Dynamics GP WMS: Fulfillment, Restocking, Adjustment

High price often make the deal impossible and Microsoft Dynamics GP customers are seeking for something more competitive pricewise and here we do recommend Warehouse Management Extensions, specially designed to work within Great Plains objects realm.  Plus, if you need additional windows in Dynamics GP to be opened for barcode scanning, it is reasonably simple programming routine for Great Plains Dexterity programmer.  Let’s review how WMS extensions are realized for Dynamics GP:
1. WMS definition.  As it is defined in Wikipedia “A warehouse management system, or WMS, is a key part of the supply chain and primarily aims to control the movement and storage of materials within a warehouse and process the associated transactions, including shipping, receiving, putaway and picking.”
2. How WMS processes map to ERP system.  If you look at modern Enterprise Resource Planning applications, such as Microsoft Dynamics (GP – Great Plains or AX - Axapta), business processes mentioned in WMS definition are typically available in the ERP modules, that could be categorized as Distribution, Supply Chain Management, Logistics related.  In Dynamics GP (often referred by its historical name Great Plains Dynamics), we have Distribution series, including such modules as Sales Order Processing (SOP), Inventory Control (INV) and Purchase Order Processing, where mentioned logic is available with various additions and options.  However the advances in the technology of the modern barcode scanner dictate you the need to run WMS client application directly on the scanner operating system (versus very primitive functionality of the first barcoding devices, where they were doing just the same job as computer keyboard, but ten times faster, due to the advantages of the barcode label instant scanning).  WMS client, running on the barcode scanner collects the information about the whole document (or even the whole batch of documents) and then transmit it to ERP as transaction (or the batch of transactions).  And this is about what WMS extension for Microsoft Dynamics GP does – being mediator between barcode scanner and Dynamics GP Distribution set of modules
3. Sales Order Fulfillment in Dynamics GP (in WMS terminology often referred as Allocation).  When on the warehouse floor you have printed sales order to prepare for shipping, being warehouse worker you pick items from the shelves and bins and pack them (when you are done with one of them – you scan it with your barcode scanner, until you are done with the whole Sales Order).  WMS extensions work with SOP Sales Order (or Invoice), where the document is created in Dynamics GP with manual allocation option (by default SOP Invoice or Order suggest automatic fulfillment, you do not want it for the WMS scenario, as allocation is done via barcode scanning directly on the warehouse floor).  Then warehouse worker goes and fulfills the order downstairs in the warehouse (Dynamics GP supports multiple Inventory Sites, meaning multiple warehouses, where you can schedule order for picking, packing and final shipping, and when you have the power to control your stock in multiple locations, you can transfer on order, where you have items in one warehouse and don’t have them in the place, where customer wants them to be picked up)
4. Inventory Restocking (also referred as Merchandise Replenishment in Warehouse Management System terminology).  In Dynamics GP you do this in Purchase Order Processing module in Purchase Receipt transaction (where you may require match receipt line against Purchase Orders for this vendor, or do receipts without PO).  When you do purchase receipt in WMS – you place your items received to specified site (warehouse) and if required to the bin (shelf).  When you receive items, if they are required to be serial or lot number tracked, at that moment you assign the number
5. Adjustments and Transfers (between warehouses, bins, etc.).  This is done in Inventory Control module (Microsoft Dynamics GP).  Regarding adjustments, there are two places where you may do them in INV – adjustment form and inventory physical count (cycle count every month or quarter or on demand)
6. WMS Extensions and Dynamics GP versions supported.  Initially we released WMS extensions for Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise 7.5.  It is available for all the succeeding versions 2010/11.0, 10.0, 9.0, 8.0 (this publication is written in September 2010).  However in our opinion, it is generally not a good idea to implement something of the magnitude of the Warehouse Management System or other SCM and Barcoding projects for Dynamics GP version, no longer supported directly by Microsoft Business Solutions or if the support is about to be expired in a year or so.  Even if you do not have current support contact with Microsoft and do not have access to new reg key or Customer Source, we still advise you that getting reenrolled into MBS annual enhancement program fee is lower, comparing to the risk to get technical issues down the road on the old not supported version of Great Plains
7. Commitment to archaic Great Plains Version, such as Great Plains on Pervasive SQL 2000/Btrieve or Ctree/Faircom.  If you are on the really low software support budget, we recommend you to consider having primitive WMS (custom in-house programming and design in Microsoft Access is the most common scenario, if you are reading these lines, we suspect, that you already have something like that in production) and interface WMS transactions directly to your Great Plains Dynamics General Ledger, SOP, POP, Inventory via Integration Manager.  We are happy to help you with IM integration setup and implementation.  The same could be recommended for Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Mac users, however Integration module is less flexible and advanced comparing to Great Plains Dynamics.  If you are on Great Plains Dynamics 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0, 3.2 or earlier versions or on GPA 9.5, 9.2, 9.1, in order for us to help you with technical support, we usually ask you to sign Dynamics GP change partner form – to broke for you with Microsoft Business Solutions
8. Dynamics GP WMS Extensions on the International Corporate ERP market.  We can help you if you represent American or Canadian corporation, expanding internationally.  Please be sure that you understand such potential pitfalls as Corporate ERP Localization (availability on the targeted country language, and compliance to the business legislation: tax code, customs regulation, etc.).  We also have WMS customers in Arabic World and SCM clients in Central and South America, so we are open to discuss your needs.  If you are not really familiar with the topic, please be advised that Dynamics GP is not localized in such countries as Brazil, China, Russia, most of the Europe (except UK and Ireland).  It is available in countries, where English language is the language of business (Asia, Africa), assuming that your subsidiary is OK to use Accounting application, which is compliant to international GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in international auditing)
9. Failed WMS implementation recovery and second opinion providing service.  We are really sorry if this is your case or when your Warehouse Management System implementation went into limbo situation.  Microsoft Dynamics GP, having rich mid-market Corporate ERP business logic requires high level of technology and functional consulting expertise and experience.  Feel free to contact our office on reviewing your situation and suggesting you the way out
10. How to contact us and request presentation or case review?  Please call us 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com  by our business model we serve you USA, Canada (including Quebec/Montreal) nationwide and internationally.  Some customers prefer local service, we are happy to do that in Chicagoland, Western Michigan, Southern California, Texas, Northern Indiana