Wms

Case Study United States Social Security Administration Background

The U.S. Federal Government' Social Security Administration (SSA) warehouse in Woodlawn, MD supports 1,300 field offices, other offices and attorneys who require forms to complete such tasks as disability claims. In total, there are approximately 4,000 customers who make requests from a selection of some 3,800 different forms. Orders are processed at no charge to the ordering office. Requests originate through e-mail, telephone or fax, and are centralized on a mainframe using CICS based application.

The warehouse for the SSA comprises an 80,000 sq. ft. primary installation, supported by two receiving/preparation warehouses of 40,000 sq. ft. and 240,000 sq. ft. respectively. A staff of 30 to 35 handles picking, packing, receiving and replenishment.

In total, the SSA estimates processing between up to 1,000 orders each week.

Before WMS

Orders were processed in a batch system. The process was slow. Finding the forms necessary to complete the order was often difficult. In many cases customers re-ordered forms, they feared the original order was not processed, as it was never received.

Warehouse receiving was another area where time delays occurred. Typically, it took one week from receipt of an order until it was recorded in inventory and ready to be picked.

With WMS

Orders are processed through supply accounting, or in the case of an emergency, in real time, direct to the warehouse. Using the WMS, hand held computers direct the pickers to the location of the items on each order. Replenishments are automatically requested in advance so a picker never waits for the product at the pick bin. Nothing is misplaced. There is no time spent looking for items, and fewer errors, as everything is scanned as it is packed. This enables the picker to confidently pick more than one order at a time, reducing travel time through the warehouse.

Items received are identified immediately and...