Warehouse operations related to the handling of goods are among the most complex to coordinate and manage. Whether it is a large, small or medium-sized company, incoming and outgoing goods represent a constant flow that, if not properly controlled, can cause several problems such as: delays in the delivery of products, increased logistics costs, customer dissatisfaction and complaints. Let’s take a closer look at incoming and outgoing goods.
What is goods receipt?
In the context of a logistics chain, goods receipt refers to the operational phase related to the entry of goods flows into the warehouse. With the right strategies in place, goods receipt allows the optimization of operational costs and the avoidance of bottlenecks. On the other hand, when this phase is carried out incorrectly, a series of critical drawbacks can arise in the warehouse inventory management and operational phases, which can even endanger the productivity of the plant.
Goods receipt goes beyond the simple arrival of deliveries from suppliers; instead, it encompasses at least four groups of activities that must be understood in order to improve the entire process.
Activities associated with goods receipt
1. Planning and information
Planning the arrival of goods is crucial to avoid a “bottleneck” at the loading docks. The receipt of goods must be coordinated with the rest of the supply chain processes, especially when cross docking is applied. Good communication between carriers, suppliers and distributors speeds up the work, avoids bottlenecks and provides operators with useful information about the packages before the trucks arrive.
2. Management of loading and unloading docks
Loading docks are the areas where goods are unloaded from trucks. From here the goods are moved to the receiving and consolidation areas, or directly to the racking.
3. Quality control
Once the deliveries have been received, we move on to the control phase. Firstly, the lists are compared to check that they match in quantity, model and characteristics. Secondly, the packaging is checked to ensure that it is in perfect condition and, depending on the type of load unit, a more detailed inspection is assessed.
4. Labeling, consolidation and storage
During the goods reception phase, it is essential to record all information to ensure the traceability of each reference. Labeling is essential both in traditional warehouses and in those with a WMS (Warehouse Management System). Incoming goods must be identified and classified according to their characteristics.
How to manage the entry and unloading of goods
The goods receipt and unloading phase is a crucial process for any company. While it is right to move according to the company’s objectives, we must not forget the complexity of a process that is the result of the simultaneous work of people, machines and software.
For this reason, if you are looking for technological solutions to improve your logistics, let FR Logísticos advise you on the most suitable solutions for your warehouse.
