How Warehouse Integration can Transform your Business
Warehouse integration acts as a central data storage system that threads together information from every source within the business into a central location. Not only does it help to support the decision making process but it enhances report analysis and provides more depth of data across the entire company.
This enables warehouse facilities to process large data sets efficiently and accurately, rather than relying on transactional systems that produce far less reliable results. Once set up successfully, business owners will see an instant improvement that will offer tangible gains both in the short and long term. If you have been thinking about warehouse integration for your facility, read on see what advantages it can offer to your organisation.
Real-time visibility
Warehouse integration provides immediate access to the current status of the facility across the board. Without a complete overview of the warehouse it is easy to make uninformed decisions based on outdated information, the knock on effect of which can prove to be inefficient and costly.
With less time spent collecting performance figures from various departments, a constant state of data connectivity keeps everyone on the same page, all the time. Naturally, warehouse integration will also reduce risks and allow you to make key decisions based on live data rather than filling in the gaps with false predictions and estimations.
Enhanced historical data
Bringing together the various data components of your warehouse into one system will develop a cache of valuable historical data that a traditional set-up cannot provide. While a traditional system can provide most reporting requests for a certain time period it rarely can do so with the inclusion of historical data.
The opposite is true for warehouse integration which allows for a wide range of historical data to be stored. This serves as the base for advanced reporting and enquiries across multiple periods of time, which enables trend analysis and trend prediction across multiple products, making ordering for peak periods far more efficient.
Consolidation of multiple platforms
Traditional systems are set up with a number of subsets of data that are either separated physically, or built on different platforms that are non-compatible with each other. When putting together corporate reports or compiling business intelligence, data from all of these platforms will typically have to be acquired which takes a lot more time.
Warehouse integration brings all of these data sources together so they are available in one place. This not only saves a lot of time but allows for more accuracy in the final report. The integrated system is a far more reliable source of information rather than relying on data extracted from a number of separate platforms that may provide contradictory results.
Improved system performance
The integration of data across a warehouse is intended to increase the retrieval of information and aid the analysis whenever needed, serving as a platform for enhanced decision making. Compared to a traditional system which is centred on creating and modifying data, warehouse integration allows for the storage of large amounts of information.
Rather than supporting the upkeep of individual records, the capabilities of warehouse integration removes much of the burden placed up on the operational environment. In turn this is spread effectively across the technology infrastructure to improve efficiency throughout the organisation as a whole.
High return on investment
The aim of every warehouse is to minimise costs, improve profit ratio and to gain efficiency wherever possible. The application of warehouse integration will ultimately ensure improvements are made across multiple departments leading to cost savings and helping to increase revenue.
This report by McKinsey shows that companies more reliant on data will see a rise in EBITDA earnings (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization). It also states there is more productivity in companies who are data driven.