Stocker WMS (Warehouse Management Software)

Stocker 5 is a major update to PulseStar's Warehouse Management System. The biggest change is the move to using Structured Query Language (SQL) and Open Database Connectivity (ODBC).

For the non-technical, both SQL and ODBC provide an industry standard method for accessing information in a wide variety of databases e.g. Microsoft SQL Server (MS-SQL), Oracle, MySQL and IBM DB2. Currently, Stocker is only available for Microsoft SQL Server.

A direct advantage of ODBC to customers is you can now use your own preferred ODBC report builder (e.g Crystal Reports) to write your own custom reports to compliment Stocker's report library.

The second big change is a total re-design of the user interface. The new-look warehouse software now has a much cleaner look with bigger, 256 colour icons for the toolbars and Microsoft Excel spreadsheet styled lists. Click on the thumbnails on the left for a peek at the new user interface.

Another big enhancement is the addition of multi-site and multi-warehouse management. Stocker WMS can now manage any number of warehouses over any number of geographical locations. Included is the facility to carry out inter-warehouse transfers.

Stocker 5 WMS utilises a completely new reporting system. Reports can now be previewed in advance of printing. Many reports now aggregate totals. As mentioned above, using an external report designer you can create additional reports to compliment Stocker's standard installation.

Previously, Stocker's interfaces with other computer systems, such as Purchase and Sales Order processing systems, only used structured fixed format files. Now Stocker WMS can read and create interface files as Comma Separated Values (CSV format) in addition to fixed format 'flat' files. CSV files are a common format read and created by many programs e.g. Microsoft Excel.

Warehouse stock-checking has been improved to allow the optional freezing of locations awaiting a stock-check, enhanced discrepancy reporting and perpetual inventory based on picking frequency.

Improved order stage reporting informs you as to the exact processing condition of an order. Now you can see if orders, or individual order lines, have been received; are awaiting putaway; have been located; are awaiting picking; have been picked; or are despatched. A new status condition for orders allows you to cancel whole orders - or individual lines without cancelling the complete order.

There are a number of other new features to make Stocker WMS software easier to use including:

• Sortable pushbutton lookups
• Instant pushbutton access to current customer, supplier etc details
• A text editor to apply free format text to any record - including individual pallets
• Enhanced configuration rules to taylor product storage and retrieval.
• The help system has also undergone a complete overhaul.