Improving Accuracy in Shipping and Receiving

By: Scott Bahr

 Understanding how to manage a warehouse is vital to keeping projects running smoothly and making sure everything is ready and available to clients when the delivery time comes. Shipping and receiving are a critical part of this. Without keeping track of everything that comes in and out of the warehouse, materials may be missed, an easy mistake which can have a large and detrimental impact on a business and its clients. 

Planning and software

Many warehouse teams use supply chain management programs to reduce errors. This technology is a must-have for companies looking to keep track of high volumes of product and stock. Numerous innovative solutions can already integrate incredible technologies like beacon-based wearable technology, and new innovative approaches are being tested and released on a regular basis. Additionally, having a comprehensive receiving system to ensure documentation is accurate, report what has been received for accounting and payout purposes, and track and document any damages, will have a direct impact on the cost of shipping and receiving errors. 

Labelling and storage

When an item is entering or leaving the warehouse, labelling the product correctly is key. This includes an accurate, legible shipping address as well as all the necessary specifications for the client. Labelling can also benefit from innovation and entrepreneurship. Leveraging advancements like computerization and bar-coding provides a far more effective way to remove steps where human error may occur. Similar technologies assist with the process of storing items in the warehouse as receiving becomes more complex, and accuracy is not sacrificed for the sake of quantity or complexity.

Inspection

Inspecting a product at receipe and before its departure makes sure clients do not receive damaged product and that the warehouse does not receive and pay for damaged inventory. There are a few reasons this should be managed as part of shipping and receiving processes. First, if something is damaged, it is best to discover it immediately so that the last point of contact can be notified and held responsible. Additionally, if a product is damaged and but it was not inspected, issue can go unaddressed for far too long and can lead to delays in order fulfillment and delivery. The point of inspection is to avoid unnecessary problems, and when problems do occur, to address them right away. 

Improving metrics

A best practice when improving warehouse efficiency is to continuously monitor the process metrics so aberrations can be addressed and overall performance can be improved upon in the future. Some potentially valuable numbers to collect are the time needed to move materials through the system, receiving and shipping error reporting, dock utilization, and supplier shipping problems. With this information, it will be far easier to justify and execute changes to the process of shipping and receiving in the warehouse.

Keeping track of items throughout their lifetime in a warehouse is a key requirement for success. Ensuring that adequate planning and tracking software in place will reduce the risk of human error, while increasing the efficiency and accuracy of the process. All processes and practices should be monitored and measured to ensure that efficient shipping and receiving play their part in a well-run warehouse.