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Integrating Bar Codes into the Warehouse Environment
Labeling warehouse inventory provides a first step toward ADC. Infor Global Solutions's IBC
equips a dealer or distributor with the capability to actually label products,
locations, and warehouses with bar coded labels.
However, labeling, in and of itself, is of limited value internally until it
can be integrated with other warehouse functions. That's where Infor Global Solutions's IBC
application significantly adds to productivity improvements in warehouse logistics.
IBC integrates three major warehouse functions with RF capability, allowing a
RF terminal or a bar code scanning device tethered to the warehouse terminal
or to a PC to accurately gather data from bar coded labels.
Integrated Warehouse/RF Functions Yield
Productivity Improvements
IBC integrated functions are executed within the framework
of Infor Global Solutions's SX.enterprise™ and Trend™ business logic. The
warehouse functions that IBC integrates with RF are:
Inbound product receiving: Product coming into a warehouse location
either from a vendor source (Purchase Order) or another company location
(Warehouse Transfer) can be received using the RF terminal.
Accuracy is improved because manual data entry is eliminated through scanning
bar coded labels and provides a link for immediate validation of the related
Purchase Order or Warehouse Transfer line items. Efficiency is improved
through consolidation of the receiving process as a one-step operation.
Once received, the SX.enterprise or Trend Purchase Order or Warehouse Transfer
files are updated for immediate accurate access.
Outbound product shipping/picking feedback: Product moving out
of the warehouse can be verified through the use of the RF terminal. Picking
documents are generated using the SX.enterprise or Trend picking
logic. The picker/packer then uses the RF terminal to confirm the accuracy
of the
orders being shipped. Results of this activity are immediately posted to
SX.enterprise or Trend data files.
Again, accuracy is improved through the use of bar coded labels in lieu
of manual data entry. Efficiency is improved via immediate feedback to
the SX.enterprise
or Trend system that initiates invoicing for the orders shipped. Also,
the lag time in the picking process is shortened, improving efficiency
of the physical/cycle
count process. |
Physical/cycle count: Performing
a regular cycle count of inventory items is a major step toward
improving inventory accuracy. Using RF terminals to execute physical/cycle
counts is accomplished by executing the cycle count function
in SX.enterprise/Trend. This will isolate the selected items
within the warehouse for counting. Once isolated, the RF terminal
will work online against
this group of items, systematically
performing the cycle count.
Accuracy is improved through use of bar code labels. Efficiency is improved through
immediate posting of the finished counts online through the RF terminal, automatically
making necessary inventory adjustments to SX.enterprise or Trend.
IBC system advantages
- Intermediate ADC technology for Infor Global Solutions users that requires a minimum investment
in implementation and training
- Support for generating different label formats for different customers
- Custom design of labels and forms that utilize data from SX.enterprise
or Trend databases
- Label design independence
- Timely, accurate data collection reduces the opportunity for data entry
error
- Real time RF terminal interaction with SX.enterprise or Trend databases
- Function independence allows for Receiving, Shipping Feedback, or Counting
to be individually implemented
IBC system requirements
- Infor Global Solutions SX.logistics IBC software
- SX.enterprise or Trend ERP software
- Teklogix Radio Frequency hardware
- Zebra or Datamax Bar Code label printer
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