your order fulfillment processes
If you start with the above and review these strategies with a fulfillment provider who has in-depth experience in the logistical industry, you will streamline your fulfillment processes quickly.
Dec 1, 2022 | Blog
With today’s customers demanding fast fulfillment times and one or two-day shipping, manual warehouse operations just won’t cut it anymore. These days, you need to automate warehouse operations if you want to satisfy customers and grow your eCommerce business.
What is warehouse automation and what do you need to implement it in your business? Read on to learn more.
What is Warehouse Automation?
Warehouse automation is the process of automating your daily warehouse processes with minimal human involvement. Businesses generally implement warehouse automation to eliminate labor-intensive work that requires a lot of time and effort. It also minimizes the number of manual tasks required, reducing the chance of human error.
When you hear “automation,” you may think of workers loading products into robots and drones. However, warehouse automation doesn’t necessarily need robots or other physical hardware. Sometimes, warehouse automation starts with implementing a warehouse management system or similar software.
What is Warehouse Automation Software?
Warehouse automation software is a tool used to automate modern warehouse operations. These tools reduce the manual tasks necessary in daily warehouse operations, increasing efficiency and reducing human error.
Warehouse automation software and tools include, but aren’t limited to:
- Automated data entry software
- Warehouse management systems
- Inventory management software
- Robotic solutions
- Warehouse management mobile apps
How Does Warehouse Automation Work?
Warehouse automation works differently depending on which software or tool you implement. Here’s a quick look at some example warehouse automation tools and how they work:
Warehouse Management System
A warehouse management system (WMS) provides tools to help you manage all aspects of day-to-day warehouse operations. It especially assists in the main warehousing flow of:
- Stock receiving
- Stock arranging
- Picking and packing products
- Shipping products to customers
- Tracking shipping progress
- Handling product returns
Warehouse management software also provides regular reports on your warehouse’s key metrics. This helps you identify improvement areas and make informed decisions on what to do next.
Automated Data Entry Software
Manual data entry is one of the most common work processes to automate because they’re often highly repetitive tasks.
Employees will enter information into the spreadsheet, highlight another cell, enter more information and repeat the process until everything is filled. It’s boring work and distracted workers often lose focus and enter the wrong thing in the wrong spots.
Automated data entry software helps you reduce the workload by automatically extracting data from documents and digitizing paperwork. In addition to preventing human error and saving time, you can assign your warehouse team to work on other important tasks that need a human touch.
Inventory Management Software
Inventory management software gives you real-time visibility into your entire stock, meaning you don’t have to do physical inventory checks as often. It also monitors your stock levels to notify you when you’re running out of a certain product, keeping your products from running out of stock.
In more advanced cases, inventory management software can forecast consumer demand based on historical sales and notify you to order more products in preparation for high-demand seasons.
Benefits of Using Warehouse Automation Software
When implemented right, warehouse automation software can improve your warehousing operations in many ways. Here are several examples of warehouse automation software’s benefits:
Reduce Human Error
There’s always the potential for human error in manual processes. Depending on the significance of the mistake, human error can lead to costly item replacement or significant shipping delays that reduce customer satisfaction.
Automated warehouse solutions reduce the chances of human error by automating certain warehousing tasks. For instance, pallet dimensioning systems help your warehouse crew accurately measure a pallet’s dimensions without using manual methods like tape measures.
Drive Operational Costs Down
Warehouse automation systems aren’t cheap but usually have a fast return on investment. Warehouse automation reduces your operational costs by minimizing:
- Manual labor costs
- Inventory and stocking errors
- The risk of product mishandling
- The cost of product handling
Increase Productivity and Lighten Workload
In addition to reducing human error, automated warehouse solutions reduce the time necessary to do key warehousing tasks. Using the pallet dimensioning system example above, warehouse workers can measure the dimension of a pallet and plug it into the system in minutes or even seconds instead of spending time measuring the pallet manually.
Automating warehousing tasks also reduces your employees’ workload, allowing them to skip over parts of the job they may find boring or frustrating. This improves staff satisfaction and can even increase retention rates.
Improve Safety
Warehousing operations are often high-risk because there are lots of people moving lots of goods from here to there at any given time. If an accident happens, people may get injured and hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise may be damaged.
Warehouse automation through automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) or autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) helps your staff move products safely. These autonomous vehicles and robots reduce human traffic throughout your warehouses, reducing the chance of accidents and ensuring your workers are safe.
Optimize Warehouse Space
Warehouse space isn’t cheap and you need to use every cubic foot of it to get your money’s worth. However, you can only stack products so tight and high before it becomes dangerous for people to grab them.
This is where warehouse automation comes in. Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and drones take care of the picking process for your team, so they don’t even have to leave the ground – no matter how high and tightly packed your products are.
Using every cubic foot of your warehouse available also means you won’t have to purchase or lease extra storage space as often.
Increase Customer Experience and Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is the goal of every business, and yours is no exception. Warehousing might not have a direct link to customers, but they can feel it when your warehouse operations are subpar. If your staff are slow to process products, customers won’t receive their goods on time, leading to lost sales and complaints.
The main goal of warehouse automation is to ensure products are fulfilled and shipped on time, increasing your daily operation’s efficiency. When you deliver everything punctually, your business reputation and customer retention will improve, giving you an edge over the competition.
Why Should You Automate Your Warehouse?
You should automate your warehouse to ensure your business can keep up with customer expectations while keeping costs down. Here are some reasons why you should automate warehousing operations:
Customizable Solutions
There’s no one-size-fits-all warehouse automation solution. Every solution is customized to your warehousing operations, meaning everything you implement is created to address your issues and requirements.
Cost-Effectiveness
Implementing warehouse automation is usually a large financial commitment, but you’ll immediately feel the effects. With warehouse automation solutions, you can save a lot of money on labor, equipment and maintenance costs.
Demand Forecasting
You don’t want to run out of your most popular product in high-demand seasons because that means giving up lots of sales.
Inventory management software helps you predict customer demand based on past sales so you can order more of a product. This ensures you won’t run out before the high-demand season rolls around.
Product Safety
Human error can result in damaged products or inventory loss, hurting your bottom line. Automating key warehouse processes means:
- Reducing human contact with your goods
- Lowering the likelihood of accidents that cause damaged products and inventory loss
Order Fulfillment Optimization
Warehouse automation tools show you the best way to fulfill customer orders. This means you can promise accurate fulfillment and fast delivery times to customers and deliver on it. You’ll build brand loyalty and gain an edge over your competitors by combining great products and punctual delivery.
When to Automate Your Warehouse
You should automate your warehouse after a thorough study of your warehouse operations. Implementing these tools is costly, so blindly following warehouse automation trends and current technologies without knowing what you really need will just waste your money.
If you can’t determine what aspects of your warehouse operations you should automate, hire a consultant to examine your business and identify what areas can be improved.
Types of Warehouse Automation Tools
There’s a wide variety of warehouse automation tools available for businesses to implement. Here’s an overview of the four most popular options in the warehouse automation market:
Inventory Management Software
Inventory management software is a tool that grants real-time visibility of your entire warehouse stock. This means you can stock enough goods to keep selling without holding too much of a certain product type.
This warehouse automation tool gives you greater inventory control and notifies you whenever something is about to run out, ensuring you’re always well-stocked.
Warehouse Robotic Solutions
Warehouse robotic solutions like AMRs and AGVs do various tasks around the warehouse. For instance, AGVs replace manual forklifts, collaborative robots (cobots) follow workers around as mobile storage bins and AS/RS systems pick items from high shelves.
In addition to increasing efficiency and reducing human error, warehouse robots reduce workplace accidents by removing the human element from often dangerous tasks.
Warehouse Management System
A warehouse management system is a holistic solution that offers inventory visibility and control over the entire supply chain fulfillment operations. A WMS helps you through the entire warehousing process, from when products enter the warehouse until they arrive at the customer’s doorstep.
Your WMS also lets you handle returns, generate performance reports and make informed warehousing decisions.
Warehouse Management Mobile Apps
Warehouse management mobile apps are like tiny warehouse management systems you can carry around. These apps help you through most of the warehousing workflow, from scanning products to labeling goods for shipment. Some of these tools are standalone, but others may require a WMS subscription.
How to Choose the Best Warehouse Automation Software
Implementing warehouse automation isn’t cheap, so you must ensure you implement the perfect solution for your company’s warehousing issues. Here’s a guide to choosing the best warehouse automation technology:
- Analyze your current warehousing situation to determine if you need to implement automation.
- Identify what you need out of the warehouse automation software.
- Examine your current business and determine whether you must connect other software or tools to your automation software.
- Define a budget and ideal ROI.
- Shop around for vendors that fulfill your business requirements.
- Negotiate for the best deal.
- Implement the automation software.
- Review and identify areas of improvement after implementation.
Key Takeaways
Warehouse automation software can be costly, but it’s a great way to improve your warehousing operations and meet increasing customer demands. Different warehouse automation solutions (e.g., WMS, inventory management systems and robotics solutions) fulfill different needs.
Before implementing warehouse automation software, you should identify your warehousing needs and find the automation tool or software that fulfills your needs at a reasonable cost.
Warehouse Automation Software FAQs
How is automation used in warehouses?
Automation is used in warehouses to reduce human error and prevent costly mistakes. Some examples of automation in a warehouse are using mobile robots to pick and pack goods, measuring pallet sizes automatically and forecasting customer demand.
What is a fully automated warehouse?
A fully automated warehouse is a logistic facility that primarily uses automatic cranes and other handling equipment in its day-to-day operations. A fully automated warehouse typically doesn’t use standard forklifts and has a minimal human presence.
What is smart warehousing?
Smart warehousing is the pinnacle of warehouse automation, where most of its operations are done automatically through robots and automated cranes. The main benefit of smart warehousing is that it prevents human error that may cause costly accidents.
Dec 1, 2022 | Blog
With the fast-moving nature of today’s eCommerce landscape, it’s challenging to balance inventory stocks to match customer demand. Both overstocking and understocking are detrimental to your business in different ways.
Fortunately, inventory management can help keep your stock at the right levels and provide real-time updates on your inventory situation. What do inventory control and warehouse automation entail? Read on to find out.
What is Warehouse Inventory Management?
Warehouse inventory management is the entire process of handling inventory items from arrival to shipping. It replaces manual processes across aspects like inventory tracking, staff management and storage space to ensure orders are promptly fulfilled and shipped.
While warehouse inventory management seems “invisible” to customers, it directly impacts their satisfaction. Subpar inventory management leads to shipping errors and delays, which lead to dissatisfied customers.
What is Automated Inventory Management?
Automated inventory management is a system that allows you to monitor and manage inventory in real time. Automated inventory management works with your order management software to ensure every single item received or sold is recorded as soon as possible.
Real-time data visibility means you don’t have to do physical inventory counts as often. Instead, you can just check your dashboard and get a good idea of your current inventory situation. Automated inventory management also notifies you to order more products if you’re about to run out of stock.
How Does an Automated Inventory Management System Work?
An automated inventory management system works by tracking and managing your inventory in real-time and providing you with the information to make informed decisions regarding your business.
Here’s how an automated inventory management system helps your business:
- Records incoming products quickly with mobile barcode scanners
- Sends notifications when you’re running low on stock for certain products
- Works with your order management or point-of-sale software to monitor current inventory levels in real-time
- Gauges product performance to see which ones are popular and which ones aren’t
- Forecasts customer demand and predicts the next high season based on past sales data
- Creates reports on inventory levels, profit margins and other important metrics to assist in decision-making
Why Invest in an Automated Inventory Management System?
You should invest in an automated inventory management system to ensure your warehouse or fulfillment center is well-managed and you can ship products to customers on time. Here are some additional reasons to implement an automated inventory management system:
Save Time Wasted on Manual Inventory Management Processes
Manual stock updates on spreadsheets often take hours, especially if you have a lot of products. Automated inventory management systems will update your inventory records as items enter and leave the warehouse or fulfillment center, so you don’t have to do manual stock checks as often.
Get Complete Inventory Visibility in Real-Time
Real-time stock tracking is indispensable when it comes to monitoring stock levels. With complete inventory visibility, you’ll know when to order more products before you run out of stock. Some advanced inventory management systems even remind you to put orders in when stock is about to run out.
Prevent Stock Miscalculations and Inventory Loss
Stock miscalculations can lead to lost sales and reduced customer satisfaction because the items they wanted aren’t there. Unfortunately, stock miscalculations and inventory loss are often common when you do manual stock checks. Inventory management systems ensure all stock is accounted for, which means your records will match what’s in the warehouse or distribution center.
Spot Problems Earlier
Issues like stock theft and product damage can hurt your bottom line if left unaddressed for too long. Instead of checking for theft or damage in monthly or annual inventory checks, automated inventory systems can detect stock discrepancies as they happen, allowing you to solve the issue before they become bigger problems in the future.
Scale Your Business Easily
Scaling your business often leads to increased warehouse space and more inventory transactions. If your inventory system is still fully manual, you need to hire many more people to keep up with the increased demand.
However, inventory management systems make scaling easier because you don’t need to increase your workforce. You can upgrade to a better inventory software package to handle the increased transactions.
Why is Warehouse Inventory Management Important to Your Business?
Warehouse inventory management is important to your business because it directly influences labor costs and supply chain efficiency. However, there’s more to it than just efficiency and cost savings.
Excellent inventory management automation directly influences customer satisfaction, despite customers never interacting with your warehouse staff in any way. This is because a well-managed warehouse or distribution center ships its goods quickly and accurately, ensuring customers get the product they want on time.
Benefits of Inventory Control and Warehouse Automation
What can you get from inventory management automation? Here are several benefits you can get by implementing inventory management systems:
Improved Order Fulfillment Accuracy
Poor warehouse management and disorganized inventory often result in customers receiving the wrong products. Naturally, this increases complaints and decreases customer satisfaction, so you want to avoid sending the wrong items.
Inventory management automation improves the accuracy of your picking process by organizing your shelves and guiding warehouse workers to the right items, increasing inventory accuracy and reducing human error.
Smarter Coordination
The job of an inventory coordinator is to ensure your company has all the products, materials and supplies needed to operate according to predetermined standards. Inventory automation software helps the coordinator accomplish their job by providing real-time visibility and updates on everything happening in the warehouse.
Instead of spending time inspecting inventory conditions and addressing bottlenecks in person, coordinators can work with the warehouse team remotely to solve issues in your supply chain and warehousing.
Faster Shipping and Deliveries
Thanks to the Amazon effect, today’s customers demand one or two-day shipping for almost all eCommerce products. Good warehousing practices can fulfill that expectation by improving the speed of product processing and order fulfillment.
However, you may have difficulty promising nationwide one or two-day shipping from only one warehouse. You can consider working with third-party logistics (3PL) companies to distribute your stock across multiple warehouses nationwide to expand your reach and deliver faster.
Boosted Warehouse Productivity
Automating manual tasks in warehouse operations like inventory storage and record-keeping can save you a lot of time. Moreover, taking focus away from these repetitive, time-consuming tasks frees your staff up for more strategic tasks like inventory growth planning and developing new shipping strategies.
Additionally, automating warehouse operations helps it scale easier. Instead of hiring more people to manually store and record inventory, you can upgrade your system to handle the added demand of running larger storage spaces.
Increased Customer Satisfaction
Excellent warehouse inventory management is a direct positive influence on customer satisfaction and happiness. You can promise faster shipping, accurate order fulfillment and even reduced shipping rates by improving your inventory management. Combine these factors with high-quality products, and you’re almost guaranteed to secure customer loyalty.
Good warehouse inventory management can make things right even when things go wrong. Great return handling means the customer gets the item they need quickly, preventing prolonged complaints.
How to Choose an Automated Inventory Management System
There are many choices for inventory management systems today, each with different features and benefits. An inventory management system must suit your business needs, so you get your money’s worth. Start your search by analyzing your business processes and requirements to ensure you have a good picture of what kind of automated inventory management software you need.
Once you’ve identified your business needs, consider these four things when choosing an inventory management system:
Features
An inventory management system’s features are one of its most important aspects. Check your list of requirements and determine whether the features of your prospective inventory management system can fulfill those needs.
Software Integrations
You may have pre-existing software like eCommerce platforms, warehouse management systems and point-of-sale software. Check whether your prospective inventory management system can integrate with them without any conflicts.
Learnability
There’s always a learning curve for new inventory management solutions. You need software that’s easy to learn if you want your staff to use them effectively as soon as it’s implemented.
Client Support
Implementing warehouse automation systems is a long-term deal, so you need to ensure the software development company is always there to help. Ask about their client support options and check online to see how well they’ve treated past clients.
Warehouse Inventory Management Best Practices
Good inventory management practices complement automated systems to help you deliver the best output. Here are several best practices used by modern warehouses worldwide to improve your warehousing operations:
Minimize Manual Input
Whether it’s handwritten or typed, manual inputs are prone to mistakes. Implement barcode and RFID (radio frequency identification) tags on your inventory items to minimize manual labor and human error.
Additionally, scanning a barcode or RFID tag on handheld devices only takes split seconds compared to writing or typing product records.
Standardize Picking Procedures
Your inventory-picking process should have standard operating procedures to save time. One useful picking best practice is to pick items in batches or waves instead of going to the floor every time an order comes in.
Reduce Human Contact With Products
Even if advanced warehouse automation isn’t viable, reducing human contact with your products is a good way to lower occurrences of product damage. Only allow your staff to touch products if absolutely necessary.
Put Popular Products Near Packing Stations
Inventory management systems can analyze which products are most popular based on sales and other factors. Put your most popular products nearest to packing stations to ensure you can ship them quickly without retrieving them from across the warehouse.
Get Feedback From Everyone
The best warehousing solutions don’t always come from managers or supervisors. Hold regular 360-degree feedback sessions where everyone from floor workers to upper management can speak their piece and discuss what can be done to improve warehousing operations.
Iterate Warehousing Improvements
You’ll never create the perfect warehousing operation on day one. Instead of sweeping changes at once, iterate on your warehousing improvement efforts. Apply changes in batches and evaluate whether they work before introducing more improvements.
Key Takeaways
Warehouse inventory management monitors your entire warehousing operation to increase efficiency, order fulfillment accuracy and delivery speeds. Good warehouse management is essential to securing consumer satisfaction and loyalty despite not interacting with customers directly.
It’s not enough to implement an inventory management system. You must choose one that fits your business needs, integrates with other tools like your warehouse management system and follows industry best practices to ensure you get the most out of your software.
Inventory Control and Warehouse Automation FAQs
How much does it cost to automate your warehouse?
The cost of automating your warehouse depends on the building size and what automations you want to implement. Simple systems that improve your picking process can start from $500,000, while full-fledged warehouse automation costs millions of dollars.
How do you organize inventory in a warehouse?
Different companies organize warehouse inventory differently. However, the general best practices are:
- Label products clearly.
- Store products frequently bought together near each other.
- Store popular stock items near packing stations.
- Stack inventory higher to use the vertical space.
What is physical automation in the warehouse?
Physical automation in the warehouse uses robots, drones and robotic systems in warehouse operations. These robotic solutions can scan arriving packages, pick items from shelves and even pack products for shipping.
Dec 1, 2022 | Blog
Many businesses these days already implement warehouse automation in various forms to keep up with customer demands and expectations. Warehouse automation tools help them deliver products faster, maximize warehouse space and reduce costs, among other benefits.
But what comes next after the current wave of warehouse automation? If you’re curious about what’s on the horizon for warehouse managers, read on to learn more.
What is Warehouse Automation Technology?
Warehouse automation technology encompasses all the tools and software used to automate warehouse operations. Companies often use warehouse automation technology to reduce labor-intensive work, reducing the occurrence of human error and avoiding costly mistakes. Automation also reduces total labor expenses, resulting in cost savings.
Warehouse automation doesn’t necessarily mean using robots or drones in your warehouse. It can be as simple as implementing a warehouse management system or automatic data capturing to assist in daily operations.
Some common examples of warehouse automation technology include:
- Warehouse management systems
- Robotic warehousing solutions
- Inventory management software
- Automatic data entry software
What are the Benefits of Warehouse Automation?
Some of the most important benefits of warehouse automation include cost savings, human error prevention and improved safety. Here’s a look at the benefits of warehouse automation:
Increase Warehouse Productivity
Warehouse automation software and tools take over manual tasks from human workers, meaning they can accomplish more work in less time. An example of how warehouse automation can improve productivity is when you implement goods-to-person (GTP) solutions.
GTP solutions typically use robots or machines to bring goods to warehouse workers for packing. These robots pick goods from shelves for your warehouse workers, so they don’t have to walk or ride forklifts from one end of the warehouse to another, saving them a lot of time.
Reduce Operational Costs
Implementing warehouse automation is often a major financial commitment, but the long-term cost savings can be considerable. Automating warehouse processes means you can reduce labor costs because you won’t need as many warehouse workers. Additionally, you’re less likely to suffer product damage or inventory loss due to human error when automating picking and packing processes.
Prevent Human Error
Manual processes are often prone to human error. While small mistakes won’t hurt your company much, big mistakes can cause significant shipping delays or major product damage, hurting your credibility and customer satisfaction.
Automating warehouse processes reduces human error by minimizing the role of warehouse workers in manual and repetitive tasks. For instance, automatic picking processes ensure your workers receive the right items to prepare for shipping.
Improve Workplace Safety
Warehouse operations are risky because workers often carry large items in high-traffic environments. An accident might mean people getting injured and hundreds of dollars in damaged goods.
Warehouse automation tools like GTP solutions reduce the risk of accidents by bringing the goods to the workers instead of the other way around. This way, there’s less foot traffic, reducing the likelihood of accidents.
Use More Warehouse Space
Your warehouse space is typically limited, so you need to use every bit of space to save on leasing or operational costs. Unfortunately, you can only stack your goods so high because your workers can’t pick products up safely when your shelves reach the ceiling.
Warehouse automation solutions like automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) help you by providing a safe way to pick products from high shelves without having your workers leave the warehouse floor. This means you can stack your goods as high as you like and use every single bit of space without endangering your human staff.
Boost Customer Satisfaction
Warehousing isn’t directly linked to customers, but good warehouse operations ensure their satisfaction. Your staff needs to process goods quickly so you can ship them punctually. If your warehouse crew is slow in fulfilling orders, customers will receive their products behind schedule, leading to complaints.
Warehouse automation tools improve your warehousing efficiency and ensure everything is shipped on time. By building a reputation for punctual deliveries, you’ll get happier customers and secure their loyalty.
Types of Warehouse Automation Technology
Different warehouse automation tools do different things to improve your daily warehousing operations. Here are three common warehouse automation systems you can look into:
Warehouse Management Systems
Warehouse management systems (WMS) are complete software bundles that help you monitor and manage the entire warehousing process. They cover all aspects of your warehousing operations, which include inventory receiving, storing, picking, packing, shipping and return handling. Warehouse management systems also give you automatically generated reports to help in decision-making.
You can consider implementing a WMS if you’re looking to improve your overall warehousing operations.
Inventory Management Solutions
Inventory management solutions give real-time updates on your supply chain and warehouse’s product stock to ensure you can meet customer demands without overstocking. Inventory management solutions also help you fulfill customer expectations by forecasting high-demand seasons and reminding you to order more stock before you run out.
Warehouse Robotics Solutions
Warehouse robotics solutions come in forms such as automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), collaborative robots (cobots) and more. The main objectives of implementing robotic solutions are reducing human error, increasing warehouse efficiency and preventing accidents by minimizing the human element in the warehouse.
Some examples of warehouse robotics implementation include:
- Cobots that follow workers around the warehouse as mobile storage bins.
- AGVs that replace manual forklifts to move products.
- Automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) cranes that store goods in high shelves unreachable by human workers.
Top Warehouse Automation Technology Trends in 2022
All the technology we’ve mentioned in the article is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many technological breakthroughs on the horizon, and each one has the potential to change the warehouse industry as we know it.
To help you prepare, we’ve compiled ten upcoming trends in warehouse automation you should keep an eye on:
1. Big Data and Predictive Analytics
Big data refers to large volumes of hard-to-manage data taken from sources like social media, transaction records and smart devices. These data volumes are often unstructured and tough to read, but they can provide so many insights that help your business identify upcoming trends and spot potential opportunities.
Big data goes hand-in-hand with predictive analytics. As the name implies, predictive analytics forecast upcoming events and situations by studying past data. For an eCommerce business, this might mean knowing which products will be popular and when they’ll be in demand.
2. Remote Warehouse Management
These days, you don’t even have to be on-site to manage a warehouse. Remote warehouse management gives you a real-time look into your daily warehousing operations and lets you make business decisions on the fly, no matter where you are. This is especially useful if your company runs multiple warehouses or distribution centers, meaning you don’t have to bounce around several locations just to ensure everything works.
3. Cloud-Based Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
In the past, WMS providers installed warehouse management systems on cumbersome servers that take up space in your warehouse. Moreover, you had to arrange a vendor visit to get upgrades or fix problems.
Cloud-based WMS makes things much easier for modern warehouses and distribution centers. Instead of physical installations, you can access the WMS through the Internet. Your WMS vendor can also install updates and fix issues remotely without arranging a visit.
4. Machine Learning (ML) in Warehouse Labor Planning Systems
Machine learning is a field of artificial intelligence (AI) where computers can “learn” things through experience, much like humans. Labor planning in the warehouse is often complicated because there are many moving parts like worker availability, schedules, work zones and other elements.
Implementing machine learning in your labor planning systems allows it to learn by doing. As time passes, your autonomous planning system will know what to do and what not to do. Given enough time to learn, your warehouse labor planning system will be fully autonomous and save you a lot of effort because worker schedules are now AI-generated.
5. Mobile Robots Displacing Conveyors
Conveyor belts are one of the oldest warehouse automation tricks in the book. While they’re still viable today, they’re slowly being replaced by mobile robots because they can go places that conveyor belts can’t.
However, robots can still work together with conveyor belts. Some robots are designed to move items between conveyor belts, minimizing the role of human employees in transporting items across the warehouse. Reducing human interaction with the product decreases the likelihood of workplace accidents that cause injuries and product damage.
6. Blockchain Technology
Blockchains are permanent, irreversible ledgers that everyone can see. Implementing blockchain technology for recording warehousing transactions gives you the transparency necessary to avoid fraud and leaves an audit trail to ensure your warehouse complies with all local regulations.
7. Warehouse Drones
Unlike their robotic counterparts, warehouse drones aren’t big or strong enough to move products reliably. However, they’re great at capturing data by scanning barcodes on crates or boxes. A skilled operator can maneuver drones to high shelves and narrow aisles, ensuring every package in every nook and cranny of the warehouse is scanned
8. Internet of Things (IoT)
The core concept of IoT is a network consisting of multiple smart devices. In warehousing, IoT devices like sensors, RFID (radio frequency identification) tags and trackers monitor the movement of products to give you a constant real-time view of what’s happening in the warehouse.
By implementing IoT, you don’t have to do a physical check whenever you need information on a package or product in the warehouse.
9. Voice Assistants
Voice assistants in warehousing help employees navigate the warehouse to find the products they need. With voice navigation, the employee doesn’t have to constantly hold a device, so both hands are free and can focus on their picking job.
Additionally, voice assistants require the employee to listen closely to the directions, minimizing distracting conversations among coworkers.
10. Wearable Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented reality in warehousing improves picking efficiency by showing employees how to navigate to the product and which box to take for packing. You can install AR technology on tablets, smartphones, or even wearable technology like AR smart glasses.
When the employee doesn’t know where to go, they can just pull their device up and get routed to the requested item for pickup.
Key Takeaways
Warehouse automation technologies improve day-to-day warehousing operations by increasing efficiency, reducing mistakes and minimizing the human element. You can fulfill more orders and ship quicker to secure customer loyalty by improving your warehouse operations.
Many warehouse automation options are available today, and even more technological advancements are coming. Following warehouse automation trends like big data, cloud-based WMS and robotics can help you stay ahead of the curve and learn which ones to implement in your company.
Warehouse Automation Technology FAQs
What are the new technologies in warehousing?
There’s a wide range of new technologies in warehousing. Some of the most prominent warehousing technology trends include, but are not limited to:
- Augmented reality picking
- Internet of Things integration
- Warehouse robots and drones
- Big data and predictive demand forecasting
- Cloud-based warehouse management systems
Will warehouses be fully automated?
These days, warehousing technology trends toward fully-automated warehouses and fulfillment centers. If the trends keep up, warehouses can be self-sufficient without human floor workers.
What are the types of warehouse automation?
The most common types of warehouse automation are warehouse management systems, inventory management software and warehouse robotics solutions.
Dec 1, 2022 | Blog
What is Salesforce Commerce Cloud?
Salesforce is continually hailed as one of the largest technology companies in the world. As they build, purchase, and partner with different services, their aim is to have any tool you need for your business available within their software.
And now, Salesforce has expanded this offering with Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Formally Demandware, this service is cloud-based and helps companies centralize the way they engage with customers during the sales and shipping process. This offering helps you to sell and fulfill on any channel, deliver fast and efficient fulfillment, offers order lifecycle visibility, simplifies complex order routing, and allows your business to scale on a trusted platform. Plus it integrates into several fulfillment and shipping partners your company may need to utilize.
What is Order Fulfillment?
Order fulfillment is the all important task of assembling and shipping an order to your customer. It is the process in which a product goes from your warehouse to your customers front porch all inclusive of packing, shipping, and handling. Though Salesforce Commerce Cloud gives you in depth information on customer profiles, connects your inventory and fulfillment data to your CRM, and automates sending an order to your fulfillment partner, it does not yet have the option to get your product to your customer for you. Meaning you will need to find a fulfillment partner to work with in order to complete your logistical process.
How Does Salesforce Commerce Cloud Fulfillment Process Work?
With this commerce portal, you can connect to a provider’s platform, and send them orders for your business. The platform can connect to the fulfillment and shipping provider of your choice with custom API connections and workflow automations. And as orders are completed you can filter this information back into your Salesforce instance to get historical data on your customers.
What Does A Salesforce Commerce Cloud Order Fulfillment Provider Do?
Once an order is received, a fulfillment provider will pick the order from your inventory. Pack it, including any specialized packing or boxes for your company. Print shipping labels and send it to your customer on your preferred method of shipment. Many fulfillment providers have their own shipping trucks take your product directly from the fulfillment facility to your customer. Others contract with other shipping companies to get you the best competitive shipping rates on the market.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Salesforce Commerce Cloud Order Fulfillment Service?
With the Salesforce Commerce Cloud you can connect your commerce channels to your marketing and sales channels so you can see the big picture in one place. This platform will help you reduce costs, increase sales, and is a flexible and trusted commerce solution. With in depth automation you can customize workflows and processes specific to your company. And when it comes to selling where your customers shop, Salesforce Commerce Cloud can connect to any channel. As your business needs grow you can continue to integrate and scale with others within their vast partner network.
Find out more about ShipHero’s Fulfillment Solution!
Factors to Consider While Selecting an Order Fulfillment Partner for Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Order Fulfillment Speed
The speed of your fulfillment is a big factor when customers make the decision to return to your store. In a world of single day and two day shipping, waiting any longer can stop your customers from completing orders, and send them looking elsewhere. As you search for order fulfillment partners keep this in mind and look for their average shipping times as well as expedited shipping time and costs so you can get your product to your customers when they want it.
Storage and Fulfillment Fees
When you store inventory with a fulfillment partner, they will likely utilize different fees for different aspects of your inventory. These fees could be regarding weight and size of the product, as well as fees to get your order picked, packed, and shipped. They can range roughly $3 to 5$ per item. And if you have multiple items in an order at once, some companies offer a bulk rate.
Pricing
Additional costs for fulfillment providers may include storage costs, inventory distribution costs, bin occupation, palletizing costs, and much more. These round up to your overly monthly cost with a fulfillment provider. As you hunt for the perfect fulfillment partner, you can ask for a breakdown of costs in order to understand exactly what you’ll be paying and why. The best fulfillment partners will look at your current fulfillment spend, compare it to your needs, and help you find a process which saves you money and returns more margin to your pocket.
Returns Management
The hassle of returns can quickly turn off a customer. If they have a bad experience with your product, then have a bad return experience, you can almost guarantee they won’t purchase from you again. A good fulfillment provider can help you navigate the road to returns with return automation, warranties, and exchanges. Then they can also help you either ship the product back to a manufacturer (if the problem is a manufacturer defect) or restock the item into your inventory though this may come with restocking fees.
What To Look For In A Salesforce Commerce Cloud Fulfillment Partner
eCommerce Platform Integration
This integration is important because it will help connect your business systems together. Which means you can see your customers orders, inventory, sales, marketing, and accounting in one place. It gives you the advantage by allowing your brand to keep up when many customers convert on multiple channels at once. And it helps you eliminate manual data entry, and improves order accuracy and automates customer notifications through their buying journey. An integration into your eCommerce platform is essential.
Multichannel Integration
In your eCommerce strategy, multichannel integration means you have the ability to connect different systems or platforms involved in your eCommerce strategy together so you can streamline the processes between them and create a consistent shopping experience for your customers. With a multichannel integration you can sell online, instore, on amazon, on etsy, and many other locations. Marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Google, and Walmart are key places to sell and a prime example of multichannel retailers.
Ease of Use
Whatever platform you choose, you shouldn’t need to be a rocket scientist to use it. Keep ease of use in mind when searching for a fulfillment provider. These solutions should make your life easier, not more complicated.
How We Chose the Best Salesforce Commerce Cloud Fulfillment Companies
The companies below can integrate directly into your Salesforce Commerce Cloud and are decided to help your business fulfillment processes shine. Each of them have specific pros and cons which we have evaluated and outlined for you below. Remember, choosing a fulfillment partner for your business makes a big difference for the customer experience, so make sure you choose a partner who understands your needs!
Best Salesforce Commerce Cloud Fulfillment Companies
Here are the Best Salesforce Commerce Cloud Fulfillment Companies:
If you want to dump the headache of running your own warehouse, or if you want to run your warehouse more efficiently, ShipHero has a solution. With a fully outsourced fulfillment option their clients have a powerful all encompassing logistics solution at their fingertips.
Pros
- Fully outsourced fulfillment solution
- User-friendly software interface
- eCommerce Integration
- Effective customer support
Cons
- Only 8 owned and operated warehouses
Pricing
- 0$ Setup
- Pick, pack, box & postage included in cost
- Can request a quote on website
- Flat rate, no zone pricing
Find out more about ShipHero’s Fulfillment Solution!
2. Unicommerce
This cloud based eCommerce solution can help automate your logistical needs. They ship directly to the customer, and provide a consistent customer experience with their omnichannel retailing solutions.
Pros
- Simplifies order processing
- Easy to use software
- Sell in various marketplaces
Cons
- Return management isn’t available
- Doesn’t work with FBA sellers
Pricing
- Choose from Standard, Professional, or Enterprise plans
- Can request a quote in the website
3. ERPAG
This cloud-based ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is designed with small businesses in mind. It is a simple, fully customizable platform with inventory management capabilities.
Pros
- Small Business in mind
- Account integration included
- Customer Portal
- More than 50 shipper integrations
Cons
- eCommerce Integration only with Shopify, WooCommerce, Square, and Magento
Pricing
- 15 day free trial
- Pay by number of users
- Transparent pricing of $25/user/month
4. NetSuite
Acquired by Oracle in November 2016, NetSuite can help you host eCommerce stores, manage your inventory, track financials, and update customer relationship management systems.
Pros
- Cloud based ERP system
- Wholesale Distribution
- Software suite with additional plugins
Cons
- Works best if all systems are tied back to NetSuite
- Heavy learning curve
Pricing
- Schedule a product tour
- Monthly licensing fee + user fees
5. GoFrugal
An easy to use omnichannel ERP, GoFrugal helps you transform the customer experience and start online business with low investment. Plus if you join their ONDC network, you can push your market reach to new heights!
Pros
- ERPs for Retail, Restaurant, Distribution
- Help revamp the customer buying experience
- Loyalty program module
- Easy to use
Cons
- No way to bulk update prices
- Users report support team experience could be improved
Pricing
- Includes starter, standard, professional, and ERP plans
- Pay as you grow with cloud pricing
6. Zoho Inventory
This online inventory management software helps growing business in the US. With them you can manage and fulfill orders, streamline multiple sales channels, and oversee your warehouses. You can even manage your inventory on the go as their app works on both Android and iOS devices.
Pros
- Multiple shipping integrations
- End-to-end tracking
- Warehouse management
- Several out of the box integrations
Cons
- Focused on US businesses only
Pricing
- Free to sign up
- Allows for a demo account
- Pricing plans include several different options to choose from
Find out more about ShipHero’s Fulfillment Solution!
7. ShippingEasy
On their website, ShippingEasy claims to give their clients access to the lowest USPS shipping rates in the industry. Plus their easy-to-use platform integrates quickly and helps you automate workflows within your business.
Pros
- Discounted USPS and UPS shipping rates
- Automatic order imports
- Award winning support
- Several marketplace integrations
Cons
- Doesn’t store or handle your inventory
Pricing
- Free plan option
- Paid plan includes free trial
Final Thoughts
Your fulfillment journey will continually change. As you grow and expand so too should your fulfillment partner. We hope the above offers you several options you can consider as your business grows and moves through its fulfillment journey.
Order Fulfillment for Salesforce Commerce Cloud FAQs
What Is Order Fulfillment in Salesforce?
In salesforce Order Fulfillment will help you streamline the picking, packing, and shipment of your orders. It includes a package within the CRM which contains simple flows and processes you can use to create a fulfillment strategy for your business.
How Do I Create a Fulfillment Order in Salesforce?
In Salesforce, you can build automated processes to streamline your order fulfillment. Meaning when a customer selects “order”, your process will automatically send the order to the fulfillment provider you partner with.
What Is Included in Salesforce Commerce Cloud?
With the Salesforce Commerce Cloud, you get several features including the tools to create a highly responsive eCommerce website, Commerce Cloud Endless Aisle, Commerce Portals, Order Management, and access to extensive partners to help you with any business need. This is built directly into the core Salesforce Platform and is available to current users at an added cost.
