Boss Software, Incorporated
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Order Entry / Shipping System triples order throughput.Boss Software, Incorporated. We bring you into the next melinia. "Alma Products streamlines order processing and automatically notifies customers of shipments by electronic data interchange with data management software". On a good day automotive parts remanufacturer, Alma Products, used to pick and ship 100 orders. On a great day, 150 orders went out the door to customers such as Ford, Chrysler, and Caterpillar; "but shipping those additional 50 orders was killing us," says Mike Biagini, Director of Materials for Alma Products. Using server resident, data management software, provided by Boss Software, Incorporated, Alma products, a company that expedites pick/pack/ship operations, and notification of customers via electronic data interchange (EDI). The Alma Michigan manufacturer easily handles 300 orders daily. Biagini says on Alma's best day 1,200 were shipped using the new software. Orders are received throughout the day by the EDI at Alma's corporate center. In the case of Ford, orders arrive three times a day at 6:00am, Noon, and 3:00pm, and must be shipped by 5:00pm that same day. " Our old system certainly didn't have the flexibility to let us react that quickly," says Biagini. Each order is translated by the data management software into a sales order, from which both a pick list, and packing slips, are generated and printed for workers. Pick lists can be organized by order and include all part numbers requested, or by part number for multiple orders. After picking is completed, workers key in any exceptions to a terminal in the packing department to create a packing slip. A bill of lading is run within minutes. Inventory records on the AS400 are then automatically updated. Biagini notes, "If the AS400 is down this system will ship for four days then catch up in 15 minutes". In addition, the data management software automatically prepares within minutes a Advance Ship Notice (ASN) for electronic transmission to the customer. Biagini adds "It used to take us 2 hours to manually prepare ASN's just for Ford." Looking to the future, Biagini expects to implement barcodes to automate data collection during the pick process. " That will make that operation much easier too." The barcoding function is standard feature of the BOSS Order/Entry package. Major customers such as Ford send orders to Alma by EDI. Software running on a server, creates an order from which all shipping documents are generated. The server updates the AS400 and automatically notifies the customer of shipments via EDI. |
Modern Materials Handling |