WMS Preparation - For RFP & Overall Project
"General Site and Project Information"

IDII Note: This is a very good, educational article on what to put into a WMS RFP. A RFP should describe the company, WMS key driving factors, warehouse locations, product velocity, employees, employee' activities, and operations. IF a company fails to put these items into the RFP, then the WMS vendor(s) must research these out, before they can intelligently give you a detailed price quote (the proposal).

A solid RFP sets "expectations" and "solidifies" your team into what are manageable goals. Do a solid RFP - document the current and the "known" items that will be changing. See the other white paper from QSSI as well.

In addition to the "company" information described in this paper, one must ask many questions about the vendor and sofware functionality. Questions can be found in the standard and advanced WMS RFP questions by IDII. Our research report covers many items to obtain from the WMS vendor - during the RFP process.

General Site and Project Information   Identify the key factors driving the WMS project Increased efficiency Greater inventory accuracy and availability Better use of manpower Fewer picking and shipping errors Higher customer service levels Shorter order turn around times Quicker access to warehouse data Improved Technology Site Information How many sites do you have? What is the size of each? Are the buildings new or are they already in operation? If the buildings are already in operation, do you plan to upgrade the buildings or make any changes to them? List the number of proposed users for each site, by the two categories listed below: RF _____ Workstation _____ Do you have a current warehouse or inventory management system? If yes, please tell us the name of the system and why you want to replace it. Do you use RF or automatic data capturing devices? If yes, please tell us the vendor name, type and model numbers. What automatic material handling equipment do you have? Conveyor Systems Pick-to-Light System Hi Rise Storage Stackers Crane System Carousel Other? Host System What kind of host system do you have (HP 9000, AS 400, etc.)? What enterprise software, if any, is located on the host? Which relational database manager system (RDBMS),if any, do you use on the host? Do you plan to retain your current host system or replace it? Do you plan to retain your current enterprise system or replace it? Do you plan to retain your current RDBMS or replace it? What other systems do you have on the host that you use to manage operations in the warehouse (i.e., manifesting systems, rating and routing, etc.)? Are there any on any other platforms? Interfaces What interfaces are needed? Host Scheduled receipts and/or ASNs down to PowerHouse Actual Receipts up to Host Order download to PowerHouse Shipment reporting up to Host Inventory adjustments up to Host Item Master down to PowerHouse Order deletion request. Order status request Inventory balance upload to Host Material handling equipment Conveyor Systems Pick-to-Light System Hi Rise Storage Stackers Crane System Carousel Other? Shipping/Routing/Manifesting System Other Current Operations Receiving What is the average number receipts per day (by receipts, cartons, pallet and/or truckloads)? What is the average number of line items received per day? What types of receipts do you process? Purchase order Manufacturing Returns Other If you process returns, are they handled differently? Do you use ASNs? Do you accept unexpected receipts? What percentage of your receipts are on pallets? In cases? Pieces? Are cases palletized at receiving? What tracking dates are important to your operations? Do you use FIFO or some other form of stock rotation? Do you need to track cartons by carton ID's? Is product lot controlled from receiving? Do you need serial number tracking? Is product inspected on or immediately after receipt? Is product staged before putaway or putaway directly from the receiving dock? Do you cross dock product? Do you want to pre-receive (via Manufacturing ASNs) merchandise from manufacturing? Do you want to have work orders treated as expected receipts?   Quality Control Is QC an issue? If so, what processes are involved? Do you need the ability to look up and inquire on product on hold? Do you need to direct damaged inventory to QC? Do you want QC to release holds and submit inspected product for putaway?   Putaway Do you maintain categories of product that need to be segregated? Will some product have assigned putaway locations? Will cartons or pieces on a pallet be directed to multiple putaway locations? Do you have any other special putaway conditions?   Inventory & Adjustments How do you want to cycle count? How do you want damages to be handled? Who can make inventory adjustments? Do you want PowerHouse to maintain raw material inventory? Do you have the need to track the same SKU in different "types" (i.e., 1st quality, 2nd quality). Do you need an alternate item code? UPC codes? Are they unique for each item? Do you use min/max inventory levels to control restocking?   Order Processing What kinds of orders do you have? Inter plant Full truck LTL Parcel Customer pick-up Samples Other Do you group orders for picking and shipping? If yes, please list the criteria you use (i.e. carrier, shipping zone, state, ship-to address, etc.). What are the differences between groupings? Are they handled differently? Do you do any special types of picking (i.e., pick and pass, zone picking, etc)? Do you have any kitting requirements? If yes, please explain. Do orders come down from a single host? Do customers order specific inventory lots? Is stock ever reserved for specific orders? Do you have priority orders that require immediate attention? Are there any customers that require special treatment or shipping methods? If yes, please describe. Are there any customers that require special labeling or documents? On average, how many orders do you ship per day? How many line items? Do you frequently modify orders before they are shipped?   Order Picking Do you pick pallets, cartons or pieces primarily? Describe how you currently pick orders. Do you want to issue raw material to manufacturing? Describe you replenishment process. Does replenishment occur as part of order picking? Or is it separate? What are you picking rules with respect to lot control, expiration dates, FIFO, etc.? Is there any material handling equipment (conveyors, etc.) used in the picking process? If yes, to what extent? Do you plan to pick to paper, labels or use RF directed picking? How do you currently pick for production? For kitting? Do you repack pieces? Are there any customers who require special picking and special packing rules? Do you need to group orders to a single ship-to with a single bill of lading?   Shipping What documentation do you require at shipping (e.g. packing list, bill of lading, etc.)? What are your labeling requirements for outbound orders? Do you need to break shipments among multiple bills of lading? Do you need to sequence loads on a truck during truck loading? How do you currently stage orders? Do you have specific report or label printers to which you use to print order documentation?   Facility Management How many facilities will be automated? Are there satellite warehouses? Do you plan to use of RF for all facilities? Do you have a preferred RF vendor? Has a layout plan been prepared? Describe your bulk storage, carton storage and forward picking locations. How many pallet or bulk storage locations will you have in each warehouse? How many carton locations? How many forward pick locations? Do you have any other kinds of storage or pick locations? What is the total number of storage locations in each warehouse? What is the total number of flow rack locations in each warehouse? What is the total number of SKUs in each warehouse? Does any product have special storage requirements (e.g. hazardous material, heavy loads, heat sensitive etc.)? Do you need to store multiple SKU's within the same location? Are you flexible in this requirement? How many shifts per day and days per week is your operation running? How many people do you employ per shift? Please identify the number of RF users you expect in each of the areas listed below. Receiving Putaway Order Picking Shipping Restocking Do you do any re-warehousing during the year?   IDII thanks QSSI for permission to use their white paper. To contact them: Qualtiy Software Systems Inc. 200 Centennial Avenue Piscataway, NJ 08854 Ph: (732)885-1919 Fax: (732)885-1872 Email: wmbrown@qssi-wms.com www.qssi-wms.com

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