Inventory Tracking
Have a Question? (800) 783-2132

RFID technology is used in many if not all the functions of inventory control.  RFID proliferation is driven by the premise of accurate identification of people or objects with no or little user involvement.  Inventory processes rely on counting and location descriptors to determine what is the exact quantity and location of the goods. The use of RFID technology for inventory control applications is a natural fit.

Inventory tracking with RFID takes some thought to gain the return on the investment.  In some cases, ROI is absolutely transparent to the user and at other times we need to change the process and the users involved.  As incorrect shipments and miscounts go down inventory accuracy goes up enabling companies to have greater efficiencies in inventory.

There are some prime inventory processes that use RFID:

• Inventory Receiving – items that are RFID tagged items can be reconciled and counted against a purchase order immediately and discrepancies are noted.
• Inventory Putaway/Moves – taking products from one warehouse slot to another without barcode scanning locations or pallet tags.
• Inventory Picking – Fork readers can read and validate pallet level picks.
• Ship Confirmations – Using RFID readers at a standalone station or wrap station, users can verify the goods and accurately count the items.
• Shipping Validation – Compare goods being shipped against a master sales order and create a manifest on the fly for the shipper.
• Physical Inventory / Cycle Counting – Using handheld RFID readers, users can read and count cartons and pallets.

All of these processes are normal functions in a warehouse that rely on accuracy and improve visibility and customer service.  Many of them are being performed through a warehouse management system (WMS) using barcode scanning.  In many cases barcode and RFID technology work together side by side.