The mark of a modern, efficient delivery organization is the amount of information it can capture, manage and provide to its customers. Barcode supply chain standards is enabling companies to identify, move & track goods in real time as they move from manufacturing floor to distribution center to retail store. Benefits include improved efficiency, increased visibility over the shipments flow, efficient handling and inventory management, increased security of distribution and speed of operations.

Solution Spotlight: Receiving & Shipping Automation

In a store’s back room, barcodes can be used to simplify the receiving and un-loading process. As products or cases are received, the description and other pertinent information are manually entered into the local computer’s database. The computer then drives an on-line bar code label printer in the receiving area to produce a unique bar code label for each retail or logistic unit. This label not only contains the unique  item or case code in the form of a barcode, but also other information like item description, batch number, vendor code etc in human readable text form.

The items to be stored are placed in a holding area, waiting for a forklift operator / manual picker to take them. The operator has a portable bar code reader (Mobile Computer) and scans the item that is to be stored. He then places the item in the next available storage location and scans the bar code affixed to it. These two bar codes fields have now been linked in the reader’s memory. Several times a day, the portable’s data is uploaded to the host computer and update stocks immediately.  If a portable radio (RF) reader had been used, this step could be eliminated.

When items are to be picked, the host computer downloads a pick list into an operator’s portable terminal. The portable’s display prompts the operator to go to a specific storage location. The operator then scans the symbol on the stored item; the portable computer confirms that this is the correct item, ad the operator is then prompted to proceed to the next location. If it is not the correct item or quantity to be shipped, an error message is given. Result is accurate delivery in terms of item & quantity.

Route planning & delivery can further be automated with unique identification of logistics units through out the supply chain process.