How We’ve Built Warehouse Management Software for The Retail Company

Standalone Warehouse Management Systems

This is a typical on-premise system running on native hardware and connected to a business network.

Supply Chain Modules

This type focuses on automating processes like inventory management, material sourcing, and product cycles, and it necessitates the purchase of supply chain planning applications with warehousing facilities.

Integrated with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems

This type is integrated with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and incorporates warehouse management tools as well as other ERP capabilities.

Cloud-Based Warehouse Management Systems

These are hosted on a separate/private server and provide greater data protection for businesses that deal with high-value products.
The central idea
We, at Bytes Technolab, have extensive expertise building and implementing a wide range of customizable solutions for a variety of business industries, including logistics, e-commerce, recruiting, CRM, e-learning, fintech, and more. That’s why a retail business owner approached us with the notion of developing a warehouse management system to help him manage and monitor day-to-day inventory, shipping, sorting, and storing warehouse activities.

The following aspects were agreed upon for the system.
● inventory management
● order fulfillment
● tracking capability
● picking processes and auditing
● backups and integration
● analytics and reporting, and so on.

With this in mind, we created a warehouse management software concept that would benefit the control and monitoring of warehouse operations. It would help in the safe, timely, and cost-effective movement of goods and the company’s ability to function at the highest levels of efficiency and productivity.
Isn’t that impressive? So, let’s go deeper into the information below!

Project Structure of the Warehouse Management System

In the image below, you will be able to look at the structure of the project and the technologies that can be used for development.

Manager Dashboard

This is the home page, and it’s the first thing managers see when they log in. It provides them with a clear image of the process. The following options are available to you as a Manager in the main menu:

• Contacts
• Orders
• Items
• Packages
• Reports
• Invoices
• Integrations

Contacts

You may get all of the specific information on the consumers you work with using this function. All of your information is maintained in the warehousing management system, including your name, email, phone numbers, billing and shipping addresses, website information, and so on, so you may make transactions quickly and efficiently. You will not only be able to send emails to customers and examine their information, but you can also simply establish sales transactions for them. A table with the following data can be found on the page:

• ID
• Full name
• E-mail
• Company

When you click on the field, the information containing the following tabs will be displayed:

• General overview
• Transactions
• History

Items

By selecting the Items option from your main menu, you can quickly access this function. As you may know, items are things or services that you sell or provide to clients, and that can be purchased from company suppliers. You can not only see and operate all of the goods, but you can also analyze them using your WMS solution. The following information can be found in a well-structured table:

• ID
• Product code
• Product name
• Special instructions
• Status (in progress, completed)
• Date
• Quantity
• Actions

You will be able to create a new item and enter all the information that is required by clicking on the Add button, which is on top of the Items page.

Orders

This functionality is simply accessible via the corresponding option in your main menu. This page contains a table with the following columns that contain all of the detailed information regarding the sales process – quantity, price, and delivery.

• ID
• Date
• Order number
• Customer name
• Status (Draft, Void, Confirmed, Closed, On Hold)
• Invoiced
• Packed
• Shipped
• Amount
• Actions

On the top of the Order list page, you can find the Add order button that will allow you to make a new order and enter important details.

Packages

The Packages option can be accessed via the main menu’s corresponding option. You can select the customer’s order to be shipped and assign package slip numbers to the goods using this functionality. The following columns are used to organize the data in the table:

• ID
• Date
• Name
• Status (not shipped, shipped, delivered)

Add package button is found on the top of the page and a filter that will allow you to sort packages according to the status you need.

Invoices

The Invoices option can be accessed via the main menu’s corresponding option. This option allows you to disclose all relevant information regarding the sale, such as the number of units sold, the price, and delivery information. The following columns can be found in the table:

• ID
• Name
• Date
• Amount
• Paid
• Status (sent, paid, overdue, refunded)
• Actions

When you click on the user’s name, you’ll get an invoice with all of the purchase details. You may also use the Add Invoice button at the top to create a new invoice.

Integrations

In your main menu, look for the Integration page. You can use this feature to combine numerous different components, such as payment gateways and shipping providers, into a single system. It allows you to better assess business operations and allows you to increase productivity and optimize your company’s workflow. The Add button is located at the top of the page and allows you to add additional integrations.

Reports

The Reports page is easily accessible from your main menu. Not only can you use this function to properly enhance your company’s business processes, but it also allows you to cut costs and control risk. You can only make informed data-driven decisions and achieve success if you find the most profitable item and track purchases and sales.

Notifications

This function ensures that all warehousing management system users are up to date. Furthermore, within the warehousing management system, users can customize how they want to receive notifications and alerts. It not only keeps them informed about what’s going on in the WMS, but it also keeps them informed about changes like shipping, inventory, invoice status, backorders, and so on.

Administrator Dashboard

This is the first page an administrator sees when he/she logins into their account. It provides a clear image of how well the business is running – top-selling items, sales, and stock summary, recent bills, number of orders shipped, and so on. An Administrator has access to various aspects of the warehousing management system, including:

• Contacts
• Items
• Orders
• Packages
• Invoices
• Integrations
• Reports
• Settings

Now we will look at the Settings function, which isn’t available in the Manager Dashboard.

Settings

This option can be found in the Administrator’s main menu. The following widgets can be found on the Settings page:

• Users
• Items
• Locations
• Inventory Adjustment
• Configuration
• Company Profile

You will be taken to the Users page if you click the Users widget. You can make changes here, such as:

• Add a new user
• Buy more users
• Set up the maximum number of users

By selecting the Company Profile widget, you will be sent to a page where you may modify all of your company’s information:

• Company ID
• Number of users
• Company name
• Company shipping address
• Company billing address

Additionally, you can choose a logo for your firm and then upload it.

Bulk, Pre-Pack, And Break-Pack

You can use this function to keep track of your inventory within a system. You can not only pack and kit items when they arrive in bulk, but you can also break down packs if an order needs to be completed.

Integration of Carriers

This functionality combines shipping data and fulfillment procedures, allowing for faster automatic booking, printing shipping labels, and tracking number management.

Physical and Cycle Counting

You can automate your inventory counting and make it more successful by removing manual human errors with this function.

Directed Putaway

This feature facilitates smart inventory putaway by allowing you to stock products received based on volume, open locations, product size and weight, hazardous material segregation, and other factors.

Ecommerce Integration

This feature allows you to connect your online shopping carts and order creation features.

Mobile Device Support

This feature allows several devices to input data at the same time. In and out of the warehouse, quick and reliable barcode scanning is essential.

Support for Multiple Locations

This functionality enables you to handle numerous warehouse locations, allowing orders from various places to be completed.

Order Consolidation

Order consolidation allows you to combine all of the items from a multi-product online order into a single shippable package.

Labeling

Labeling lets your suppliers to print their own barcoded labels for received shipments and assures compliance with various labeling standards and criteria.

EDI support

This type of data utilization is supported by EDI, which allows computers/tools to share information, allowing for more order, payment, analytics, and business process optimization skills.

Real-Time Data

You can optimally manage inventory, labor, and other assets based on real-time data to respond to your company’s needs.

Returns and Receiving

By rescanning and putting returns back into inventory, this function allows you to plan and streamline the process of receiving and returns.

Wave Picking and Distribution

With this kind of function, the movement pattern becomes snake-like, allowing you to pick many orders at once.

Faster Inventory Turnover

A WMS solution can help you lower lead times and eliminate the requirement for safety stock by enhancing record accuracy and cutting down inventory movement from receiving to shipping.

Tracking

With serial numbers, you can quickly track every item or parcel in your inventory.
Real-Time Synced Inventory Updates
Due to real-time inventory management and automatic changes, you can ensure that all of your sales channels are up to date. It not only reduces the risk of overselling but it also eliminates redundant data entry.

Manage Orders

Purchase orders, backorders, and drop shipments can all be simply created and handled, allowing you to work faster and more efficiently.

Data-driven decisions

Based on real-time data, you may detect possible inventory problems and make effective decisions.