If you haven’t already, take your keyboard, mouse, desk, and desk chair and pick them all up and throw them away. So long stationary workplace; hello mobile warehouse! There’s a better solution and the only requirement is fingertips! Okay, maybe that’s a little extreme. All kidding aside, there are more and better solutions including JDA Warehouse Management 9.1. This version offers a completely new user interface that is web-based and tablet-enabled. Users will no longer need to install software on a PC or even need a PC to access and take actions in their warehouse management system. And based on what we’ve seen thus far, this is going to be a game-changer.
In our most recent implementation project of JDA Warehouse Management 9.1, there is a very large kitting/repackaging operation. Nothing groundbreaking; the operation takes a variety of single SKU products, and places them all in a box, and sells that new box as a new SKU that we’ll call a kit. Lots of businesses do this type of thing. The challenge has always been managing the build of these kits effectively, in real-time. Managing the ‘raw materials, assembly lines, finished goods completion, and staging and putaway have always been a challenge due to the lack of an available system in the warehouse. The needed PC is generally found in an office on the other side of the warehouse from the actual assembly area, and pacing back and forth or communicating effectively from that distance has not always been easy or accurate. Not so when you’re in a mobile warehouse enabled by JDA Warehouse Management 9.1 or greater.
Using the tablet-enabled web interface, this client can manage their kitting area. Dedicated users will be able to track production progress on helpful dashboards and take immediate action when they see opportunities; all via a device they can hold in their hands. Users can see every screen that would be accessible via PC which gives them access to view and move inventory, plan and release work, assign assembly lines and monitor the operation; all with the touch of a finger. Make no mistake, this will change the way this warehouse, and specifically this kitting operation, runs.
Kitting is just one example of where tablets are going to become a common asset in an operation trending towards a mobile warehouse. Based on my experience with the JDA 9.1 Warehouse Management user interface, you’ll start seeing tablets utilized in the following ways:
- Shipping clerks will be able to release additional work to the floor from anywhere in your warehouse
- Inventory control will be able to view, reconcile and adjust inventory from a lift, cart, or on foot
- Receiving supervisors will be able to view hot trailers