Tips for Creating a Fully Mobile Warehouse

March 21st 2014 13:10:25 PM

Here at Scanco, we pride ourselves in helping our clients become better through new technology and innovative solutions. For over 20 years, we have joined forces with manufacturers and distributors around the country to help them streamline their warehouse processes, improve their profitability, and achieve their goals. As an experienced warehouse management technology consulting company, we understand the challenges manufacturers and distributors face on a daily basis and are committed to pairing our clients with products that will help them reach success. We stay informed on the latest trends in warehouse management and do our best to keep our clients informed on best practices and the latest in warehouse management technology.

We have been tracking the Cloud and mobile trend for some time now and have unveiled some interesting finds along the way. Last year, Sage North America performed a survey on 217 small and medium-sized manufacturing and distribution companies across the United States and Canada. When asked if they believed mobile technology had positively affected their company, 85% of respondents said “yes”. The report also found that manufacturers and distributors are increasingly using their smartphones (78%) and tablets (63%) to access important company information remotely.

The research shows manufacturers and distributors are moving to a more mobile approach, but fully mobile warehouses are still a rarity. We’ve created a few tips to help you move from a semi-mobile warehouse to a fully mobile warehouse quickly and easily. If you’ve been entertaining the idea of moving your warehouse to a more mobile platform, these tips are for you.

1. Choose a mobile-equipped warehouse management solution. Is your current ERP/warehouse management solution capable of supporting mobile technology? Can you update your software straight from your smartphone or tablet? If you are using Sage 100 ERP (formerly Sage MAS ERP 90/Sage MAS ERP 200), you can! Our Sage 100 mobile warehouse management solution, Scanco Warehouse, is designed to give you complete and total control of your warehouse via any Windows, iOS or Android device. With mobile applications, you can update the information in your ERP system in real-time so you never miss a thing.
2. Implement a mobile barcode label printing solution. For full mobile warehouse management, you need to have the ability to print barcodes in addition to scanning them. New technology enables manufacturers and distributors to print barcode labels on demand using their mobile devices. Our newest solution, Scanco SkyPrint, was designed to make barcoding quick, easy and painless. Users can print barcodes with a click of a button without manual entry – all using their smartphone or tablet.
3. Use your smartphone for inventory counting. The physical count process can be excruciating. Manual inventory counting takes up valuable time and often forces manufacturers to shut down the business for a day to get it done right. Manual inventory counts are often error-ridden and costly, not to mention frustrating for everyone involved. Modern-day manufacturers are using mobile devices to simplify the inventory counting process and ensure that their inventory numbers are accurate in their ERP systems. Our Sage 100 mobile app, Scanco Counts, can eliminate the physical count altogether and help you implement regular inventory counting into your warehouse management routine using a smartphone or tablet.
4. Equip the staff on your warehouse floor with mobile devices to complete day-to-day tasks, such as picking and packing. You can achieve full warehouse automation by simply using your smartphone or tablet to automate manual warehouse processes (or replace your current barcoding solution). Using mobile devices on the warehouse floor will streamline your processes, improve your efficiency, and increase your profitability.
5. Consult a warehouse management technology consultant. If you want to know how best to transition your warehouse to mobile, find a technology consultant who specializes in mobile technology. They can help you choose the solutions that are right for you and develop a game plan for going fully mobile.

Are you looking to take your warehouse to a mobile level this year? If so, give us a call today at (330) 645-9959. We’d love to partner with you to help you achieve your goals.

How are you currently using mobile devices in the warehouse? Are they delegated to certain areas, or are you using them throughout the warehouse and business office? Let us know in the comments section below!