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Warehouse location numbering
Keep it logical, simple and straightforward
How to structure your warehouse location numbering
Whether you start working with a WMS for the first time or want to redesign your existing WMS, we recommend keeping your warehouse location numbering consistent, clear and simple. The less time your operators spend having to read or, worse, decipher a location label, the more efficient, faster and more accurately they are able to work. This applies not only to location numbering at goods receipt, but also to inventory management, replenishment and order picking, and ultimately the delivery of your goods.
One of the questions our customers ask most often is "Can you recommend a good location numbering for our racking?". Naturally, the answer to this question varies from warehouse to warehouse and even from project to project. However, experience has shown that the structure of the location numbering as mentioned below works best for reach truck operators in most warehouses (left to right):
1
Zone
First, the operator drives to the right zone.
2
Aisle
He then drives to the indicated aisle.
3
Section / bay
Then, he selects the section or bay.
4
Position
Followed by finding the position in the section.
5
Level
Finally, he selects the level.
By using this sequence, your operators will find the correct pallet location faster and without wasting time having to perform any unnecessary actions such as searching for the right location. Our label designers use this structure as the basis for designing your warehouse rack labels.
Do your pallet racks exceed three levels? In that case we recommend the use of colour-coded rack labels. If you combine the use of colour with smart location numbering and a customised label design, you will possess the golden trinity for efficient warehouse management.
Location numbering of tunnel bays
We often come across warehouses in which the height of the beams above pallet rack tunnels, or tunnel bays, differs from that of the beams on the left and right of the passageway, as seen in the photo.
One of our customers sent us this photo asking which level location numbering we recommend for these tunnel bay locations. He was looking for consistency partly because he had decided to switch to multi-coloured pallet rack labels that link different levels to a specific colour.
Within the logistics industry, there are no set rules for this. The most important thing is to implement consistent numbering throughout these type of locations.
Our recommendation
Here is the recommendation we made to our customer. In Western Europe, we read, and thus operate, from left to right. So it made the most sense to adopt the colours and levels from the bay on the left of the rack tunnel to the locations above the tunnel.
When order picking from rack tunnel locations, the reach truck operator is positioned right in front of the section. When he looks at the multicoloured label belonging to this particular section, the same colours should be visible on the levels above the tunnel rack. For example, if magenta on the multicoloured label is linked to level 4, the operator should also find a magenta label with the number 4 in the section itself. In this case, it does not matter that the tunnel bay section uses different colour coding than the section directly next to it.
Ultimately, the aim is for the colours on the pallet rack beams to match the colours scanned by the operators on the multibarcode label. Using this type of location numbering can help prevent order picking errors and ensures that your operators can work efficiently and quickly.
Designing your own warehouse location numbering
Would you like to print your own warehouse labels? We offer advice on designing the location numbering. In addition, you can visit our label shop and request a quote for various label materials suitable for printing your own warehouse labels. Feel free to book a free consultation with label specialist Anton Damen for custom advice.
If you prefer to outsource the design and printing of your location labels, he will be happy to discuss your specific warehouse setup to ensure you receive warehouse labels with location coding that perfectly aligns with your software and workflow.
