As a financial and ERP system, Microsoft Dynamics is a celebrated tool. It also has optional inventory and warehousing modules, which when implemented also add some basic warehousing and management functionality. However, many companies that run larger or more complex distribution operations find that a more sophisticated warehouse management system (WMS), with advanced, configurable functionality, can supercharge their capabilities and boost productivity and profits.
That’s where HighJump Warehouse Edge comes in. Designed specifically for Microsoft Dynamics, it neatly integrates into Dynamics, bolstering the functionality and delivering an exceptional warehousing product.
HighJump Warehouse Edge
HighJump Warehouse Edge gives companies more sophisticated stock management and optimisation abilities. It integrates seamlessly into Microsoft Dynamics and it provides a business with a completely transparent view of its stock situation.
The primary benefits of HighJump Warehouse Edge include:
- It is priced competitively, which means that it delivers a quick return on investment, while simultaneously optimising the use of warehouse space, improving processes and better managing how your warehouse staff undertake their day-to-day activities
- HighJump has a dedicated Microsoft Dynamics product team and Balloon One has a wealth of experience with customer projects that integrate HighJump and Dynamics
- HighJump Warehouse Edge is modular in design and has an architecture that is conducive to integration, making it simple to add new modules or to upgrade. In turn, this means that customers only pay for what they need, and no more
- It helps distribution companies to boost productivity, achieve more than 99.9% stock accuracy, reduce staffing costs and decrease operational expenses
- It is the only best-of-breed WMS solution that has integrated shipping and EDI/ASN compliance, plus business intelligence
- It effectively manages changing order volumes and discrete order types
- You can run it in the cloud or implement it on-premise
- It successfully runs distribution operations for customers in a variety of industries: speciality food distribution, consumer packaged goods, multi-channel businesses, 3PL, wholesale distribution, retail, ecommerce, medical device and pharmaceutical supplies, clothing and accessories, publishing and more.
Microsoft Dynamics Warehouse Management Module vs. HighJump Warehouse Edge
Here we examine how the Microsoft Dynamics Warehouse Management Module compares with HighJump Warehouse Edge. The major difference between the two solutions is that the Microsoft Dynamics Warehouse Management Module is part of the ERP system and does not operate in a standalone environment. Conversely, HighJump Warehouse Edge is an intermediate WMS offering, perfect for small and medium-sized businesses running a distribution operation. We have defined three tiers of classification of Warehouse Management Systems, which may also help with understanding how the two systems differ.
As the leading ERP and WMS provider in the UK, Balloon One recommends that, as a rule of thumb, any business running a warehouse with more than five operatives should run a standalone system, such as HighJump Warehouse Edge.
System Integration
The Microsoft Dynamic 365 Warehouse Management Module based within the ERP has comprehensive integrated support for source documents for sales orders, returns, transfer orders and production orders. Similarly, HighJump offers the same functionality through a multi-threaded integration whilst running the WMS as a separate system, on a separate server.
Dynamics 365 offers “full integration with the Manufacturing and Transportation offerings”, covering the basics of any manufacturing and distribution operation when used in conjunction with separate systems. HighJump offers a similar integration functionality for complex manufacturing and transportation requirements, however it also offers basic manufacturing functionality as a standard, native within the system.
Stock Management
Microsoft Dynamics gives warehouse managers full control of the stock limits of each location, along with the respective volumetrics. The properties of the inventory can be assigned an inventory status – for example, returned, damaged, quarantined – and the system has full support for batch and serial items.
It provides advanced capabilities for counting stock and can store pallet and container types, necessary for volumetric calculations, particularly when configuring directed putaway procedures. Inventory can be moved either manually or automatically.
HighJump Warehouse Edge has all of the same functionality, but adds some extra stock management capabilities. It also offers: bin space optimisation based on, automatic FIFO rotation, and advanced stock replenishment.
Receiving and Putaway
Both systems offer various item receiving capabilities and processes, including assigned and directed putaway and cross docking, both of which provide benefits to warehouse efficiency. HighJump does offer some advanced capabilities, for instance the ability to license plate pallets of stock, allowing warehouse operatives to move a group of various items around the warehouse with ease.
Picking and Shipping
The Dynamics Warehouse Module offers “multiple picking strategies” including cluster and FIFO/FEFO picking, the latter referred to by Microsoft as ‘pick oldest batch’. Again, HighJump offers the same functionality, with the addition of configurable picking rules that allow for operations and warehouse managers to tailor the picking rules to fit the nuances of their business and their customers’ needs. Both systems offer a pick to ship option – commonly referred to as cartonisation – which uses volumetric calculations to allow pickers to pick straight into a shipping container, negating the need for a separate packing process.
Wave management is covered to some degree by both solutions, however Warehouse Edge’s configurability allows for a tailored approach to sending orders to wave. The Microsoft Dynamics out-of-the box functionality covers the required functionality of a standard business. However any businesses running high-velocity order operations, particularly with active eCommerce channels should consider a more advanced solution such as HighJump.
Hardware
Dynamics comes with “out-of-the-box support for the next generation of barcode scanners”, alongside the necessary label printing functionality required for a warehouse operation. HighJump offers the same functionality, with the additional option of other picking methods such as voice picking, which has seen an upsurge in warehouse adoption recently due to its wide-ranging benefits.
HighJump for Microsoft Dynamics in Action
Balloon One has implemented HighJump Warehouse Edge alongside Microsoft Dynamics for Birchall Foodservice – a family-run food supply business. The company is now reaping the rewards of more accurate picking and more efficient stock replenishment. A new barcode scanning system has revolutionised warehouse processes, improving and simplifying them. Nicola Watson, Operations Director, confirms, “It has been a successful implementation that has given us transparency and traceability within our warehouse operation.”
If you would like to transform your Microsoft Dynamics installation by integrating it with a fully-featured warehouse management system, download the HighJump for Microsoft Dynamics brochure for more information. It’s your future route to supply chain excellence.
Find out more about HighJump for Microsoft Dynamics
Download this brochure now to explore the capabilities of the most comprehensive warehouse management system available to the Dynamics market. Learn how our dedicated Dynamics integration team minimizes implementation time, reduces costs, and provides the peace of mind that your integration is proactively managed.