Warehouse Systems Assessment

Are You Making the Most of Your WMS?

The Warehouse Systems Assessment is a fast, affordable, strategic analysis of your distribution center’s (DC’s) Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). Focused on creating Supply Chain Systems Excellence, the overall goal of the Assessment is to identify bottom-line improvements to your warehouse performance through an analysis of systems, procedures and physical infrastructure. The Assessment is designed to ensure that your WMS and related systems are continuing to produce the results you expected upon implementation. To accomplish this objective, we concentrate on information flows and methodologies concerning fulfillment strategies including pick, pack and ship processes. The Assessment can drive your operation to achieve more out of your existing WMS solution. It can determine the impact of implementing companion products such as Labor Management or Slotting Optimization. The Assessment can gauge the impact of using technologies like Voice or additional functionality on the bottom line. Also, the Assessment can serve as a road map for a WM upgrade by identifying new functionality that should be considered with the most recent version.

Leverage the breadth and depth of Tompkins Associates’ experience in distribution technology implementation, operations consulting, material handling integration, and benchmarking and best practices in alignment of your DC’s operations and systems.

The 3 Steps Step 1: Pre-Assessment Questionnaire Prepares your team for the Assessment and gathers data and process flows to be used in subsequent phases. Step 2: On-Site Analysis A thorough review of your warehouse systems, procedures and facility. Includes an initial kickoff meeting, facility tour, and strategic discussions with key members of your systems and operations team. This process is the heart of the WMS Assessment. Step 3: Findings Preparation and Presentation Involves preparation of a written report and concise presentation of prioritized findings & recommendations. Actions can be taken from this phase to significantly improve your distribution facility’s WMS operation. These steps are outlined in more detail on page 2.

• Does the DC effectively support corporate

objectives for inventory & service levels? • Are there changes to the business that

your DC operations should better support?

• Are the systems in the DC configured to

align with facility & corporate objectives, current & future?

• How can more real-time integration with

inventory management, supplier & customer data improve service levels?

• How can better use of existing

functionality within the current systems improve the operations?

• Can operations benefit from the use of

core system functionality to optimize labor, space, transportation (task management, slotting support, dynamic routing) without investing heavily in new tools/integration?

• Are there practical opportunities for

increased or improved supplier integration for timeliness & accuracy?

• How can more real-time integration

with material handling controls improve order fulfillment & inventory visibility?

• What performance metrics & tools will

best support the overall objectives at the appropriate management levels?

Key areas of focus for the Assessment will include some combination of the following:

Warehouse Systems Assessment

Are You Making the Most of Your WMS?

Contact Us

Please contact one of our representatives to discuss how we can further assist your company in achieving your operational goals. Mark Buffum, Partner Office: (919) 855-5507 Cell: (703) 581-4949 mbuffum@tompkinsinc.com Matt Wilkerson, Principal Office: (678) 277-9288 x79211 Cell: (404) 641-3727 mwilkerson@tompkinsinc.com Tom Singer, Principal Office: (407) 362-0712 Cell: (919) 637-4278 tsinger@tompkinsinc.com About Our Company Tompkins Associates designs and integrates global end-to-end solutions for companies that embrace Supply Chain Excellence. For more than 30 years, Tompkins has evolved with the marketplace to become the leading provider of global supply chain services, distribution operations consulting, technology implementation, material handling integration, and benchmarking and best practices. Visit www.tompkinsinc.com for more information. Worldwide Central Campus 6870 Perry Creek Road Raleigh, NC 27616 800-789-1257 U.S. Office Locations California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina Global Office Locations Canada, Asia, Europe

Step 1: Pre-Assessment Questionnaire

WMS Systems Functions • General (receiving, putaway, picking,

staging & shipping) • Other functions (VAS, kitting, cycle

counting, inventory control, re-warehousing/re-slotting)

• Exception processing (returns, refusals & backorders)

• Workload management, labor planning, capacity planning

• Added processes since implementation Communications & Information Flow • Interfaces/EDIs to host & other systems • Advanced shipping notices (ASNs), orders

& invoices with trading partners Reporting & Performance Measurement • Availability of data for reporting purposes • Key performance indicators (KPIs) &

current reporting capabilities • Management requirements Systems Training & Employee Acceptance

• WMS functional training (end users & management)

• Systems processing & hardware training (end users & management)

Hardware & Network Configuration • Overall network & server hardware • System peripherals (RF, labeling, printing) • Automated material handling integration Warehouse Systems in General • Technical performance & measures • System integrity & risk management • Change management & issue reporting

(both hardware & software) • Available but uninstalled

systems/hardware improvements

Step 2: On-Site Analysis

Day One • Kickoff meeting with key systems &

operations personnel • Current review of existing systems &

warehouse operations tour • Receive & review pre-study

documentation • Formulate additional data requests or

systems questions as required • Set appointments with systems &

operational contacts Day Two • Review "as-is" systems configuration,

WMS & facility layout • Interview warehouse personnel,

observe processes • Interview IT personnel, observe

processes • Analyze systems performance, conduct

performance measures • Review facility storage capacity &

utilization Day Three • Capture additional warehouse systems

or process information • Conduct follow-up interviews &

address questions • Analyze data & consolidate

observations • Summarize systems & warehouse

findings • Wrap-up meeting with key contacts Step 3: Report Preparation & Presentation

• Prepare findings presentation & report • Present findings & recommendations to

key personnel

Assessment Sample Outline

Warehouse Systems Assessment

Are You Making the Most of Your WMS?

Contact Us Additional Services Please contact one of our

representatives to discuss how we can further assist your company in achieving your operational goals.

In addition to the Assessment, Tompkins can work with you on Business Case Development for Supply Chain Systems and in the area of Strategic Systems Assessment and Roadmap – both using our framework for achieving Supply Chain Systems Excellence.

Mark Buffum, Partner Office: (919) 855-5507 Cell: (703) 581-4949 mbuffum@tompkinsinc.com Matt Wilkerson, Principal Office: (678) 277-9288 x79211 Cell: (404) 641-3727 mwilkerson@tompkinsinc.com Tom Singer, Principal Office: (407) 362-0712 Cell: (919) 637-4278 tsinger@tompkinsinc.com About Our Company

Tompkins Associates designs and integrates global end-to-end solutions for companies that embrace Supply Chain Excellence. For more than 30 years, Tompkins has evolved with the marketplace to become the leading provider of global supply chain services, distribution operations consulting, technology implementation, material handling integration, and benchmarking and best practices. Visit www.tompkinsinc.com for more information.

Our framework for Supply Chain Systems Excellence provides a strategic review of all systems linked to supply chain performance with the goal of establishing a clear measure of the current state and future obstacles. Supply chain execution, planning and performance management are the anchor points for our methodology.

Worldwide Central Campus 6870 Perry Creek Road Raleigh, NC 27616

Our review and analysis process carefully balances strategic infrastructure development with mid-term supply chain performance improvements for a time-phased assessment for achieving short-term results and long-term excellence.

800-789-1257 U.S. Office Locations California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina

Global Office Locations Canada, Asia, Europe