There are tons of terms in warehouse jargon that may make it seem like a unique language to newcomers. While terms like backorder and inventory are commonly used in business, picking, packing, and slotting are specific terms you might not know. Wouldn’t it be nice to understand some of the acronyms (JIT, WMS, SKU, etc.) you hear when dealing with your logistics team? The team at Van Brunt Logistics & Warehousing can help you with your warehouse operations, starting with this handy list of important terms.
Warehousing Terms You and Your Staff Need to Know
There are hundreds of terms that make up the lexicon used by your clerks, pickers, and managers. However, we chose the most important warehousing terms to get you started.
- Barcoding: Symbols used to identify and track items in a warehouse and during transit.
- Bill of Lading (BOL): The BOL has all the details needed to prove an item shipped properly.
- Cross-Docking: This involves moving goods between vehicles, eliminating the need for warehouse storage.
- Cycle counting: Counting a subset of inventory items. It’s an important part of inventory management and loss prevention when done regularly.
- FIFO: First In, First Out. Under this inventory management system, the first items to enter a warehouse leave first.
- Inventory: The goods or products that are stored in a warehouse.
- JIT: An acronym for Just In Time. This concept minimizes inventory levels to reduce storage costs.
- Kitting: Assembling items or components into a kit.
- Last mile delivery: The final stage of the shipping and logistics process.
- LIFO: Last In, First Out. The opposite of FIFO, this inventory management system assumes the last items received are the first items out the door.
- LTL: Less Than Truckload involves shipping smaller quantities of goods without filling the truck.
- Packing: Preparing items for shipment after picking.
- Picking: Getting items from storage to fulfil orders.
- Receiving: Accepting and storing incoming warehouse shipments.
- Shipping: Sending packages from the warehouse to the final destination or next leg of the journey.
- SKU: Stock Keeping Unit. A unique ID for each product or item is used to track it throughout the storage, shipping, and sales process.
- Slotting: Assigning storage locations to items based on their demand, size, weight, and other factors. This keeps the warehouse organized and maximizes storage capacity.
- Warehouse: A place to store goods before distribution or sales.
- Warehouse Management System (WMS): The software that manages and optimizes your warehouse operations.
Choose Us for All Your Warehousing Needs
Mastering important warehousing terms helps you and your employees better understand how your products or items are managed once they leave the assembly line. For first-class warehouse management, turn to the experts at Van Brunt Logistics & Warehousing. We are located in Elizabeth, NJ, and offer third-party warehousing services that let you pay only for the space and labor needed for inventory management. This can lead to significant savings when compared to traditional warehousing.
Contact Van Brunt Logistics & Warehousing to discuss warehousing terms and ideas that can streamline your delivery processes. Get an online quote or call 908-282-7080 to take advantage of our last-mile delivery and other services.
