Oracle Warehouse Management System Overview

Oracle Warehouse Management System (WMS) is advanced inventory module with lot of unique features that improves productivity of distribution centers, manufacturing or inventory handling facilities. Oracle WMS supports manual data entry, bar code readers scanning for data entry as well as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) scanning. WMS can be enabled at Inventory organization level.

Key business processes supported by Oracle WMS:

  • Inbound Logistics (Receiving, supplier returns, corrections)
  • Stocking and internal inventory movements
  • WIP Job assembly completion, component issues
  • Outbound Logistics (pickimg, packing, shipping)
  • Reverse logistics (customer returns)

License Plate Numbers (LPN): LPN is an object carries the location where it is residing and items that are holding. LPN need not be a physical object, it could be logical grouping. LPN simpley a group of items represented systematically. The major advantage of LPN is less number of transactions. Entire LPN can be transacted at once instead of by each line that LPN holds.

Material Status: This is one of the beautiful features of WMS, you can assign status to an item, lot or serial number. Each status is defined with a list of permissble transactions. Eg. if you have status called ‘No Sale’ and set the rules such that shipping is not allowed but all other internal inventory movements are allowed. Material status can enforce this kind of business rules.

Label printing: WMS partially supports this fucntionality. You can define label formats and fields (data) needed, you can associate this with WMS rules to print the label automatically. WMS can generate xml output, but you need a 3rd party label printing/formatting tool to actually print.

Cost groups: This is another major functionality offered by WMS module. In standard Inventory module Inventory valuation accounts are derived by subinventory setups. In WMS based on cost group rules you can have different valuations independent of subinventories.

Putaway Rules: When a matrial is received you need to receive into stock. In a major distribution center it is often complex to know where to store the material. WMS offers putaway rules that can be setup based son business criteria. Eg. If all hazarad material categy must be received into hazardous area then putaway rules can be setup.

WMS Rules engine: WMS rules engine enforces the rules defined for putaway, cost group or label printing. You can simulate the results based on set of rules defined.

12 responses to Oracle Warehouse Management System Overview

  1. Hi… Would you mind telling me if Oracle WMS is a Stand Alone Product and which the pre-requirements are for the implementation ?

    Thank you very much!

  2. You mean implementing Oracle WMS module alone? or Implementing WMS in a separate instance and integrating with other oracle modules?
    1) Implementing Oracle WMS alone: Any oracle module can be implemented on its own, they always come with shared setups which are pre-requisites for WMS functioning.
    2) Distributed WMS: Oracle released distributed WMS functionality that allows to implement/install WMS on a separate box (like ASCP) and integrating with oracle modules.

  3. I am interested in the following about Oracle WMS;
    1. Whether it is appropriate for a pharmaceutical distribution company
    2. The technical requirements for implementation (including preferable hardware and software platforms)
    3. Estimated implementation and maintenance costs in Botswana.

  4. 1) Yes it will work perfectly for pharmaceutical distribution company, key functionality you need is expiry date/shelf life management, and it works well in Oracle WMS.
    2) Intermec, Zebra and many other vendors provide the technical hardware you need (hand held devices for scanning, printers and telnet server). One additional software you may need is for label printing. Logtware, Zebra, Clear Orbit can provide such functionality.
    3) I can’t comment on implementation costs in Bosnia, you can ask for a quote from Implementation partners.

  5. Hello Guys,

    We are implementing the MSCA here without WMS and that will be only for one inventory for maintenance and asset items.

    I am new to MSCA imeplemenation where i have done it for WMS and MSCA. Kindly suggest if below steps are right: –
    1) We will first Install the Oralc on Device and do all configurations like wireless and all.
    2) We will assign the WHSE Mgt responsibility to the users.
    3) Then we will do the configurations on the MWA Server in $MWA_TOP like as below: –

    MWA Configuration File: Configure mwa.cfg
    a. Set mwa.DbcFolder=full directory of folder containing the .dbc file
    b. Set mwa.DbcFile=dbc file name
    c. Set mwa.logdir=full directory of log file
    d. Set mwa.TelnetPortNumber=default port#
    e. Setmwa.DropConnectionTimeout= no. of minutes
    f. Set mwa.StaleSessionTimeout= no. of minutes
    g. Set mwa.LogLevel=error or trace

    Key Mappings: Configure default_key.ini
    a. Associate Server-Defined actions to Device keys:
    == eg. MWA_CLEAR_
    FIELD=CONTROLK=Clear
    b. Specify a device

    Device IP: Configure Device IP.ini
    3. Map the device name and IP address as follows:
    a. Mapping by device name: Intermec 2415=intermec2415_key.ini
    b. Mapping by IP address: 130.35.112.*=intermec2415.ini

    Setup Dispatcher parameters in mwa.cfg
    1. Specify the port number and machine for running the dispatcher where
    mwa.Dispatcher=hostname:port#
    2. Specify the dispatcher worker thread count where
    mwa.DispatcherWorkerThreadCount=15
    3. Specify the dispatcher clients per worker where
    mwa.DispatcherClientsPerWorker=10

    Now my question is, are the above steps sufficient to make it work or something else is to be done?
    Also for the Picking and putaway rules, how can we handle that?
    How the resources will be assigned to the particular type of task with WMS into picture?
    Many other things that WMS does how we need to do that?
    How the Printer Setup will be done here?
    How Barcode Label will be assigned to the transaction so it can be printed runtime?

    Please share experiences ASAP as we have do get this process implemented at the earliest.

  6. hi all,
    i am looking to implement the oracle ware house management at mine client just for the testing purpose therefore for that i need you people assitance where i should start ???

    first of all i need to know the basic businees flow of oracle ware house management system … kindly reply me ??

  7. kk said on March 10, 2013

    Hi,
    Can anyone tell me what are the picking rules that can be setup in wms or in other words what is pick sequence?
    What is the setup in wms which improves picking efficiency?

    Kindly reply soon.It’s urgent.

  8. SRI said on July 8, 2013

    Hi,

    Dear friends,

    I have issue in WMS can any one guide me what is the problem how i can get this…

    Initially i setup one normal inventory org and i have done 2 transaction like org transfer…. after that i came to know this org is WMS control org… then i have checked the check box in inventory org level it allows me to do that… then 2 more tabs will be added in the org parameters.. warehouse and warehouse management task..now.. i did not get the values under warehouse management task tab….

    can any one help me on the issue.

    thanks in advance.

  9. sir i did mba ,i have 1.6years work experience in oracle warehouse management in lifestyle international pvt ltd, max retail division i am looking for a job in mnc any vacancies inform me through mail.

  10. Does this system talk to syteline arp systems

  11. we are using Oracle warehouse management system, a full system.
    We are planning to change our conventional materials racking to automatic carousel storage and automatic vertical lift storage . at the end of auto storage system setup, we may expect still some materials were using conventional racking. the auto-storage system Hanel, is using viad@twms. I would like to seek feedback and advise on the best way for this integration…. on our OWMS to Viad@twms storage system.

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