This article is a continuation of the publication “Warehouse information systems – system functionality” published in the previous issue of “Logistyka”. It discussed: the role of information systems in warehousing,
the matrix of features and functions, parametric characteristics of systems, and indicators used in the methodology.
The following article presents the essential elements of the first of two versions of the methodology for selecting warehouse information systems. This version (A) is used for selecting software in a warehouse that is being designed or is already existing but does not have an information system.
The second version (B) – allowing for the verification of software used in a warehouse for the purpose of its improvement or replacement – will be the subject of the final article in this series.
Methodology for selecting a standard information system to support material flow in a designed warehouse or in a warehouse without an information system.
The methodology is based on the implementation of ten tasks, which are discussed below.
Task A.1. During the analysis of the material flow process and the accompanying information flow, process features occurring in the warehouse are selected from a checklist. In parallel, the importance of these features for warehouse operation is recognized, which will be used when assigning weights to the functions of information systems in task A.7. Additionally, comments, suggestions, and expectations of the future or current warehouse user are collected, which take into account the specifics resulting from the industry or the role of the warehouse in the entire logistics supply chain. The collected information is helpful in selecting groups for detailed analysis (task A.6).
The set of flow features is determined by a person with appropriate competence in both knowledge of warehouse processes and the functionality of information systems.
Task A.2. In the next step, the previously determined set of flow features is mapped to the set of information system functions. The matrix of features and functions serves this purpose, and its suggested assignment is verified based on the results of task A.1.
Each function assigned to any feature is considered an expected function. The result of the task is a set of expected functions, which is a subset of the set of warehouse information system functions. The number of elements in this subset is the number of expected functions.
Task A.3. For all information systems, fulfilled functions are determined. These are functions available in the system that were simultaneously considered expected functions in task A.2. The value of the fulfilled function parameter is equal to the value of the function parameter available in a given system, according to its parametric characteristics.
For each recognized system, the set of fulfilled functions and the set of fulfilled function parameters are determined separately.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 4/2004.