Warehouse Management System (WMS)
A WMS is software that runs warehouse operations: receiving, putaway to rack locations, order picking, packing and dispatch. It tracks stock by SKU, location, batch and expiry date and applies FIFO or FEFO rules. Integrating the WMS with transport and load planning systems cuts mis-shipments and speeds up packing list preparation.
Related terms
- SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
An SKU is the unique code for each item variant a warehouse manages, such as a combination of product, size, colour and pack.
- FIFO (First In, First Out)
FIFO is a stock rotation rule where goods that entered the warehouse first are shipped first.
- FEFO (First Expired, First Out)
FEFO is a stock rotation rule where goods with the nearest expiry date are shipped first, regardless of when they arrived.
- Cross-Docking
Cross-docking is a warehouse method where inbound goods are sorted and transferred straight to outbound vehicles with minimal storage, typically under 24 hours.