If you have ever tried to find something in a messy closet that seemed to swallow up anything important when it came time to leave the house, you know the struggle that comes with disorganization. This same struggle applies to managing a warehouse, where efficiency and order are crucial for smooth operations. Like the organization process in your closet, the putaway process has an equally important role in keeping the warehouse orderly and functional, so that items can be easily located throughout the fulfillment process.
What is the Function of Warehouse Putaway?
The putaway function in a warehouse involves the systematic relocation of received goods from the receiving area to their designated storage locations. Warehouse operators use the putaway process for a variety of purposes, including:
- New receipts
- Crossdock moves
- Rewarehousing moves
- Replenishment moves
- Pack and hold processes
When executed strategically, a putaway process provides more efficient use of labor by reducing travel time around the warehouse. WMS putaway also improves inventory organization, accuracy and the ability to pick and pack more easily. Further, the tactical management of putaway makes more efficient use of valuable warehouse space.
Putaway Logic
The logic behind putaway processes revolves around inbound groups based on characteristics and rule sets. These rule sets are used to define where inventory is put away. ShipHawk WMS groups items into inbound groups and matches each group to any bins using a corresponding rule set.
Several conditions can define a rule set and where an item is ultimately put away:
- Item characteristics
- Inventory status
- Bin availability
- Crossdock demand
- Putaway rules
Warehouse Operations
Using the putaway logic, carrying out warehouse operations is smooth. When a container arrives at the warehouse, the ID is scanned and information provided to the WMS will apply the appropriate rule set and bin location for that container.
An item can also arrive individually and be scanned. Depending on how many corresponding container IDs are found, the WMS will either automatically direct the item for putaway or present multiple options for matching containers.
If the item has multiple candidate containers, the ShipHawk WMS will give the operator three types of options based on the defined rule sets:
- A preferred bin (recommended based on rule sets)
- A secondary bin (back up also based on rule sets)
- An empty bin
These three options allow the warehouse operator to easily locate the put away site, while also authorizIng backup options for alternative conditions.
Get Putaway Started with ShipHawk
Prioritizing the putaway process is essential to your businesses’ ability to improve operational efficiency and organization. ShipHawk’s best-in-class WMS includes strategic putaway logic that gives your business accurate storage information with options for alternate circumstances. Are you ready to start saving time and maximizing warehouse space? Schedule a time to speak to a shipping expert at ShipHawk today.