Abstract :
Businesses are queuing up to join the enterprise resource planning (ERP) bandwagon and adopt e-commerce and advanced forecasting methods in the clamour to reduce business efficiency operations. As the common thread running through these is the ability to move goods through the supply chain more effectively, it should follow that the warehouse is an integral part of the success of such endeavours. But all too often the warehouse management system (WMS) is seen as subservient to other business functions such as production planning, order processing or billing. This is not to say that the warehouse should dictate business strategy but it should be clear that increasing warehouse performance is key to such strategic aims as reducing stock in the supply chain, meeting shorter lead times and ultimately improving customer satisfaction levels. In other words, to make the most of your enterprise strategy you need to optimise your warehouse, and that means having the best WMS
