In addition to NetSuite WMS (Warehouse Management System), NetSuite offers more mobile solutions that you might not even know about. Read on for more information and guides to using these features and contact us with any additional questions, including services for implementing, configuring, or customizing products to fit your company’s needs.
NetSuite Warehouse Management
NetSuite WMS has become an excellent product for companies that need a warehouse automation tool built into their NetSuite accounts.
Out of the box, NetSuite WMS now comes with the following features:
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- Customizable label printing from a mobile device or from an ERP user when using a PrintNode service. The label image/data is sent directly from NetSuite to your on-premises printers.
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- Composite and Linear barcode generation and scanning, including SSCC-18 for EDI Integrations, UPC (Universal Product Code), GTIN-14, and GS1
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- Configurable process flows that are partially customizable where administrators can add desired columns, text fields, table configurations, and on-load actions / on-click processing actions / on-click validation actions
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- Clone-able process flows to create independent duplicate processes, that are fully configurable/customizable for a company’s needs
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- Multiple units of measure support on transactions
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- Wave picking orders for fulfillment, with custom fields and algorithms for picking strategies
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- Define bin replenishment strategies to move inventory from storage to a processing area
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- Receive standard, lot-controlled, or serialized items, or virtual items on incoming supply
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- Transfer and update inventory status within and between warehouses or bins
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- Configurable rules for automatic/required printing and other transaction processing configurations per process per location
When should I consider getting NetSuite WMS?
If your business requires tracking lot numbers or serial numbers of inventory, tracking on-hand quantities in bins, or restricting the commitment of inventory by assigning statuses to on-hand balances, then your company is a great candidate for a WMS solution.
Many companies that do not track any of these inventory dimensions can sometimes get by without a WMS system, but other factors like volume of order processing or total number of SKUs can increase the need for some or all these solutions. Having a WMS solution available can help your company grow into a more advanced operation, and can contribute to increasing profitability and reducing inventory-related expenses.
Do I have to purchase NetSuite WMS to get SCM Mobile?
It is not necessary to have NetSuite WMS to get SCM Mobile and several applications for the platform. NetSuite WMS comes with an “SCM Application” walled WMS, but there are other applications on the SCM Mobile platform that do not require NetSuite WMS.
Pack Station
For customers who have enabled the “pick pack and ship” feature, Pack Station simplifies the process of converting picked orders into packed orders. As of January 2023, all that is necessary to be utilize this SuiteApp is having the “Advanced Inventory” feature available to you. Follow NetSuite’s instructions in Help Center to download the correct bundles.
If you don’t have NetSuite WMS, you will need to have some way of creating item fulfillments in a picked status. This will be done either in the User Interface with the bulk processing tool called “Fulfill Orders,” or by manually clicking fulfill on orders and setting required data. If you track bins, lot numbers, serial numbers, or statuses for inventory, there are several requirements that must be met for the system to automatically assign the inventory detail during bulk generation. Typically, customers that track any of these inventory dimensions will have NetSuite WMS instead of forcing their inventory into [often] unnatural states that meet the auto-processing requirements.
Ship Central
NetSuite’s newest addition to SCM Mobile promises to help companies rate-shop with their integrated carriers, convert pack orders to shipped orders, and print a shipping label. It is estimated to be released in the 2023.1 release cycle. We’ll update you when the exact release dates are confirmed.
Here is a video of SuiteWorld 2022 highlighting the key features of Ship Central:
WHAT ARE MY MANUFACTURING OPTIONS WITH NETSUITE WMS OR SCM MOBILE?
NetSuite has two methods available to customers for processing work orders:
MANUFACTURING MOBILE APPLICATION
As of January 2023, if your company has the Work Orders and Assemblies feature, you should already be able to utilize SCM Mobile and an application called “Manufacturing Mobile”. Follow NetSuite’s instructions on Help Center to download the correct bundle. Whether you are processing one-step assemblies or processing WIP (Work in Progress) work orders with multiple steps, Manufacturing Mobile provides an interface to get assemblies built.
Note that if you track bins, you must have some way of moving inventory to a Staging Bin for the work center(s) that will process a work order.
WORK ORDER PROCESSES WITHIN NETSUITE WMS
If your company also has NetSuite WMS, you will see both “Work Order Picking” and “Assembly Builds” available in the WMS application. Work Order Picking helps companies that track bins get their inventory to the correct staging bin for use in either NetSuite WMS: Assembly Builds or in Manufacturing Mobile. Note that WIP work orders are only built in NetSuite Manufacturing Mobile.
WHAT CAN LUXENT DO TO HELP COMPANIES WITH THEIR SCM MOBILE IMPLEMENTATIONS?
Luxent helps companies configure or customize warehouse applications to fit their unique business needs. Examples of customizations we support include:
- Detailed item receiving labels
- Auto-generate virtual or expected lot numbers on incoming supply, and require warehouse employees to receive only those expected lot numbers which are not already received
- Customize work order instructions based on linked sales order options, for sales orders with linked “Special Work Orders”
- Create a mobile process to confirm scrapping inventory in designated bins
And, of course, we can leverage our broad expertise in warehouse and manufacturing operations to make the best implementation of your business process with the SCM Mobile platform and its applications. Reach out to learn more about your options for getting the software and for any assistance implementing the tools or your business processes.
