| If you need standard Warehouse Management | | | | implementations). As the minuses you should |
| System business logic to be implemented for | | | | probably think about the fact that you already have |
| Corporate ERP application, you should consider two | | | | similar distribution logic in your ERP application, and in |
| options. First one would be external WMS, which has | | | | order to implement external WMS, you will need to |
| rich Order Fulfillment, Inventory reordering and receiving, | | | | purchase the same or very similar business logic |
| Inventory Adjustments and Transfers business logic | | | | software licenses. Another potential minus is the fact, |
| and having connections , or integration packages to | | | | that External WMS requires Integration |
| major ERP platforms. And the second option would | | | | "Implementation" phase, which might be not initially |
| be to look for just WMS extensions for your ERP | | | | expected or at least not emphasized. WMS |
| application – extensions mean that the system | | | | extensions in their turn might have lesser number of |
| works out of your ERP objects and transactions and | | | | installations (as they extend only specific ERP platform, |
| doesn't require integration. Each approach has pluses | | | | Microsoft Dynamics GP as in our example). |
| and minuses and we would like to discuss these | | | | However they do not require you to pay second |
| options, assuming that your Corporate ERP and | | | | time for the distribution business logic (assuming that |
| Accounting application is Microsoft Dynamics GP, also | | | | you already have Dynamics GP SOP, POP, Inventory |
| often referred as Great Plains Dynamics, especially | | | | modules licenses). Second plus might be the fact that |
| older versions: | | | | it is already integrated by its nature and doesn't require |
| 1. Warehouse Management System typical business | | | | "integration" phase or hidden budget |
| logics. You may have something that is not listed, but | | | | 4. Custom logic in Warehouse Management System. |
| required in your case, which is also possible. | | | | It is natural, as WMS is not something that comes |
| However classical WMS has three components: | | | | out-of-the-box. If you are in Manufacturing, or |
| Sales Order Fulfillment, Merchandise Replenishment | | | | Wholesale business – we expect each industry to |
| and Inventory Moves and Adjustments. The core for | | | | have unique requirements, regulations. Plus is you are |
| WMS is Barcoding technology | | | | successful competing in your industry niche – you |
| 2. How WMS logic fits to Dynamics GP modules | | | | probably have unique way, allowing you to compete |
| infrastructure? We have to basically open Barcode | | | | successfully (often based on knowhow, where WMS |
| scanning for Great Plains Distributions modules: | | | | modification might be required) |
| Purchase Order Processing, Sales Order Processing | | | | 5. Second opinion or Warehouse Management |
| and Inventory Control. Let's review how Order | | | | System recovery scenarios. If you are reading these |
| Fulfillment works. First of all, you have Customer | | | | lines, your story might be unique about failed WMS |
| Sales Order or Invoice created in Dynamics GP (often | | | | implementation. From our perspective we see some |
| via EDI or B2B or B2C ecommerce interfaces and | | | | trends in having external WMS to be integrated with |
| created in GP automatically). It is important to have | | | | your ERP application, where "integration" phase goes |
| SOP Type to require manual allocation, as allocation is | | | | over budget and even into limbo, where you WMS |
| what you later do on the warehouse floor by scanning | | | | vendor tells you that they are not really Dynamics GP |
| items in picking and packing or assembly on order | | | | consultants and your Dynamics GP Reseller tells you |
| routines. WMS client application runs directly on your | | | | that they are not familiar with WMS integration |
| barcode scanner operating system and it is coded in | | | | connector or package. Feel free to call us, if the |
| VB (traditional pre .Net technology is used due to the | | | | situation seems familiar |
| Barcode scanner computing power restrictions). | | | | 6. If you need help, please call us 1-866-528-0577, |
| When you scan barcode label of the item to pick, | | | | 1-630-961-5918 or email us The nature of our |
| WMS client transmits this info to the WMS Server via | | | | Dynamics GP and Warehouse Management System |
| wireless connection and WMS Server, being on your | | | | consulting is Nationwide (USA and Canada) and even |
| network, talks to Dynamics GP company DB via | | | | international, where we are doing sales cycle via web |
| ODBC connection to allocate the SOP document item | | | | and phone (or skype) conferences with required visits |
| line (where item ID matches the scanned Barcode | | | | onsite to shake hands and introduce our key project |
| Label). Similarly WMS extensions open POP | | | | managers and consultants. We are also available for |
| Purchase Receipt GP screen for Barcoding as well as | | | | local service in Western Michigan: St. Joseph, Benton |
| Inventory Transaction and Transfer screens in | | | | Harbor, Holland, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, |
| Inventory Control Module | | | | South Haven, Grand Haven, Ludington, New Buffalo. |
| 3. Some elaboration on External Standalone | | | | Plus we server you locally in Southern California: Los |
| Warehouse Management System versus WMS | | | | Angeles, San Diego and Orange County, Northern |
| extensions. As good plus of Standalone WMS is its | | | | Illinois and Chicagoland, Houston, Texas. We also are |
| reliability (it probably has huge number of installations | | | | happy to help you with recovering failed Great Plains |
| and you expect that most of the software | | | | implementation, where something like data conversion, |
| development bugs are already fixed and you do not | | | | integration or reporting is in limbo or maybe where you |
| have to participate in beta testing or pilot | | | | would like to hear second opinion. |