Omni-channel fulfillment is increasingly becoming the norm for manufacturers, retail suppliers and retailers due to growing demand to fulfill a wide variety of order requirements ranging from single-line orders to full-trailer shipments.
Tier One warehouse control systems (WCS) are emerging as answers for omni-channel order fulfillment. They include automation components and a scalable software architecture to manage real-time order processing and control decisions.
A Tier One WCS should incorporate the following functions:
Provide an order fulfillment automation platform that controls and operates as a continuous-process that integrates and optimizes picking through shipping in real-time.
- Contain all the automation components fully integrated into one software platform including modules for controlling and managing picking, packing and shipping.
- Has a database architecture built to manage SKU Plus records for supporting serialized track-and-trace of both linear and 2D barcodes.
- Scalability to operate one or more pick-pack-ship lines within a distribution center (DC), as well as multiple additional pick-pack-ship lines in multiple locations external to the DC simultaneously.
For more read, "Warehouse Control Puts Pick, Pack and Ship in Sync" on sister site MH&L