In this, the second of our Supply Chain Essentials blog posts, we look at HighJump Inspection. This is an optional module that extends the functionality of the HighJump suite of products.
Each of the Supply Chain Essentials modules integrates with your HighJump installation and is added onto the HighJump Platform and your core HighJump warehousing software product.
HighJump Inspection: Supply Chain Advantage Module
HighJump Inspection is a tool that is used to run and define test plans. It can be run on inbound deliveries, outbound sales orders, material handling equipment, tractors and trailers, physical plant equipment, and specialised inventory. It can then perform a number of actions on a database based on the passing or failing of the inspections. An “inspection” is a set of questions a warehouse operative is expected to ask about the shipment, goods or equipment. Based on the answers, certain database actions can be taken, and the user can also be informed of tasks to complete after the inspection.
The module is great for implementing quality assurance in the warehouse. Implementing test scheduling is particularly useful where more than a visual inspection is required, and the module will prompt the operative to undertake the relevant testing.
HighJump Inspection: Features
HighJump Inspection is a quality assurance tool with these features:
- Informational questions, such as the delivery driver’s name or the type of packages in the delivery
- Actions are carried out based on pass or fail questions
- Question answers can be logged with various parameters, including text, multiple choice, true/false, numbers and decimals, date and time, and relative date
- Questions can be variously weighted as to how they contribute to the full pass/fail algorithm
- Can connect to SQL, MySQL, Oracle and HighJump databases
- Inspections can be scheduled
- Capture images at any point of the inspection process
The Benefits of HighJump Inspection
HighJump Inspection ensures that incoming goods meet the standards you require. It automates the checking process and allows you to reject substandard goods. This ensures customer satisfaction, as only goods that meet your specifications and internal benchmarks will be sold to customers.
HighJump Inspection allows for a scheduled running of inspections. For example, an inspection can run at the end of the day, or during lunch, or even every ten minutes if you want. For incoming quality control, it may be necessary to inspect all goods on arrival, so that goods can be rejected if they don’t meet your criteria. But perhaps you need to inspect stored goods periodically, perhaps testing for temperature or humidity. Or if your inspection requires a longer testing time, it may be more convenient to undertake it at a convenient time of the day.
HighJump Inspection enables a warehouse to drive continued improvement of quality systems and performance, benefitting everyone in the supply chain. It will encourage improved performance from suppliers, enhancing product quality. This will mean you get a reduction in product loss and will minimise rejects, chargebacks and recalls.
The Applications of HighJump Inspection
There are many applications for HighJump Inspection. You can test parameters such as time of arrival, temperature on arrival, whether hazmat standards have been met or not, and any number of other parameters.
For example, you may need to inspect incoming warehouse deliveries. In this case, you may want to ask the driver questions regarding the freight and the trip. Based on the answers, you can then choose to accept or reject the goods. The answers are also logged and saved in the Inspection database for reference. HighJump Inspection can automatically perform subsequent tasks or actions, as previously defined within the system.
Perhaps you have a supplier that often sends you damaged goods. Implementing an inspection or test of their goods can be automatically put in place, with no onus on the warehouse operatives to remember to run it. It can be automatically assigned when a delivery comes in.
HighJump Inspection is very apt where you deal with products where more than a visual inspection is required. Perhaps you have to check use by dates of food and drink, or pharmaceutical medicines. Or maybe you need to check that electronic goods are in working order. For example, you may only want to accept food items where the delivery vehicles meet a certain internal temperature range.