Infolog WMS

The Solution

Distributors thus have an efficient tool capable of processing a large variety of products, optimizing their warehouse storage capacities and managing their delivery demands with ease.

Service providers will be able to satisfy their prime contractor's needs, easily fulfilling demanding specifications.

Manufacturers will have a precision tool which combines real time traceability, quality control and automated handling control.

Advantages

A suitable solution for all sectors

• Food
• Furnishing
• Automobile
• Distribution
• Electronics wholesalers
• Luxury
• Retailers
• Logistics services
• Pharmacy and cosmetics
• Textile, fashion and clothing

Proven return on investment

• Improved productivity
• Load optimisation
• Increased service level
• Less disputes
• Traceability guaranteed
• Flow management
• Increased performance time
• Activity planning
• Resources management
• Responsiveness
• Adaptability
• Surface optimisation

An extensive multi-lingual offer

A multi-lingual software package, screens, data, print-outs: German, English, Korean, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Magyar, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Czech...

Full quantitative and qualitative statistical follow-up of warehouse operations.

Infolog WMS steers different processes with a view to following your company's key indicators.

Functionalities

Interfaces

Infolog WMS uses a standard data exchange interface to communicate with the other software packages of the group as well as with the main ERP packages on the market today. Data moves via data stacks ensuring constant and asynchronous data exchange. The interface is entirely EANCOM compatible.

Architecture

Infolog WMS's architecture has integrated the major development standard recommendations set down by IBM. The standard Infolog WMS offers:

• A menu manager
• A user profile manager
• Direct drop-down menu access to functions
• Multiple languages
• Multi-view and multi-criteria directories
• Multiple windows
• Online help

Infolog WMS is a software package conceived and developed for ISeries, pSeries, HP, and SUN servers and an INTEL platform.

Plug-ins

Infolog WMS now offers two plug-ins which are perfectly adapted to standard daily use:

1. An RF interface compatible with the main actors on the market and their objectives:

• Real time operations management
• Optimization of storage space
• Increasing productivity
• Streamlining circulation
• Improving service quality
• Standardizing procedures

2. A vocal interface for voice-directed order picking which offers the following advantages:

• Voice-directed customer order pick slot preparation
• Voice-directed pick confirmation
• Instant voice recognition without any previous learning period necessary
• Standard wave processing with Infolog WMS
• Picking unit loads updated in real time

Modules

• Locations management
• Receiving
• Manufacturing
• Order-picking
• JIT Breakdown
• Delivery
• Transport
• Inter-site operations
• Packing unit follow-up
• Alcohol control
• Inventories
• Performance charts
• Service invoicing
• Traceability
• Radio-frequency technology
• Core data

Infolog WRM : Warehouse Resources Management

The main aims of Infolog WRM software include defining a budget for resources, making sure that capacity is consistent with workload and managing active resources in real time. Infolog WRM is made up of three modules.

Forecasting module: provides a simple and powerful tool which allows logistical site managers to create an annual resource budget.

• Drawing up annual delivery forecasts 
• Drawing up annual goods receipt forecasts 
• Calculating and checking the workloads these forecasts entail
• Deciding on an annual resource budget
• Deciding on a monthly or weekly capacity

Tactical module: used to check, by general logistic operation that the forecasted capacity is consistent with the workload.

• Transforming strategic forecasts into daily tactical forecasts
• Monitoring the implementation of forecasts and managing alerts
• Organising transport
• Calculating the workload and creating alerts if the capacity is not consistent
• Adjusting resources on a weekly basis

Operational module: used to manage active resources in real time

• Defining operational modes
• Identifying the human resources available
• Identifying unavailable equipment resources
• Scheduling missions in function of available resources
• Following up the implementation of scheduled missions
• Adjusting operator authorisation

Infolog EMS : Event Management System

Connected to Infolog WMS or any other software (accountancy, commercial management, etc.), Infolog EMS receives and stores all data transmitted by the communication system used. The frequency with which data is sent can be one hundred per cent customized in response to your on site needs.

Using received data, Infolog EMS activates processing operations corresponding to the set performance criteria. The results obtained are thus updated regularly.

The use of graphics
One of the advantages of Infolog EMS is that extracted information is presented in a simple manner using a visual and self-explanatory notation system.
Several probes regularly evaluate the data from each part of a company according to the performance criteria described in the analyses. The results are grouped together to offer a summarized result on screen using'smileys' and progress symbols.
A detailed analysis is given by clicking on the result. These graphics allow you zoom-in on a more precise time period or date.

Performance charts
Depending on their level of responsibility, each a user views the same analyses daily. Infolog EMS offers two performance charts to optimize this recurring viewing process.
The aim is that each day, on logging onto the software, the indicators needed for daily decision-making are accessed directly on one and the same screen. The performance chart can also become a simplified monitoring tool for a problem site for example. You can create as many performance charts as there are situations to manage. The data is processed graphically to give an instant idea of performance levels.
The detail of the analyses can be accessed by a simple click.

Automatic alerts
Infolog EMS can be used to automatically identify anomalies. By defining basic criteria for the progress of a reference, the monitoring of certain'very sensitive' elements can be activated.
Alerts are set for groups or analyses depending on your needs. You set the criteria for'non-standard' progress.
In this way, when standards are not adhered to, Infolog EMS sends a warning message. The decision-maker has all the necessary elements to keep on top of an activity and react quickly if any problems arise.
Adapted to new technologies, Infolog EMS can send the warning messages via different methods: by e-mail, SMS...

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are based on activity units.They are used to measure a company's added value and efficiency in its field of activity.

The aim of KPIs is to collect the maximum amount of information possible concerning the management of a certain part of a company considered as performance-related (in terms of costs, production, profitability, resources...) in order to extract performance statistics which can also be applied to all the other parts of the same company. Using an appropriate software tool, such as Infolog EMS, the extraction, comparison and analysis of this data is used to set up a standardised rating system.

The user has a tool at their disposal for measuring progress and highlighting the strengths and weaknesses which can then be put to use to improve their growth and expansion strategy. 

Indicators are set according to the company's sector of activity. Their main purpose is to provide a global view of activity at a given moment. This'snapshot' gives a preliminary idea of the strategic decisions that need to be taken and avoids the different parts of a company being isolated from each other when risks are taken.

Installing a tool such as Infolog EMS gives important advantages in a highly competitive environment by:

• Providing instant communication of information between the different parts of a company and giving a global view of performance.
• Providing information in real time so that problems can be tackled when needed.
• Anticipating decisions and measuring their impact to improve strategies.

Types of KPI

Through Infolog EMS, Infolog Solutions offers three main indicator categories. Each indicator category has different needs and entails data construction that can at times be identical.
In this way, indicators form a tree structure depending on the information detail degree and the type of user.

Strategic
Indicators need to be supplied to decision-makers every quarter or every month in order for them to be able to establish a long term strategy. This type of user needs an overall view of all the different parts that makes up a company, at national as well as international level. This vision has to present strategic data simply and clearly.

Tactical
These indicators are for warehouse keepers, enabling them to make decisions for the mid to short term.

Operational
This type of indicator is targeted at site managers for short to very short term decision-making. They are linked to the day-to-day running of a warehouse.
The notion of categories naturally implies a hierarchy of information which can be accessed depending on the decisions to be taken.
Infolog EMS manages this hierarchy using a system of'Groups' that include various predetermined analyses.
Infolog EMS users are attached to a group depending on their authorised viewing level.
Where warehousing is concerned, Infolog EMS proposes the following groups, which are equivalent to the different viewing levels.