What's new in 8.2.14 (October 7)

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New Features:

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1. Check quantity variance between ASN and Receive

WMS will check quantity variance between ASN and generated Receive document during posting receive process. If there is any variance found, WMS provides an option to let user saves the information into Receive's Remark.  (Refer to Image 1.a and Image 1.b)

Image 1.a

Image 1.b

2. ASN Summary

A new summary screen has been added in Advanced Shipping Note (ASN) module.  (Refer to Image 2.a)

Image 2.a

3. Notify day to expiry when posting Issue

(a) In order for WMS to trigger this notification, user have to first set up the setting in Customer Item. (Refer to Image 3.a)

Image 3.a

(b) During posting Issue document, WMS compares expiry date of each selected records with the number of day(s) to notify setting in customer item. If any criteria matched, WMS prompts a dialogue form for user to choose whether still proceed to post even though selected record is nearly expired or already expired. (Refer to Image 3.b)

Image 3.b

4. Stocktake module

A new module has been added to facilitate the stocktake processes.

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Fixed Bugs:

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1. Error occurs in Update Issue Header Info.
2. Error occurs in filter source code in Request of Transport.

What's new in 8.1.14 (July 23)

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New Features:

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1. Customized Import Order for Customer (AEF368)

A customized import order user interface for customer (AEF368) has been added. (Refer to Image 1.a and Image 1.b)

Image 1.a

Image 1.b

1. Auto Allocation Criteria in Issue Module

(a) Xtreme WMS will prompt a criteria dialogue box when user clicks on the [Auto Allocation] function in Issue Header or Detail. Option [Default] is selected initially. (Refer to Image 2.a)

Image 2.a

(b) In the below scenario, Xtreme WMS will search through available bin ledgers to fulfil the default and additional criteria which includes specified document no., bin code and only lookup for item which has one pallet. (Refer to Image 2.b)

Image 2.b

3. New column [Last Posted By] and [Posted Datetime]

User now can check the information of posted transaction in a more convenient way. New columns of [Last Posted By] and [Posting Datetime] are added in header and detail at transaction modules like Receive / Transfer / Issue / Ownership Transfer and Cycle Count. (Refer to Image 3.a)

Image 3.a

3. Transport Mode Confirmation

(a) Transport mode can define the range of pallet no. that can fit in. (Refer to Image 3.a)

Image 3.a

(b) When the user changes a document's status to RELEASE in Receive module, Xtreme WMS will check on the number of pallets in detail whether within the range that defined in the selected transport mode. A summary screen will prompt if there is any discrepancy. (Refer to Image 3.b)

Image 3.b

(c) Confirmation is required if user decides to change status of above documents for future tracking purpose. (Refer to Image 3.c)

Image 3.c

(d) Afterwards, user can track the person who confirms the selected transport mode and when it confirmed. (Refer to Image 3.d)

Image 3.d

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Fixed Bugs:

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1. Error occurs in Item Profile Wizard.

2. Error occurs during selecting a row and paste content when using self-defined field sequence in Import.

3. Error occurs when paste date/datetime value with wrong format in Import.

What is Logistics?

Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet some requirements, for example, of customers or corporations.~ Wikipedia

David Andries, Vice President of UPS Customer Solutions, explains that a more sophisticated way to think of logistics is: "implementing efficiencies across a business's entire supply chain that help them achieve their strategic goals." ~ UPS

This term originated in a military context, referring to how personnel acquire, transport and store supplies and equipment.

In the business community, the term refers to how resources are acquired, transported and stored along the supply chain.

By having an efficient supply chain and proper logistical procedures, a company can cut costs and increase efficiency. On the other hand, a company with poor logistics will fail to meet customers' expectations and see its business suffer. ~ Investopedia

Logistics is the industry that gets everything where it needs to go. How does your meal travel from the farm to the grocery store? How do online retailers pack and ship your order?

The answer is simple: logistics. Every company employs logistics personnel. The industry may not be in the spotlight, but it’s one of the world’s biggest and most important.
Every company needs experts for transportation, shipping, distribution, warehousing, and cargo handling. ~ North Lake College

Xtreme Software has a new website

Xtreme Software has launched a new website (www.xtreme.my) today.

So long the old website

and welcome the new one.

Request of Truck

Most of the time, a warehouse is built to store stuff within a duration and shipped out in time to come. The duration can be short or long, subject to type of product and the business itself.

Most third party warehouses in Malaysia today isn't just for storage but logistics service as a whole. Hence, the value of a warehouse/logistics provider isn't just to provide a storage space but most importantly, delivering product to the end customer (or whatever it suppose to be).

It has been a standard feature in Xtreme WMS to help user to track ACTUAL vehicle number, truck driver, the mode and capacity of the vehicle and etc in our Issue program.

The point is, the Capacity or Mode of transport can be different between the original request and the actual delivery.

For example, you may request the transport company to deliver product with a one (1) ton truck, however, there are cases where transport company doesn't have a one (1) ton truck to spare at that moment but a three (3) ton truck. In this case, Xtreme WMS Issue module is made to record the truck that made the delivery, in which a 3-ton truck.

In some cases, we need to know the original request and how is it mapped to the actual delivery later. Such link of information is vital, especially for billing of logistic service.

In order to fulfill the requirement, we made a new module by the name of "Request of Truck" and shipped in Xtreme WMS version 8.1.14.

Barcode Scanning Test with Intermec CK3R

We were testing handheld Intermec CK3R a week ago, we find it very stable and it also delivers the speed that the industry need.


Barcode Scanning Test with Intermec from Teng Yong on Vimeo.

For more information: Please see product information of Intermec CK3R here.

Real-time Pallet Location Tracking Solution with Panasonic Toughbook

In a warehouse, knowing where the product is sometimes isn't sufficient, very often a warehouse operator is required to ship product in FIFO (First-IN-First-OUT) or FEFO (First EXPIRE First OUT) manner.

In IGLO , every pallet is given an unique number and we track location (or bin) of each pallet. As there are more than thousand of pallets being put away or moved in a day, getting pallet location up-to-date by manual data entry is a challenge. Hence, we developed a very easy-to-use program to let our forklift driver update pallet location and transmit through WiFi to the application server. With such, IGLO can now have up-to-date pallet location accuracy.

[Figure 1 - Reach Truck with heated cabin which makes Barcode scanning impractical]

[Figure 2 - A Panasonic Toughbook mounted on IGLO's reach truck]

[Figure 3 - Ultra easy-to-use User Interface]

[Figure 4 - Pallet Location Update records in Xtreme WMS]

Watch below video to see how a pallet being updated.

Warehouse Pallet Location Updating with Panasonic Toughbook from Teng Yong on Vimeo.

Trying out hanheld scanner IEI Modat-335

Many processes in logistics chain, a handheld scanner with specially made mobile application can enhance the process tremendously.

We have got a loan unit of IEI Modat-335 from a supplier and now trying out. This device is running on Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5. The price of each unit ranges from RM 3,500 to below RM 5,000 depending on quantity ordered and components that comes with it.

This model also comes with an optional RFID module

Feel free to learn more about IEI Modat-335 here.

Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 on Modat 355 from Teng Yong on Vimeo.

VID 20140304 160141 from Teng Yong on Vimeo.

What's new in 8.1.14 (February 14)

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New Features:

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1. Transport Capacity

[Transport Capacity] has been added in Settings' Transport category. (Refer to Image 1.a)

Image 1.a

2. Request of Transport (ROT)

(a) ROT module can be found at the side menu under [Distribution] category. A short-cut key (Ctrl + Shift + Q) has been assigned to it. (Refer to Image 2.a)

Image 2.a

(b) Structure of ROT

Header of ROT consists of three tabs:
1) General : Includes information of Warehouse, Party, Branch, Document No., Document Date, Reference No. and Status. (Refer to Image 2.b)
2) User Defined Field: Includes four pre-set fields which are Goods Owner, Notify when Collect Return Pallet, ETA and Mode of Unloading / Loading. (Refer to Image 2.c)
3) Remark

Detail of ROT consists of two tabs:
1) Details: Users can keep track of the the size and quantity of transport capacity needed for distribution purpose. (Refer to Image 2.b)
2) Dispatch Note: Users can add or delete a dispatch note. (Refer to Image 2.d)

Image 2.b

Image 2.c

Image 2.d

(c) Assign Issue to ROT

A new header function [Assign to Request of Transport] can be found at Issue module. (Refer to Image 2.e) Selected Issue documents must have same warehouse, party and branch information in order to assign to ROT in batch. If some of the Issue documents in batch selection already assigned to another ROT , system will ignore them and assign the rest of it to the chosen ROT instead. (Refer to Image 2.f)

Image 2.e

Image 2.f

3. CDN renamed as Shipment

[Shipment] module (formerly known as CDN) can be found at Distribution category. (Refer to Image 3.a)

Image 3.a

Gong Xi Fa Cai 2014

If I have already an inventory management software, do I still need a warehouse management software?

In general, inventory management usually tells warehouse stakeholder the stock quantity or stock value in an entire warehouse or a large location.

Tracking Product up to detail bin location

In a nutshell, Warehouse Management Software (WMS) is a inventory management at micro level. You are often required to register the bin location of a particular product. Most of the time, it is not just the Item or Product code but also other essential information such as production batch number, expiry date, country of origin and etc.

By doing so, you can achieve :-

1. FIFO/FEFO Picking (or any specific picking by criteria)
2. Locating product more efficiently. Picking Slip or using handheld device to direct the order picker with picking route.
3. Cycle counting (daily count by product, without WMS, locating product can be time consuming and less practical to do so)

Compared to using spreadsheet to record such information, a WMS should offer functionality such as producing product movement reports, you can tell exactly which product has been moved by which user with its timestamp. 

Aside from that, most WMS, designed for multi user environment which empower you with security access control which most spreadsheet program cannot offer.

Accuracy

Anyone who run a warehouse would agree that accuracy is high priority if not the top. How to capture information accurately and fast has becoming the key to success. Most WMS work with handheld computer with barcode scanning or RFID reader.

By scanning or reading the ID (whether it is product code, serial number or etc), it is up the business logic and software capability to match with what it suppose to be.

Leveraging on such technology can sometime improve the speed not by certain percentage but number of times.