Once optimizing warehouse management, warehouse managers usually overlook the Putaway Process, even though it is a vital step in rising warehouse efficiency.
All successive warehouse procedures, particularly the picking procedure, are directly affected by the initial submission of goods.
The method of instantly transferring inbound inventory to its final destination in your warehouse is known as direct Putaway Process. Rather than being stored, you start preparing for delivery options as soon as the products are delivered.
What Is the Putaway Process?
Among the most basic warehouse operations is put away. It is the transportation of materials to a suitable storage location. Once goods are not stored properly, issues start. As a result, finding the best storage facility offers numerous advantages. For starters, cargo is stored extra quickly and effectively. Staff travel time is reduced as a result.
Furthermore, proper storage ensures the safety of the goods. Storage and handling also aid in making the most of available floor space. Eventually, the goods are simpler to track, locate, and collect.
Benefits of putaway Process
Here are some of the reasons why putaway is critical to the organization:
- You’re making it much easier to store the next batch of products now that you understand where and how to put them.
- With a Putaway Process. currently, you could indeed ensure that every product is accounted for.
- It lowers the likelihood of misplaced or lost items and provides you with a clean and orderly warehouse.
- This can help you speed up your picking when having to fill a command because you know precisely in which each item is, as long as you’ve got track of their places.
- This is incredibly beneficial when a warehouse is running low on stock for a specific product and requires it replenished quickly before a customer orders for it.
Types of putaway methods
Fixed-location putaway
This is one of the warehouse Putaway Process that does not necessitate the use of a program. When a warehouse staff allocates a precise area for particular items, this method works. Nevertheless, it does not always imply storing specific products around each other. Goods with similar features could also be managed to keep together based on data. Some people, for instance, prefer to group small items. Somebody else, on either hand, may group temperature-sensitive materials in one location. As a result, it focuses on customizing storage areas for branded items.
Dynamic putaway
A dynamic putaway plan concentrates on putting away arriving inventory in its most convenient place potential (for both storage and retrieval).
Dynamic putaway, as opposed to specific, is perfect whenever the large percentage of your inventory is comparatively close in terms of size, mass, as well as other physical features.
If all other variables are relatively similar, you’ll be capable of making hard choices about where to store inventory as it arrives.
Another big benefit of dynamic Putaway Process is the capacity to prioritize demand over all else. With fewer constraints imposed about where inventory could be contained, you could indeed recognize popular items as they arrive as well as store them as near as poss Because your goods and products may well be stored in multiple locations at various times, keeping track of the inventory will be practically impossible without some technological assistance.
Nevertheless, if you decide that dynamic Putaway Process is the best option for your company, you’ll have to put money in an inventory management system to optimize your procedures.ible for easy retrieval.
Direct putaway
Directed Putaway Process is a characteristic of some WMS software. This program optimizes Putaway Process. As a consequence, products are aimed at the most advantageous storage areas.
To identify the best location, the program analyzes information like sales, size, cost, as well as mass. It shops objects that are typically purchased together, for instance.
Afterward, this speeds up the picking. If the first option fails, the system would then select the next best choice.
Best Practices to Optimize the Putaway Process
Collecting Data and Introducing Analytics in Real-Time
Whenever it comes to fixing warehouse management and trying to implement an efficient Putaway Process, information is king.
To discover the best storage spot, information on cargo size, mass, tallness, having received and shipment regularity, cargo type (e.g., Hazmat, perishable, high value, etc.), order/sales loudness, as well as memory accessibility should be accurately and reliably gathered and analyzed.
As a result, the warehouse management (WMS) should include two main features: sufficient data gathering functionality and continued data processing.
Once the suitable WMS is in location, the next purpose is to confirm that we are getting info efficiently and precisely by computerizing the catalog as often as potential. This, in spin, would then enable us to remove entrance errors and improve overhead.
Keep an eye on storage space and available space.
Another critical component of optimization and enhanced warehouse effectiveness is avoiding travel time to places with insufficient space or the ability to hold the cargo by tracking storage space as well as accessibility.
Shorten Travel Time
Another key aspect when optimizing the Putaway Process and warehouse processes overall is lowering travel time. The primary objective here is to reduce the time required for goods to make the journey from the distribution center to the storage location.
Once feasible, utilize direct putaway.
When feasible, some other best practice is to use straightforward Putaway Process.
When this technique is used, the cargo is immediately moved from its distribution center to its end destination without heading throughout an organizing phase.
Use both fixed and dynamic locations.
If conditions permit, it is also feasible to use a good mixture of fixed and dynamic spots.
A fixed location is a which was before storage capacity, warehouse area, compartment, or bin that has been delegated based on particular criteria.
A fixed location, for instance, could be associated with a particular product line, customer, ultimate stop, and so on.
Because warehouse clerks could indeed memorize a cargo’s specific location assignment, repaired places greatly boost efficiency levels.
Maintain the Warehouse’s Cleanliness and Organization
Last but just not least, a spotless and very well warehouse/distribution center could indeed make and break an effective system.
