Should Your Warehouse Go Paperless?

June 12th 2013 14:49:06 PM

Every day, we receive countless questions from our customers about the proper running of their warehouses. While every warehouse and company is different, we do have some insight to shed on the most popular warehouse automation trends.

Many of you have asked if going paperless in the warehouse is necessary for improving warehouse automation. In one word, yes. If your company is trying to automate the warehouse process and improve efficiency as much as possible, going paperless is necessary. It will not only save a substantial amount of time on the warehouse floor, but it will also improve your order accuracy.
If your warehouse is trying to decide whether or not to go paperless, keep the following in mind:

1. A paperless warehouse is a more accurate warehouse.
   Keeping track of every order and shipment is not an easy task. Changes occur almost every moment on the warehouse floor and if your company is still tracking order and shipments with paper or a stationary computer, those changes are most likely not going to be recorded accurately. Going paperless will ensure that your information is always accurate and up-to-date. Using mobile devices on the warehouse floor, such as our Sage 100 barcoding (formerly Sage MAS 90 and Sage MAS 200 barcoding) and Sage 500 barcoding (formerly Sage MAS 500 barcoding) devices, will help your company improve efficiency and accuracy. These handheld devices give warehouse workers instant access to update, add or lookup data from anywhere within the warehouse. With a barcode scanner or similar handheld device, the accuracy of your warehouse will increase to more than 99%. How’s that for an added benefit?
2. A paperless warehouse management system improves visibility into the warehouse and gives employees real-time access to information.
   A well-run warehouse requires the tracking of items, locations and shipments. With a paper-based warehouse management system, data is tracked by hand and entered by a warehouse worker into the system. With the addition of barcoding software and a barcoding device, you will have a much more efficient way of tracking shipments and resources as they go in and out of your warehouse.The reliance on paper for tracking and shipment confirmations only leads to disorganization, wasted space, and inefficiency. Handheld devices (or barcode scanners) will increase the visibility into your warehouse so workers can see what’s happening at any moment in the warehouse.
3. A paperless warehouse improves productivity and efficiency.
   It requires a lot of time and resources to maintain a paper-based warehouse. The printers, ink, and paper used on a daily basis rack up costs. The time spent dealing with paper-based records could be better spent elsewhere. With barcode scanners and barcoding software, your company could reduce or completely eliminate printer and paper costs, as well as focus your efforts on more important warehouse tasks.Handheld devices and barcoding software can also streamline warehouse processes without the added costs and inefficiencies of paper-based processes. Your warehouse throughput will increase while maintaining the same number of workers. This increase of productivity could lead to more sales and a greater chance for success.

As more and more warehouse management solutions evolve and offer more efficiency to warehouse operations, going paperless will probably be inevitable at some point. While it may take some time to get used to a new way of operating and managing your warehouse, your company will be better off in the long run.
If you are interested in improving the accuracy within your warehouse and increasing productivity, check out our Sage 100 and Sage 500 barcoding solutions. Our Automation Series for Sage 100 ERP(available in Lite, Pro, and Elite), Manufacturing Automation for Sage 500 ERP, and Warehouse Automation for Sage 500 ERP solutions are perfect for making the switch to a paperless warehouse.

Contact us to learn how the right Sage 100 or Sage 500 barcoding solution can take your paper-based warehouse to a paperless and efficient warehouse today.