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Implementation Team Participants
The goal of the initial visit is to discuss the steps involved in successfully implementing the IWMS, also known as DANCIK WAREHOUSE. At this meeting, Dancik representatives and the implementation planners from the distributors will coordinate timelines and rollout schedules, discuss and review the RF options available, and set an action plan for the distributors’ warehouse site analysis.
We will also walk through the warehouse and discuss operational scenarios, such as receiving, picking, cycle count, and shipping. We will discuss what steps are required today and how the same functions will be performed during each phase of the IWMS implementation.
Dancik is normally on site for 3 phases:
1. Initial planning session
2. A pre-live visit at time TBD
3. Go live
Implementation Team Participants
Dancik International
David Anderson – IWMS Product Owner
Distributor
Warehouse operations managers
Key warehouse personnel
IT manager
Implementation team
1. Introductions
2. General scheduling
Timeline based on IWMS contract
Blackout dates for the distributor, based on organizational conflicts, such as physical inventory or seasonal business trends
3. Create a vocabulary of common terminology
4. Hardware discussions
Barcode printers
RF terminals
- 5250 Emulation software – Note: This is an added cost to RF terminals
- Wireless access points
Mobile carts – carts with a wireless LAN PC and a barcode printer for cycle counting or re-labeling locations
Options for suppliers of the hardware and accessories
Cost sheet for supplies and hardware
5. Labeling discussions
Labels required for warehouse locations
- Warehouse racks
- Warehouse aisles and floors, if needed
New barcode formats needed for picking or receiving, such as putaway labels which have the Distributors Item number barcoded.
Purchase of PC based barcode package, such as PC Anything or Bartender, for small label runs.
6. Implementation of the IWMS requiring activation of the Dancik menu system
7. UPC Code file discussion
File setup
Product lines of concern for compliance. Can the information be obtained from manufacturers?
1. Discuss warehouse layout
Areas
Sub-areas
Locations
Labeling
- Issues of labeling the racks
- Labeling concerns and alternative to long distance scan locations
- Available label materials
2. IWMS file maintenance
3. Advanced ISO options
4. Pick pool view enhancements
5. Directed putaway
6. Picking with labels
7. Directed picking
8. Directed staging
9. Directed loading
10 Order priorities
11. RF applications
Receiving
Putaway
Picking
Staging
Loading
Replenishment
Cycle counting
Location changes
12. Pallet building – Using the pallet as one unit to move from picking to shipping
13. Cross-dock opportunities
Connections to cutting machine via Dancik cut label barcode – hardware requirements at the cutting station:
- Monitor or PC with scanner
- Barcode printer
15. IWMS Browser
Action Plan for Distributor’s Next Steps
1. Define numbering schemes for locations
2. Determine if location checkstrings will be used
3. Create Dancik spreadsheet of locations to be uploaded into system
4. Select and procure labels needed for location labeling
5. Arrange meeting with RF analyst to get an on-site visit for hardware requirements
6. Select and procure RF equipment, printers, and other hardware and software requirements
Select equipment
Order equipment
Install equipment
7. Read all documentation pertaining to IWMS and start building all files so you can start testing and getting familiar with IWMS
8. Layout areas, sub-areas in warehouse and begin labeling locations
9. Activate the New Dancik menu system, which is required for IWMS
10. Start printing labels using the label pool. This will allow you to get comfortable with this process prior to implementing IWMS
11. Decide which process you wish to start the implementation process: Receiving, Picking, Shipping
12. Make sure ISO is turned on and in use
13. Set up test products
14. (Optional) Set up test locations. You can use real locations if you wish.
15. Determine next date for Dancik to visit to help with training and finishing of set up to get prepared for Go Live
On-site hardware planning involves analysis of your physical warehouse by a technical member or the distributors staff or a professional trained in site survey analysis. This analyst will recommend how many access points you will require at your site and where they should be placed to prevent dead spots. The analyst will also work with you to determine any other hardware or electrical requirements to get the RF equipment functional. The following factors are included in determining how many access points you need:
Square footage of the warehouse
Types of products (Carpet absorbs radio transmissions.)
Dancik has engaged several RF equipment and barcode suppliers to source a hardware package that can be purchased as a turnkey solution. The distributors can, instead, work with their own partners and suppliers to obtain the site analysis and hardware.
Hardware procurement is an important part of getting started in the warehouse-planning program. Obtaining the hardware in-house and getting the warehouse staff familiar with it is vital to user acceptance. Early procurement allows you to run through various scenarios to identify issues not discovered during the initial site walk-through.