One Wrong Scan and Our WMS

Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I’m Marty, and today we’re diving into something that quietly runs the show in almost every modern warehouse, the Warehouse Management System, or WMS. 

If you’ve ever scanned a label, followed a pick path, dropped a pallet in a location, or received directions from a handheld or voice system — you’ve been interacting with it. But how often do we stop and think about why it exists, how it works, and how critical it is to follow its directions exactly as given? 

Today, we’ll explore, from our perspective, or from the floor, what a WMS is and how it came to be. The advantages it brings to operations and us as associates, the importance of accuracy and compliance in both inbound and outbound tasks, and finally, how something as simple as mis-placing a pallet can cost a company, and us, valuable, non-recoverable time. 

Todays topic came to light through a message from Shannon. His facility runs a pretty tight ship and he was coached for misplacing a pallet of extremely valued product. He was counseled for manually entering or confirming he had placed a pallet vs scanning it to the location, and then the other shift could not locate it in a timely manner. He did not see it as a big deal, and asked me what I thought of all the WMS system blankety blank. 

Well Sir, you may not like my answer, and I do understand your point of view, but let’s explore the subject for a bit and see if we can find some common ground!   

I guess we should start with what a warehouse management system is? 

A Warehouse Management System, or WMS, is essentially the digital backbone of the warehouse. I’d say digital brain but in today's world we could confuse the word brain with AI, so I’m going to say backbone! It manages inventory, directs product flow, and keeps everything in sync from the moment goods arrive at the dock until they’re shipped out the door. The system touches every component and department.  

Before WMS, warehouses operated on paper, clipboards, handwritten lists, and manual counts. You’d have receiving sheets, pick tickets, and paper bills of lading. Inventory accuracy depended on people’s handwriting, math, and memory. And as warehouses grew larger and customers demanded faster and more accurate deliveries, paper just couldn’t keep up. 

That’s when WMS technology came into play, starting with simple barcode scanning in the 1980s and 90s, evolving into complex, real-time systems that talk directly with all our IT software, transportation systems, and even automated equipment today. 

At its core or simply put, a WMS answers three questions every minute of every shift. Where is every product and case located? What needs to happen next? Who is best positioned to do it? 

So why, beside just the fact that all that paperwork was getting over whelming, why did the WMS Come to be. 

Well, as supply chains grew more complex, companies needed better control of a few things. One of them was Inventory accuracy, knowing exactly how much of every item is on hand. Next up was space utilization, making the most out of every square foot of warehouse space. Remember, real estate is expensive. We needed to make every inch count. Another huge factor was labor efficiency, ensuring that the right departments and the right people are doing the right jobs at the right time. And then speed and traceability, getting products to customers faster, and knowing where everything is at all times. 

Paper and manual systems created too many opportunities for errors, double receipts, missed picks, unrecorded damages, and misplaced pallets. 

The WMS was designed to eliminate those gaps by assigning every product, every location, and every movement a digital identity. It tells the operator what, where, and when, while recording who did it, all in real time. 

That transparency is what keeps operations flowing smoothly. 

What are the advantages of WMS? 

A well-implemented and followed WMS provides advantages across every department. Accuracy being a big advantage. The system reduces human error by scanning every move. When every pallet and case is tracked by barcode, mistakes drop dramatically. And I mentioned efficiency earlier, it optimizes travel paths for selectors and for operators, no more backtracking or hunting for items. And a biggie for us on the floor is the inventory control aspect. The system knows where every item is stored and how much is available, reducing lost product, write-offs, and cycle-count discrepancies for the company but for us as order selectors and fork operators it helps keep those pick slots full!  And then the labor management side of things. WMS data ties directly to performance metrics like cases per hour, pallets per hour, and pick accuracy. It helps both associates and supervisors measure productivity fairly and objectively. And I want to say something about customer service or customer satisfaction. When orders are picked accurately and shipped on time, customers stay happy, and that’s what keeps our jobs secure. 

I’ll try to break it down by departments. 

Let’s talk about the inbound side first, the start of the product’s warehouse journey. 

Inbound includes receivers, forklift operators, and inventory control personnel. 

Our merchandising department orders the product and the logistics group schedules the order to arrive at the warehouse. That appointment is usually the first entry in our WMS. 

Then, when a trailer backs up to the dock, the receiver’s job is to unload product and confirm that what’s arriving matches the purchase order. The WMS creates a digital record for every pallet, assigning each a temporary staging location and eventually a permanent “home” in the warehouse. 

If that receiver doesn’t verify barcodes correctly or misses a damaged pallet, that error enters the system, and everything downstream or after that point is affected. 

Once received, a forklift operator moves the product to its designated storage slot. 
Here’s where following WMS direction becomes critical. And this is what messed Shannon up. 
If the system says to place pallet “A123” in location “R-24-05,” and the operator accidentally sets it in “R-24-15,” the system will now believe it’s still in 05. 

The next time an order calls for that product, the selector’s scanner will direct them to an empty slot, causing confusion, time loss, and frustration. 

Inventory control teams rely on WMS data to audit counts and correct variances. When pallets are misplaced or scanned incorrectly, IC spends hours searching, recounting, or re-labeling, all of which is indirect time that produces no revenue or progress.  

Ok, Now let’s move to the outbound side, order selectors, loaders, outbound forklift operators, and replenishment operators. 

When the WMS assigns a selection path, it’s carefully optimized for travel efficiency and slot rotation. 
If an order selector decides to “freestyle” and pick out of sequence, maybe grabbing a nearby item early to save a few steps, it breaks that optimization. The system still expects that item to be there later, which can throw off the next picker’s route or the replenishment schedule. 

For loaders, the WMS assigns which pallets belong to which trailer or route. Skipping a scan or loading the wrong pallet can mean a delivery truck leaves missing a customer’s product, and someone’s day just got a lot longer fixing it. And a lot more money may be spent.  

Forklift drivers supporting outbound operations, especially replenishment operators, are the backbone of order flow. When the system says slot A needs replenishment, it’s based that on live data from order picks. Delaying a move, dropping product in the wrong location, or working ahead outside of the WMS instructions can cause product shortages or double replenishments. 

It’s easy to think the WMS is just a guideline, but in reality, it’s a precision system built on logic, timing, and workflow. 

When we follow it exactly, everything stays synchronized. When we don’t, we create ripples that affect everyone down the line. 

Imagine this. You’re an inbound forklift operator. The system tells you to place a pallet of canned goods in location A-3-10. You’re in a hurry, the slot looks full, so you drop it in A-3-12 instead. I’ll fix it later, you think. 

Two days later, an order selector goes to pick from A-3-10, and the product isn’t there. He calls for inventory control. They spend time searching for it, maybe call a supervisor. Ten minutes turns into thirty, then an hour. 

That single pallet caused multiple associates to stop their direct work, all because one instruction wasn’t followed. 

I’ve mentioned indirect and direct time, let’s break that down even further. 

Direct time is the time we spend performing productive, billable, or goal-driven work, the tasks that move freight and generate value. Picking an order, loading a trailer, receiving product or moving a pallet to a directed slot, that’s direct time. It contributes to throughput, efficiency, and measurable results. 

Indirect time, on the other hand, is time spent doing things that do not directly add value, often caused by inefficiencies, rework or down time. Searching for misplaced pallets, Re-counting inventory on the fly, fixing labeling errors, and waiting for product to be found or replenished. Indirect time eats into productivity and can never be recovered. Once that minute is gone, it’s gone forever. 

If five associates spend 15 minutes looking for one misplaced pallet, that’s 75 minutes of indirect time, over an hour of lost productivity. Multiply that across a week or a month, and it can equal days of lost output. 

In warehouse operations, small mistakes multiply quickly. A pallet misplaced in receiving leads to, Incorrect inventory counts, replenishment not triggering when needed, order selectors searching or shorting orders, delayed truck loading, customer dissatisfaction, and eventually, management having to justify labor cost overruns or that lost productivity. 

Every action we take, every scan, every move, has a digital footprint in the WMS. Following it correctly keeps the entire system balanced and efficient. 

And the WMS doesn’t just track inventory, it also tracks performance. 
Each associate’s scans show how efficiently tasks are being completed, and that data drives labor metrics, incentives, and evaluations. 

When you follow directions, you’re not just helping the system, you’re protecting your own numbers, accuracy scores, and reputation. Supervisors can see who’s consistently accurate and who’s not. That accuracy builds trust, and we’ve learned that trust leads to opportunities. 

Sometimes we associates feel like the WMS is the boss, that it takes away decision-making. But it’s actually the opposite. It gives us information so we can make better decisions within the process. 

The system’s logic is based on years of data and engineered labor standards. It’s designed to reduce waste, increase safety, and help us all work smarter, not harder. 

Teamwork means understanding that every person’s task supports the next. Receivers feed putaway, putaway feeds selectors, selectors feed loaders, and loaders feed transportation. The WMS ties them all together. 

Following WMS direction is also about safety. When operators work off-system, they often skip checks or go out of sequence, which can create congestion, near-misses, or unsafe travel paths. 

WMS routes are often designed with traffic flow and equipment separation in mind. Ignoring those routes increases the risk of accidents, damage, or injury. 

So, compliance isn’t just about accuracy, it’s also about keeping everyone safe. 

At the end of the day, the WMS is only as strong as the people using it. 
It can direct, record, and guide, but it can’t move a pallet, scan a label, or notice a damaged case. 

That’s where the human element matters most. 
When we take ownership of our part in the process, double-checking scans, verifying slots, and asking questions when something doesn’t make sense, we strengthen the entire system. 

The WMS supports us, but we make it work. The Warehouse Management System isn’t just a piece of software, it’s the heartbeat of modern operations. 
It was designed to eliminate guesswork, reduce waste, and make our work more efficient and accurate. 

When we follow its direction, we keep inventory accurate. We protect our own productivity, we help our teammates succeed. And we keep customers satisfied. 

A misplaced pallet, a skipped scan, or a shortcut might seem small in the moment but in a warehouse, every small action ripples through the entire operation. 

Direct time drives production. Indirect time drains it. 
And once indirect time is lost, you can never get it back. 

So next time your scanner beeps or your screen gives you a task, remember, that’s the WMS doing its job. It’s our aid to a smooth, safe, and successful shift. 

Follow it, trust it, and take pride in being part of the system that makes it all work. 

Now before all the engineers, merchandisers, distribution service groups chime in that a WMS is so much more, I agree, it is, and its so much more. But today we’re talking about us using it, us on the floor, and we’re talking about being coached for losing a pallet. 

And with that being said, I’ll leave you with hopes of seeing you next week right back here at warehouse and operations as a career, and please remember that safety is always your priority one, we all have friends' family counting on us.