The Cloud. It’s used every day, by every business, and it’s helped make life easier for companies. Not only is online integration, allowing managers and personnel to communicate quickly, but it’s also real-time.
So, when there’s an issue, it can be tended to immediately. So, how exactly has the cloud and online computing helped in reshaping the way in which warehouses manage inventory and operate?
Integration
With cloud computing, organizations can easily integrate multiple departments and multiple platforms online for ease of access and communication. Supply chain integration systems, standardized protocols, order inventory, receipts, pricing, and more.
Organizations and managers can easily integrate software on multiple platforms so that managers are always in the loop and still know what’s going on.
Furthermore, employees working in warehouses can seamlessly understand what’s taking place and make informed decisions when working on the back end for their organizations.
Enhanced Security
The cloud has optimized security. Cloud hosts have to abide by strict government regulations, meaning organizations’ information is secure online.
No matter what is stored in the cloud, it is safe, and your organization’s proprietary information won’t get into the wrong hands. Financial and data information is secure, you can optimize sharing through multiple planes, and you can keep information that’s important to the organization, within the four walls it should be maintained within.
Adjusting to Market Volatility
The market conditions are always changing. As a warehouse manager, this means if you order 10,000 crates of a supply/product that was in high demand a month ago, in two weeks, it might be irrelevant. With the cloud, your organization is always in control of the latest updates.
You can review trends, past order history, when items were popular/not popular, and so forth. Additionally, supply chain managers can add a layer of security when working with suppliers to make sure they have a backup plan of attack, in case supplies they order are no longer needed.
Insurance and other measures are in place to help prevent a significant loss for organizations. Additionally, with the free flow of real-time information, managers can make more informed decisions to ensure they do not fall victim to the market volatility trends and get stuck with unwanted inventory or materials which they don’t need.
Reduce Costs
Real-time information means you know what’s in and what’s out of stock. Additionally, the cloud can collect data throughout the course of the business day. This helps managers only order what’s necessary, avoid leaving items sitting on shelves, and help them bring in only the supplies that they really need to order at any given time.
With the right resources in place, and with information available at any time, managers can also share this with other departments and integrate with other managers within the organization, to ensure they’re eliminating waste.
The ability to communicate from anywhere, with anyone within the organization, and share ideas, help reduce overhead and ensures no lost items are sitting in a back room, which no customer seems to want to buy. By eliminating waste, you are going to find your operational costs are also going to come down throughout the year.
Real-Time Inventory and Reduced Waste
Companies have information when they need it. You don’t have to enter data manually and wait for it to show up next week in the computer system any longer.
The cloud delivers what you need to know when you need to know it so that you can make informed decisions as a manager within the warehouse and supply chain team.
You can avoid redundancies, waste, and over-ordering of inventory, which really isn’t necessary. You can share supplies with other warehouses that are low in stock on certain items. And, you can let management know when something’s running low.
No matter what your company sells, with the right information, as it is unfolding, you can always keep up with supply, and make sure you are eliminating waste within the organization’s infrastructure.
Are you looking for the best in managed services and warehouse infrastructure planning? JD Edwards Managed Services can help! Contact us for a quote of your business and allow us to help develop a viable plan of attack for warehouse management.
