Phase 4 WMS and phase 5 SOP lands at Booths
Date Posted: 06/02/2012
With three phases successfully having gone live, Booths have taken receipt of their phase 4 WMS and phase 5 Sales Order Processing (SOP), on schedule. Currently undergoing user acceptance testing, phase 4 was delivered under version 1.0 of Epsilon, but phase 5 has been delivered under version 1.1, which contains a number of enhanced features.
Ability to save customized grids and reports
Epsilon 1.1 provides the user with the ability to save reports and the layout of any customized grid. This is saved locally on the user’s PC and allows them to add hidden items to their grid in order to display information in the manner of their choosing. At any point the grid can be restored back to a default format.
Collapsible groups is another added feature, providing the user with the ability to collapse groups of properties displayed on a form. This allows the remaining properties to be displayed more clearly, according to the preference of the individual user.
Goods In
In addition to the new version 1.1 features mentioned above, Booths can also take advantage of a number of improved functional developments. For example, the management of goods inwards is a major function of the WMS module. Modelled on standard vKDS functionality, the system caters for putting stock into bulk locations on an automatic or manually selective basis.
Voice recognition software
The Booths system differs from our standard system in two ways. Firstly, Booths do not allow back orders to be generated in their system for either sales or purchase orders and therefore this functionality is switched off. Secondly, Booths employ VoiteQ voice recognition software that the
CSfD system is fully integrated in to.
The VoiteQ system is set up so that information can be regularly transmitted back and forth to the CSfD system and is used extensively for stock replenishment and picking routines. For example, stock will be booked in using the VoiteQ system and the operator will relay information back saying who they are and where they are in the warehouse.
Once the information has been received by the CSfD system it will use auto put away to determine where the stock should be located. The bulk location will then be reserved and a bulk label will be printed immediately. The operator will use the VoiteQ software to indicate that the put away is complete. Any stock missing from that which is expected will be handled as a short delivery by the CSfD system. Communications are also generated from our system to VoiteQ for put away routines for both bulk and pick. Stock is not made available for sale until the operator confirms the put away; this is to stop goods being picked from other than properly allocated bin locations.
Booths typically generate large store orders of up to 1,000 lines at a time and therefore have had their system designed so that these orders are only re-leased once they are ready to pick. The system will generate a let-down that will be fed to the VoiteQ system, which in turn feeds back information into the stock replenishment routines. The let-down is strictly con-trolled in the same sequence as the orders are released to assist picking.
Stock take
Phase 4 also includes a full range of stock take procedures and the facility for all types of stock adjustments.
Further integration
Further integration with the VoiteQ system will be achieved in phase 5—Sales Order Processing. This was delivered in January with a view that phase 4—WMS and phase 5—SOP will go live together in the spring.
Sales order processing
Booths sales order management module provides the functionality to manage their order management, picking and goods invoice requirements. While the main means of order capture within a vKDS system would typically be via telesales, the Booths model is atypical in that Booth’s stores are in effect their ‘customers’. Therefore a lot of the functionality captured in this module works on the basis on inter-branch transfers.
Ambient goods
Orders are created in stores directly into the CSfD system. Stock is not checked at this point of the process. Due to the very large size of the orders, they are released at set times during the day. It is at the point of order release that the system checks for stock, also allowing automatic let downs from bulk. The majority of ambient goods orders are sent to the VoiteQ system to initiate voice enabled picking routines and automatic dispatch registration. However the system retains the flexibility to initiate dispatch registration manually, for example, for smaller orders sent to the Head Office Bistro.
Frozen goods
Frozen goods are stored and picked by a third party warehouse operator. Frozen goods orders are sent to them electronically (EDI transfer) and once picked, a further exchange of information prompts the system to automatically trigger dispatch registration and generates a store invoice.
Fresh food
Fresh food orders are divided into stocked and non-stocked items.
Non-stocked items
Stores submit a complete day’s order of fresh items, which is then split by supplier automatically. Recommended orders are then automatically produced and a purchase order created on the supplier. A cross-docking supplier will also be sent a picking note too and will pick and cage up an order separately for each store.
The remaining suppliers will send the entire delivery and pick notes will be retained at the Booths warehouse. Once the goods are received the pick notes will indicate which items are for which store. ‘Layout’ areas within the warehouse will then be used to collect each required product, until a cage of goods has been built up for each store.
In effect the CSfD system has taken a single order and broken it down into many orders in order to manage the requirements effectively. Contingencies are built in for all stages of the business process and the stores are made aware of lead times for differing products. The system also caters for when Booths acts as its own supplier, for example, an in house operation will butcher and pack the meat items.
Ability to save customized grids and reports
Epsilon 1.1 provides the user with the ability to save reports and the layout of any customized grid. This is saved locally on the user’s PC and allows them to add hidden items to their grid in order to display information in the manner of their choosing. At any point the grid can be restored back to a default format.
Collapsible groups is another added feature, providing the user with the ability to collapse groups of properties displayed on a form. This allows the remaining properties to be displayed more clearly, according to the preference of the individual user.
Goods In
In addition to the new version 1.1 features mentioned above, Booths can also take advantage of a number of improved functional developments. For example, the management of goods inwards is a major function of the WMS module. Modelled on standard vKDS functionality, the system caters for putting stock into bulk locations on an automatic or manually selective basis.
Voice recognition software
The Booths system differs from our standard system in two ways. Firstly, Booths do not allow back orders to be generated in their system for either sales or purchase orders and therefore this functionality is switched off. Secondly, Booths employ VoiteQ voice recognition software that the
CSfD system is fully integrated in to.
The VoiteQ system is set up so that information can be regularly transmitted back and forth to the CSfD system and is used extensively for stock replenishment and picking routines. For example, stock will be booked in using the VoiteQ system and the operator will relay information back saying who they are and where they are in the warehouse.
Once the information has been received by the CSfD system it will use auto put away to determine where the stock should be located. The bulk location will then be reserved and a bulk label will be printed immediately. The operator will use the VoiteQ software to indicate that the put away is complete. Any stock missing from that which is expected will be handled as a short delivery by the CSfD system. Communications are also generated from our system to VoiteQ for put away routines for both bulk and pick. Stock is not made available for sale until the operator confirms the put away; this is to stop goods being picked from other than properly allocated bin locations.
Booths typically generate large store orders of up to 1,000 lines at a time and therefore have had their system designed so that these orders are only re-leased once they are ready to pick. The system will generate a let-down that will be fed to the VoiteQ system, which in turn feeds back information into the stock replenishment routines. The let-down is strictly con-trolled in the same sequence as the orders are released to assist picking.
Stock take
Phase 4 also includes a full range of stock take procedures and the facility for all types of stock adjustments.
Further integration
Further integration with the VoiteQ system will be achieved in phase 5—Sales Order Processing. This was delivered in January with a view that phase 4—WMS and phase 5—SOP will go live together in the spring.
Sales order processing
Booths sales order management module provides the functionality to manage their order management, picking and goods invoice requirements. While the main means of order capture within a vKDS system would typically be via telesales, the Booths model is atypical in that Booth’s stores are in effect their ‘customers’. Therefore a lot of the functionality captured in this module works on the basis on inter-branch transfers.
Ambient goods
Orders are created in stores directly into the CSfD system. Stock is not checked at this point of the process. Due to the very large size of the orders, they are released at set times during the day. It is at the point of order release that the system checks for stock, also allowing automatic let downs from bulk. The majority of ambient goods orders are sent to the VoiteQ system to initiate voice enabled picking routines and automatic dispatch registration. However the system retains the flexibility to initiate dispatch registration manually, for example, for smaller orders sent to the Head Office Bistro.
Frozen goods
Frozen goods are stored and picked by a third party warehouse operator. Frozen goods orders are sent to them electronically (EDI transfer) and once picked, a further exchange of information prompts the system to automatically trigger dispatch registration and generates a store invoice.
Fresh food
Fresh food orders are divided into stocked and non-stocked items.
Non-stocked items
Stores submit a complete day’s order of fresh items, which is then split by supplier automatically. Recommended orders are then automatically produced and a purchase order created on the supplier. A cross-docking supplier will also be sent a picking note too and will pick and cage up an order separately for each store.
The remaining suppliers will send the entire delivery and pick notes will be retained at the Booths warehouse. Once the goods are received the pick notes will indicate which items are for which store. ‘Layout’ areas within the warehouse will then be used to collect each required product, until a cage of goods has been built up for each store.
In effect the CSfD system has taken a single order and broken it down into many orders in order to manage the requirements effectively. Contingencies are built in for all stages of the business process and the stores are made aware of lead times for differing products. The system also caters for when Booths acts as its own supplier, for example, an in house operation will butcher and pack the meat items.
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