Warehouse tracking system (WTS) and how it works

Monitoring inventory units with a warehouse tracking system is a fundamental part of business management, particularly for medium-sized and large companies.

What is a warehouse tracking system?

A warehouse tracking system (WTS) is a software solution that gives organizations complete control over their inventory units in real time. These programs log product entries and exits, generate a detailed record of stock movements, assign locations, sequence tasks, and automate information flows. All this expedites key processes such as receiving, order fulfillment, and shipping.

Warehouse tracking systems offer companies agility and visibility to ensure they always have the necessary items, raw materials, and components on hand to meet the needs of end consumers and production lines.

How does a warehouse tracking system work?

RFID tags are often the gateway to real-time inventory monitoring. This technology incorporates a chip and an antenna to transmit product information via radio waves. Additionally, most inventory management systems — especially the most competitive on the market — can integrate with other solutions such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. This coalescence enhances coordination across various company departments, boosts operational efficiency, and improves customer service.

Warehouse tracking systems enable real-time inventory management, which supports smooth deliveries and cash flow. It’s essential to choose an inventory system that guarantees complete coordination between warehouse activities, production, and ecommerce platforms. The WTS should also be able to create custom workflows to optimize pick paths. The Easy WMS warehouse management system can improve operational productivity by up to 60%, increase storage capacity by up to 40%, and reduce human errors by 99% by providing instructions to associates.

Which businesses can benefit most from a warehouse tracking system?

While automated inventory management is advantageous for most industries, these are some that stand to gain the most:

• Manufacturing. Manufacturers must maintain strict inventory control to meet their targets. A warehouse tracking system enables them to monitor and manage flows, from goods receipt to final product shipment.
• Retail and ecommerce. Easy WMS’s Store Fulfillment capability delivers complete inventory visibility across retail establishments and distribution centers.
• Transportation and logistics providers. Warehouse tracking systems allow 3PLs and other organizations offering storage and transportation services to share detailed reports on product status with their clients.
• Wholesale and distribution. Given the large volumes of stock they handle, distributors must prioritize inventory management systems and the benefits of software like Easy WMS.
• Pharmaceutical. In a sector where traceability of raw materials and individual items is critical, these systems help ensure compliance with strict regulations.

Which industries leverage inventory tracking systems to accelerate their logistics operations?

An increasing number of businesses are using warehouse tracking systems to streamline operations and reach their full potential:

• HAVI. The multinational company HAVI provides logistics, supply chain management, and packaging services to leading brands. Easy WMS oversees operations at its automated warehouses in Portugal, managing the movements of its stacker cranes to enhance the organization’s order fulfillment capacity.
• Manzara. Fashion ecommerce retailer Gibon, known for its online stores Pelegrina and Manzara, digitalized its facility in Ljubljana (Slovenia) with Easy WMS. By effectively managing inventory units, it processes up to 6,000 orders during peak seasons and tracks over 10,000 SKUs without errors.
• Novartis. The pharmaceutical and biotech multinational’s rack-supported building in Basil (Switzerland), which holds 14,304 pallets of materials for drug packaging, is managed by Mecalux’s Easy WMS.
• Natur’al Packaging. This food packaging distributor in Sainte-Savine (France) ensures traceability of films, wraps, and batch numbers for customers in Europe, Africa, and French overseas territories using this warehouse tracking system.
• VI-MA. The Italian manufacturer of metal container components uses Easy WMS to assign storage locations based on product characteristics and demand levels. The software solution also optimizes pallet placement by prioritizing their dimensions.

Track your warehouse inventory with Interlake Mecalux

At Interlake Mecalux, we specialize in warehouse automation and management with our Easy WMS software. This successful solution runs logistics operations in over 1,100 facilities in 36 countries, maximizing companies’ supply chain efficiency. Similarly, our Easy DOM system provides visibility across large distribution networks. Contact us to benefit from our extensive intralogistics experience, built over decades since 1966.