Keep Track of Your Business Inventory With Mobile Receiving Solutions

RF in inventory control can offer huge savings in time and money. Because all events are recorded in real time, the host is continually aware of the current inventory. This high level of monitoring eliminates manual counting cycles. With RF, many companies reduce formal annual inventory cycles, and in some cases eliminate them altogether.

Further, an RF system allows stock “picking” and replenishment to be combined, dramatically reducing the number of movements involved in the internal transport of goods.

Order Picking and Stock Replenishment

RF offers many possibilities for speedy verification of previous transactions. For example:

After a certain number of transactions, the remaining stock at the pick-up location can be counted for extra verification. If the physical stock is not the same as the administrative stock, those mistakes can be rectified before the goods are moved or shipped.

Users typically report significant gains in the number of pickups or putaways processed per hour after implementing RF operations.

When palleted goods are put into stock, forklift operators can use their mobile device to notify the host of the goods’ disposition and that they are ready for another job.

Similarly, a forklift operator can receive instructions about an order Similarly, a forklift operator can receive instructions about an order notify the management system. Delivery instructions are provided back to the operator on the mobile device, via RF.

Providing real-time updates of picking activity and order status enables the management system to continually calculate the most efficient pick and putaway routes and order assignments.

Each time stock is “picked”, the transaction is recorded by the mobile device and sent to the host. When stock reaches preset minimum levels, the system can alert a supervisor or automatically generate a stock replenishment request.

When bulk stock reaches order level, a purchase order is automatically created and an order placed. Reordering is instantaneous and inventory stocks can be kept low.

Many points in the supply chain can realize important advantages from accurate, real-time data that RF provides.

When goods arrive, the bar code is scanned and data is sent to the host. At the same time, the received quantity is compared with the ordered quantity to immediately determine if there is a disparity.

If goods received are different from the order or are damaged, immediate action can be taken, depending on the disposition. The goods are then processed and sent to their destination. With RF, goods do not sit idle when instructions for dispositioning the received goods are sent wirelessly. Forklift operators receive instructions on a mobile device, eliminating dead-end trips, making more productive use of personnel and materials, and ultimately saving time.

Outgoing goods can be directed efficiently to trucks and confirmed via the RF system. Invoices, shipping notices and other forms and reports can be initiated the moment truck leaves the dock.