NetSuite Warehouse Management new and upcoming features

NetSuite Warehouse Management System (WMS) is a powerful inventory management system that can help you streamline your warehouse operations. Over the last several years, NetSuite has made a huge investment in new functionality. We will review the functionality that has been recently added to NetSuite Warehouse Management in addition to looking forward to the features that NetSuite is planning to release in the near future.

NetSuite WMS uses industry leading best practices to help you optimize your warehouse operations, guiding you through the receipt and put away processes as well as intelligent pick, pack and ship processes. NetSuite WMS fully integrates with NetSuite ERP and third party shipping systems to eliminate double entry of data and increase traceability. You can improve operational efficiency and gain access to real-time inventory movements and transactions by using the NetSuite WMS Mobile app which includes barcode scanning functionality.

Over the last three releases, NetSuite has added significant new features and functionality.

In the second release of 2019, NetSuite focused on two main areas: improving mobile usability and revamping the outbound picking process. Some of the most popular mobile usability improvements included enhanced sorting capabilities to help you find what you need faster, more information available at your fingertips such as a visual image of the product, the ability to easily make configuration changes such as WMS workflows with “clicks” instead of “code,” and a mobile application that is four times faster.

The outbound picking process was completely revamped to a wave picking methodology. This enables users to use the flexibility of saved searches to create order release templates so they can specify the exact criteria they want their orders released against. Additionally, functionality was released for line level selection, the ability to select pickers on the line level, capability to pick single or multiple orders to either totes or cartons, and the ability to do paperless picking completely on mobile devices.

In the first release of 2020, NetSuite added the following new features and functionality:

• Support for GS1 barcoding
• Inbound shipment management integration which provides the ability to receive multiple purchase orders on one inbound shipment with a mobile device
• Ability to use both the NetSuite Manufacturing mobile app and the NetSuite WMS mobile app on the same device and toggle between the apps
• Improved extensibility of the WMS mobile app through advancements to SuiteScript
• Integration with PrintNote to allow users to specify print sequences, enable automatic printing, and set defaults

In the most recent release of NetSuite WMS, the following enhancements were made:

• No Bins WMS which enables users to complete transactions without enabling bins at a specific location. This is especially valuable for the retail industry where point of sale devices are used.
• Tally scans have been added to the picking process which allows users to scan individual pieces and have the system automatically count them instead of having to type in the quantity manually
• Packing enhancements to include more item types
• GS1 compliant label printing
• Item alias unit of measure mapping which enables the use of multiple bar codes for the same item. The NetSuite WMS system will identify the particular unit of measure based on the scanned bar code.

NetSuite is continuing to invest in the WMS solution and has announced additional enhancements that are on the roadmap for 2021. NetSuite’s announcement is meant to provide information on the product’s direction and is not a commitment on the part of NetSuite to deliver the functionality. Below are some of the features and functionality on the roadmap:

• Mobile Packing
• Scan Pack
• Tally Scan Enhancements
• Scheduled Waves
• Catch Weights
• Bulk Picking
• FIFO/LIFO Support
• License Plating
• Cartonization

NetSuite WMS is a powerful solution that can help you manage your warehouse more efficiently. If you would like to learn more about how NetSuite WMS can help your business, either through a new implementation of NetSuite WMS, or by enabling some of the new features and functions to get more out of your existing NetSuite WMS implementation, our team of NetSuite experts can help. Contact us today to find out how we can help you improve your warehouse operations.