Compex Commerce: "Shuttle" transports create new options for multi-location warehousing

Compex Commerce enables wholesalers to serve their customers in a single, swift delivery, even though they keep part of their range stored in distant locations. The software accommodates “shuttle” transports that commute between warehouses regularly as well as all the related processes. Once a customer’s order has been received, the software activates remote warehouses to pre-pick their share and has it shuttled to the warehouse assigned with fulfillment.

On arrival, the pre-picked merchandise will go straight to Outgoing Goods, where the final picking takes place – in a process that is quite similar to what is known as “cross docking”.

During the whole process, the status of each ordered item can be monitored individually across all locations involved. Compex Commerce links all necessary software processes in logistics, merchandise management and invoicing.

Dealers distribute their stock-keeping on multiple locations for a variety of reasons, especially in the food trade. For example, there simply may not be enough storage space available, or affordable, on-site. Expensive equipment, as for deep-freeze facilities, may be confined to a single location. And sometimes, it just makes sense to keep certain goods close to the producer and transport them from there. At the same time, there are natural limits to such distribution strategies. Fresh goods, e.g., require a certain proximity to the customer.

One of the largest constraints, though, is the mileage inside the warehouses that normal protocol calls for. Moving goods from one location to another would require to count them where they are issued; to count, check and store them again where they are received; to book them in the inventory; store them, remove them from storage when demanded; and, at last, do the final picking. Good luck if you like your lettuce crisp. Standard protocol was not written for rapid relocations.

Short cut to Outgoing Goods
What the lettuce needs is a short cut within the warehouse. The first corner to cut is actually in the warehouse where it is kept. The lettuce will be pre-picked and tagged for the specific order before it hits the road. When it reaches the fulfilling warehouse, Incoming Goods, equiped with portable data terminals, will recognize the tag and cut out the counting, checking, storing. Instead, it will move the salad to Outgoing Goods directly where the final picking can start immediately. The result: crisper salad.

Assume that a wholesaler needs to purchase salad to fulfill an order. Can the same fast-tracking be applied here? After all, the merchandise must be checked, and counted? Yes, it this is feasible, provided that it arrives pre-picked. Checking and counting are, in practice, incidental to the final picking. Damaged goods and deviating quantities will be noticed and then, in a separated step, recorded. Time is saved, control is retained.

Optimized processes
Compex Commerce supports the processes outlined above from A to Z, guiding and documenting every single step. The initial one takes place at Central Order Entry. When an order is placed, the software will designate the fulfillment location and generate an order for the item in its system. At the same time, it will trigger a corresponding job in the warehouse management system of the nearest location that has the demanded item on stock.

Another example: Once the shuttle has arrived at its designation, Compex Commerce will automatically create an receipt for Incoming Goods by drawing the data from Outgoing Goods of the warehouse the shuttle came from. Similar cascades continue all along the process.

Incidentally, these cascades can be triggered in reverse. If goods are decided to be moved from one warehouse to another, the system can be set to generate an order from the receiving warehouse, which, in turn, initiates all necessary steps for the relocation. This may actually serve as an alert to the unsuspecting warehouse crew that new goods are bound to arrive. Shuttling processes can be used creatively. They give wholesalers fresh flexibility to leverage their distributed warehouses.