Friday, May 12, 2017

Does Your Business Need A Barcode Warehouse Management System?

By Susan Bailey


Barcodes are widely used in the retail environment to improve the checkout process for customers. That said, most businesses haven't fully embraced the technology. Many potential areas of application remain unexplored in all but the most tech-savvy retail outlets, especially when it comes to the back end of inventory operations. But how could a barcode warehouse management system benefit your own organization?

Generally, most packages that go through warehouses usually carry a barcode tag of some kind. Because these labels make it easy to track and account for products, the technology could be used to enhance inventory control. And if your organization could link its warehouse management system to an online portal, barcoding could further help you enhance the buying experience for your clients.

Prior to the advent of barcoding technology, most businesses relied on clerks to record details about stock levels. In such cases, the likelihood of errors arising was considerably high. On the flip side, barcodes can read and translate encoded information quite easily, something that reduces the possibility of mistakes. Adopting this technology will also cut down your dependence on human labor, or allow you to re-deploy your manpower where it really matters.

With barcodes, scanning and registering shipments is made much simpler. Not only does the technology reduce processing time, but product movement across complex supply lines can also be tracked speedily and accurately. This could be a huge time-saver, especially for businesses that deal with large volumes of inventory. Incorporating such an advanced solution in your logistics department will ultimately allow you to focus your resources on other income-generating activities.

A barcoding system presents a cost-effective solution for your logistics operations. Designing and printing the labels won't cost you much, regardless of how or where you use them. But the cost of implementing the technology appears irrelevant when you consider how much it will be of help in your tax-related operations. Because your current inventory amounts affect your taxable income, the system will definitely make the reporting process much easier. And you'll no longer have to worry about the risk of attracting scrutiny from tax authorities, since the figures you provide will be highly accurate.

Although barcoding can rapidly improve inventory processing, choosing the right system and implementing it properly is crucial in ensuring you reap the benefits. So before you can start comparing your options, first define your company's requirements, and determine the kind of functionality you want your system to have. Figure out which areas will be affected by the new systems, and check whether your existing warehouse management tools can be integrated with the former.

The kind of support you'll be getting from your hardware vendor will determine how well you're able to utilize your newly-acquired system. So make sure you ask about this when interviewing different providers, and whether they'll upgrade your tools to keep abreast with upcoming developments. If you're not sure of how to go about the implementation process, you could hire a consultant to make matters easier.

A large number of retail outlets tend to rely on manual record-keeping for their logistics operations. Not only does this make tracking and accounting for inventory a difficult undertaking, but costly errors are also very likely to occur. Barcoding is a cost-effective, easy and practical way to eliminate these risks and transform your warehouse into a more efficient element of your business.




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