Bar Code Startup
Moving to Bar Code
These are just some things I have encountered during the bar code implementation
1) If you have an inventory situation (need to constant adjustments to stay on top) then do a physical inventory BEFORE we arrive so that we can arrive and get started on the implementation rather than watching you count the warehouse.
2) Make sure you racking labels for the tiers aren't too close together! We don't want the warehouse workers scanning the wrong location
- we've implemented a new option for location labels, you can have a suffix and print by suffix so if you choose to use various colors for the different tiers (ie. red is tier 1, blue is tier 2) you can print by suffix. Ask if that doesn't make sense.
3) one pallet tag per product. You technically could have multiple pallet tags on one physical pallet
with the bar code installs I have done some make the freezer a location and one giant pallet and everything going into that freezer gets combined onto a master pallet. This might not work for you, especially if you
have a huge freezer. It's not a suggestion just something I noticed when on site.
4) If you decide to use a master location such as freezer then print a master location label and put it outside of the freezer. I have seen where some food banks keep a list (a bar code copy of master locations on their office) I have a food bank that uses the whole entire aisle outside their store for personal products and that is ONE location for the whole length, they printed a handful of duplicate pallet location tags so they can have them along the length of the aisle. Again, it's what works best for you.
5) If you have a shop area it's important to decide how to set up the locations..using a master pallet tag for a shop is not so ideal because you cannot track each product/product category going out. I have seen a food bank that uses a fixed pallet tag for dairy, bread, personal products, pet food, etc and when the product comes into the warehouse they use a combine pallet feature to move it from the dock to the store. I have seen where a shopping area is a warehouse and a shopping area is a location. Either will work.
6) Generate the generic pallet labels and make sure every pallet has one (you can print duplicate labels from the pallet history option in P2.
7) The count sheets come next, it's basically like an inventory except now you're adding the pallet tag#
8) If you notice that you put the wrong product on a pallet-keying entry error-the only fix is to adjust it off the pallet-inventory-inventory - adjust tab THEN create a new generic pallet tag and add the product to the new tag
9) once all data entry is complete you need to run the zero's report looking for any products that were in the P2 inventory that for some reason never made it onto a pallet in the system. ALL products must be on a pallet.
It can be a challenging transition to get your team moved to barcoding, make sure they know that if there is a problem receiving into the warehouse that we can address it immediately. NOTHING should be sitting on your dock without a pallet tag-that's how inventory gets 'lost' Same as moving it to a new location-no pallet tag-no move! It's also vital that any time a pallet is taken from it's location in the warehouse that scans are done. Pallets are constantly moving to to sort areas, shopping areas and orders.
10) Moving a pallet to a new location. If you have a sort room you should have a location tag at the doorway. The scanner select 'new location' and the employee scans the pallet moves it to the sort room(or store) scan the new location and DONE. It's an easy process but if not followed you just lost your pallet somewhere in the warehouse!
11) Receiving product. When you are scanning for a standard receive: IF you have multiple pallets of the SAME product you must scan each of those before marking the item complete (if you scan one and mark it complete the system thinks that's all you received) then go on to the next products on the scanner. If you enter the wrong quantity (say too much) you must scan the pallet again and enter the NEGATIVE amount to take off the pallet.