How a dock management system optimizes inbound and outbound logistics

A logistics center must carry out an exhaustive control of incoming and outgoing goods to reduce time and costs and to improve the efficiency of the supply chain.

Thus, the optimization of inbound and outbound logistics processes has a direct impact on profitability, customer satisfaction and supply chain agility.

In this sense, a dock management system is a key solution to achieve this optimization.

In this post we will analyze how a dock management system, through slot allocation, can positively transform a company’s inbound and outbound logistics operations.

What is dock management?

Dock management is the process of planning, coordinating and controlling all activities that take place in the loading and unloading areas of a logistics facility.

Thus, a dock management system allows automatic scheduling of truck arrivals and departures, dock assignment, documentation management, goods handling and personnel coordination.

Specifically, this technology minimizes lead times, drives resource optimization and improves overall supply chain flow.

What is inbound logistics?

To see how a dock management system helps optimize inbound logistics, we must first be clear about what this process is all about.

Inbound logistics is the incoming logistics. That is, the management of goods entering the logistics center either for supply or storage.

Traditionally, inbound processes have been the blind spots par excellence for shippers due to the lack of tools that would allow them to have visibility of when goods would arrive from suppliers.

However, with the implementation of a dock management solution such as FIELDEAS Track and Trace this problem is solved. Let’s see how it works.

How a dock management system optimizes inbound logistics

With the definition of inbound logistics clear, let’s see how we can optimize this logistics process with the digitization of dock management.

Shippers or manufacturers base their inbound logistics on the receipt of raw materials from their suppliers. With the FIELDEAS dock management solution, the raw material ordering process is digitized, so that suppliers have visibility of their orders and plan the delivery route.

In this way, the supplier informs the shipper when he will come to the center to unload the goods and the shipper can reserve that space, thus optimizing slot management.

Moreover, this process is just as effective when the supplier subcontracts the transportation, since the latter receives all the route information.

In this way, we unify the shipper’s or manufacturer’s information, the suppliers’ information and the forwarder’s information in the inbound planning.

Benefits of dock management for inbound processes

All in all, the main benefits of dock management for the inbound processes of loading companies are:

• Increased delivery accuracy. A dock management system allows suppliers to reserve a slot for delivery, thus avoiding bottlenecks at the docks, speeding up the receipt of goods and increasing end-customer satisfaction by ensuring more timely and efficient deliveries.
• Advance resource planning. Having real-time slot reservation information makes it easier to coordinate warehouse personnel, anticipating the need for personnel, equipment and storage space, optimizing unloading and inventory management.
• Reduction of waiting times and costs. Digitizing dock management reduces the costs associated with penalties due to truck stoppage and, therefore, waiting times.
• More and better communication. A dock management system facilitates communication and information exchange between the logistics center, suppliers and carriers, improving the coordination and efficiency of the supply chain.

What is outbound logistics?

Outbound logistics is the logistics process that focuses on managing the flow of goods leaving the warehouse or logistics center.

Its activities range from order preparation and packaging to transportation and delivery to the customer.

In this logistics process, unlike inbound, the shipper has full control because he decides when to release the goods through the allocation of slots.

How a dock management system optimizes outbound logistics

In a dock management solution such as FIELDEAS Track and Trace it is possible to manage different logistic grids.

In the selected logistics grid, the logistics platform manager can accept, reject and assign docks to carriers.

For its part, the transport agency can request a slot and accept or reject the space offered by the platform manager.

Once accepted, the information is sent to the driver’s mobile device, who will go to the logistics center to pick up the goods.

In other words, a constant flow of information is established between shipper, transport provider and driver.

However, beyond the dock planning functionality, the FIELDEAS Track and Trace solution offers the possibility of real-time management. That is, it allows us to instantly see truck arrivals, whether they are late, early or on time.

In the event that the agreed times are not met, the person in charge or manager can re-plan the logistics grid and reassign the slot to the carrier.

In addition, this entire process is carried out taking into account the real-time availability of operators, thus reducing delays.

Advantages of a dock management system for outbound processes

A dock management system optimizes the outbound logistics because it allows:

• Efficient dock planning and allocation. A dock management system optimizes the use of resources, reducing waiting times. Moreover, this optimization is possible because a constant flow of information is established between shipper, transport provider and driver.
• Real-time visibility. When the shipper has the Track and Trace solution, it is possible to establish real-time tracking of truck arrivals, allowing visibility of late or early alerts. In addition, if necessary, the system allows for a replanning of the logistics grid.
• Resource optimization. In addition to assigning slots, dock management makes it possible to optimize the management of operators, thus reducing waiting times. It also improves the accuracy of loading and unloading operations.
• Continuous improvement. The system provides data on the performance of loading and unloading operations, allowing areas for improvement to be identified and informed decisions to be made, which also facilitates adaptation to change.

With all this analyzed, we can affirm that having a dock management system is a strategic investment in the optimization of the entire supply chain.

By improving coordination, reducing lead times, optimizing the use of resources, minimizing errors and improving communication, dock management becomes an essential tool for efficient, cost-effective and customer satisfaction-oriented inbound and outbound logistics.

FIELDEAS Track and Trace dock management system

The FIELDEAS Track and Trace slot management module allows the management of dock reservations of a logistics platform.

Our solution has a series of functionalities that allow us to adapt to the needs of each client:

• Definition of areas and docks. You can create as many areas as necessary (loading area, unloading area, bulk area, dry area…). In addition, it allows you to create as many docks per area as necessary.
• Specification configuration. Our solution allows you to define hourly restrictions by area, by vehicle type or by product.
• Coordination of personnel. It also allows you to define the availability of operators by time slots.

The FIELDEAS Track and Trace dock management module allows controlling both loading and unloading operations and, in addition, distinguishes between inbound and outbound operations, so that shippers can control both worlds (inbound and outbound).

Differential value

Thus, with the FIELDEAS Track and Trace dock management solution you will obtain a high differential value because it offers:

• Flexibility. Our solution allows to define the logistic structure of each company, as well as to configure specifications for each dock.
• Collaboration. The FIELDEAS Track and Trace dock management module is a collaborative tool, since it includes all the agents involved in the flow of information and in the booking of slots.
• Integration. Our dock management solution has the ability to integrate with different systems, such as CAE solutions, WMS procedures, access control systems, geofencing, Track and Trace, truck telematics…
• Visibility and transparency. The digitization of dock management results in full visibility and transparency, which benefits all stakeholders. Importantly, each stakeholder has access to only the information they need to see.
• 360º management. Our YMS solution allows you to efficiently manage all the logistics activity that takes place on the platform, from inbound to outbound.
• Real time. The great competitive advantage offered by our dock management module is that the logistics platform manager can have complete traceability of transport operations, detect deviations and even visualize the availability of operators.