The client is a leading brand renowned for manufacturing, sourcing, and distributing an extensive range of branded and private-label consumer products across categories such as seasonal goods, stationery, gifts, crafts, and toys. Their products are sold both online and in-store across North and South America and beyond, partnering with some of the world’s top retailers. With factories and distribution centers spanning the globe, this project specifically focused on operations in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Previously, the UK and Australia warehouses relied on a warehouse management solution that became obsolete approximately three years ago. Since then, the JD Edwards (JDE) system has undergone enhancements to address the gap left by the discontinued solution. This project aimed to complete the transition by implementing RFgen and its Warehouse Director solution, delivering guided pick, putaway, and replenishment functionalities to optimize warehouse operations.
This project supported warehouse operations by integrating JDE sales, procurement, and inventory application areas. The scope also included mapping and installing NiceLabel Cloud Solutions for shipping address labels and RFgen applications. Technical deliverables involved creating RFgen tables using JDE World Table Design Aid and developing a wave traveler report to assist users during pick waves.
- Item Inquiry
- Location Inquiry
- Inventory Transfer
- Pick Confirm
- New Issue Pick Confirm
- Pack Confirm
- Ship Confirm
- Receiving
- Replenishment
- Putaway
- Wave Stoppage
- Wave Transfer
- Order Queue
One of the divisions included in the project had never previously implemented a scanning solution, while the other had utilized a legacy system with handheld devices more than three years ago. The legacy model heavily influenced the requirements, shaping how the RFgen scripts needed to function and interact with users. Standard RFgen scripts were employed wherever applicable, while ennVee worked closely with key business stakeholders to design wave logic. This logic determined which records RFgen should select and how they should be sequenced for optimal efficiency. To provide users with enhanced control, a set of custom User Defined Codes (UDCs) was developed. These UDCs allowed users to define the size of pick waves based on branch locations and prioritize sales order types, accommodating both single-line and multi-line orders.
Considerations were made in the RFgen implementation to align with existing data formats, enabling users to scan UPC/EAN numbers instead of item numbers at entry prompts. To streamline operations, separate RFgen menus and roles were designed and assigned, distinguishing between administrative tasks and user-specific functionalities. Additionally, a custom RFgen script was developed to simplify inventory transfers and facilitate batch picking of entire sales orders using only the sales order number. Timing was a critical factor for most scripts, ensuring that processes ran efficiently to meet operational demands.
For pick waves, the RFgen implementation utilized the location pick sequence to design a pick wave that optimized the path through the warehouse, reducing downtime and enhancing efficiency. For replenishment and putaway processes, logic was incorporated to prioritize urgent pick zone location quantity thresholds before consolidating inventory in bulk zone locations. To further support operations, a “traveler report” was developed, providing users with a visual marker to identify and differentiate orders. This report also allowed notes to be added and shared between users, fostering smoother communication and collaboration during the picking process.
The Australian company required distinct initiatives to align their JD Edwards inventory with data maintained offline in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Furthermore, the project scope was expanded to address a unique picking process for this division's “Spotlight” order, a consolidated order type. In this order type, multiple orders are grouped into a single large purchase order, which are subsequently split into individual orders based on customer markings. This approach enabled RFgen to allocate multiple orders to multiple order pickers/users, significantly enhancing the efficiency and speed of the pick cycle.
Maximizing speed was a critical consideration for these RFgen scripts, as users frequently pick numerous small items from compact pick bins, requiring minimal movement between locations. Instead of relying on standard JDE business functions, RFgen employed a screen mapping process to interact with JD Edwards World.
While this approach initially caused some scripts to experience slower timing, ennVee's development and functional teams collaborated to streamline the processes, optimizing each script to achieve acceptable cycle times tailored to the business's needs.
As a result, the business now operates with greater autonomy, efficiently creating and assigning pick waves. RFgen delivers intuitive and predictable functionality, enabling users to handle exceptions effectively and benefit from enhanced accuracy and operational efficiency through its scanning solutions.
