Obviously, an efficient warehouse is critical for a seamless supply chain, and the technology that powers operations is a Warehouse Management System (WMS). This kind of software application handles day-to-day operations and provides accurate, real-time tracking of inventory levels. Picking items, receiving shipments, establishing locations of stock—these are some of the tasks that are easier and faster with a robust WMS. But to make a supply chain even stronger and more efficient, consider connecting Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) software with your WMS.
The transfer of data from EDI transactions directly to your WMS will not only add speed to order processing, it can eliminate the errors that occur when high-touch manual entry is required.
To make it happen, EDI software made for easy integration is a must, along with developers at the EDI provider who know how to build it and quickly resolve any issues. An established EDI provider will likely have experience with your WMS, and will be able to suggest ways to make information exchange as efficient as possible. Today's warehouse operations are complex, and often involve multiple distribution centers—connecting it all to your order processing delivers significant ROI.
Systems that work together, succeed together.
A WMS is adopted to simplify warehouse management, while EDI exists to streamline communications between suppliers and their retail trading partners. When the systems are in concert, work is happening simultaneously—documents are exchanged while inventory is being updated.
With consistent inventory updates, suppliers can be confident when they send an Inventory Advice (EDI 846). As drop shipping and direct-to-consumer orders grow, retailers want to work with brands that can be relied on to deliver a positive experience to their customers. If a shopper orders an item online but later discovers it's out of stock, nobody is happy.
The right EDI and WMS combination builds confidence.
Connecting EDI software with a WMS results in a data environment that is processing documents and orders in real-time. There is more accountability across the board, along with higher levels of trust because trading partners have confidence in the reporting of the supplier. That, of course, creates business relationships that are positive, productive, and lasting.
With a WMS in place to track products as they move through a warehouse operation, combined with EDI software that is integrated into it, redundancies are eliminated and orders are processed much faster. It's likely that chargebacks and returns will also decrease.
Rather than competing systems—EDI over here, inventory over here—two very important pieces of a business are connected and helping to drive your business forward. Team members get orders processed in less time, and there is less back-and-forth with the warehouse. That translates into more speed from order to fulfillment, and much happier customers.
Are you ready to integrate and move to a new level of efficiency? Whether your WMS is a stand-alone platform or part of an ERP, our cloud-based Lingo software can connect to it seamlessly. Talk to us to find out how to make it happen.
If you need to streamline and automate your data – reach out and we will be happy to listen and help build the perfect solution for your brand.
