Revision as of 15:39, 12 September 2008

Glossary of Terms

Whistle users must be fluent in a unique set of warehouse terminology. What follows is an abbreviated set of the terms you need to know

Barcode

A series of vertical bars of varying widths that are printed on packaged materials. Used in conjunction with barcode scanners (see below), they are used as a method of providing fast and accurate inventory control. Barcodes are also known as UPC codes.

Barcode Scanner

An optical device uses a laser beam to read and interpret barcodes.

Bill of Lading

This document, which accompanies all shipping orders, lists the items contained within an order and the terms of shipment. Also known as a ‘BOL’ and a ‘Waybill’.

Bin #

A bin is an enclosure in which containers are stored. Several containers may be placed in a single bin, though storage access is limited by bin size and shape.

BOL

See ‘Bill of Lading’.

Boxes/Layers

See Layers/Boxes.

Case

A specific unit of measure. A case refers to a standard box of items.

Catchweight

The weight of one particular case. The term catchweighting is used to refer to the process of weighing each individual case on a pallet as it is either produced or received. Thus not only is there a record of the particular container in the database, but also of each and every case on that container.

Container

Another term for a pallet. Any object that can receive a tracking number for tracking in Whistle.

Cycle Count

A means of keeping track of inventory by consistently counting different subsets of the entire inventory. Cycle Counts are performed by Inventory Control Personnel as a way of maintaining an accurate inventory count.

Database

A collection of data that is arranged in an organized manner for ease of retrieval.

Display Field

A line on a Whistle screen where Whistle displays output data. A user may not fill in any information on these lines. Display fields are surrounded by triangular brackets <>.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system

A large computer system designed to handle most of a business’s operations. These include handling inventory, accounting, human resources, production, sales, marketing, customer service, and more.

Exception

A decision made by a Whistle user that is out of the ordinary or conflicts with Whistle suggested procedures. An example would be of putting a container away in a Bin other than the one specified by Whistle.

Input Device

Any device used to input information into a computer. The most common example is a keyboard.

Issue to Production

See Production, Issue.

Item #

A unique number assigned to a particular type of product. For example, all 2” widgets will share a common item #.

Kit

See Module.

LAN Local Area Network.

A computer network that uses short-range telecommunications links to connect networked computers over short distances (such as within an office). See also WAN.

Layers/Boxes

These terms refer to the layout of cases within a container. Often cases of items are stacked in a cube-like fashion in a container. Layers refers to the number of full layers of boxes in a container. Boxes refers to the number of boxes in the topmost incomplete layer of the container. The following diagrams shows a container that is comprised of 2 layers and 4 boxes.

Logout

The act of terminating a user’s access to limited access computer functions.

Lot #

A set of characters (letters and/or numbers) assigned to a particular production run of an item. For example, all strawberry yogurt produced on May 5, 1999 on production line 2 will share the same Lot #.

Module

A Whistle “Super-Item” that is composed of other Whistle tracked items. An example of a module would be a container made up of three different types of ice-cream. Modules have their own item and pack numbers used to identify them.

Network Several

computers that are connected over communications links.

Output Device

An output device is any object that accepts and displays computer output information in some form or another. Examples are: a computer monitor, a printer, or some sort of display screen.

Operating System

A computer’s software that controls all computer hardware processes, such as memory allocation, the central processing unit (CPU), disk management, and other external device management. The most common desktop computer operating systems are Windows 2000, Windows NT, and Red Hat Linux.

Pack Order#

Number assigned to the specific product packaging instructions that accompany all production orders. The Pack Order determines how an item is to be packaged.

Pallet

A particular type of container. Pallets are flat and square and are usually made out of wood. Cases of items are stacked on top of pallets. Pallets are easily moved with forklifts.

Picking

The act of choosing a particular warehouse item to move, ship, or use in some warehouse process.

Pickline

An area within a warehouse where containers can be temporarily stored after they are picked.

Picklist

A Whistle option that automatically chooses which items need to be picked to complete a sales order. This option is available under the “Shipping” function.

Production Order

A production order is issued whenever an item needs to be produced. A production order number accompanies each production order as a means of tracking production orders.

Production Issue

The act of gathering and staging items that are used as ingredients in a production process.

Production Report

See Report Production.

Prodstage

The Bin in which containers can be placed immediately after production. This Bin is usually of unlimited size.

Pull Date

The date by which exhaustible/perishable items must be removed from storage.

Putaway

The act of placing containers into the most optimal location within a warehouse.

Quality

Quality refers to the ‘Hold’ status of a container. Containers that are ‘On Hold’ cannot be moved or altered in any way shape or form.

Radio Frequency System

A wireless communications systems used to link all remote user interfaces with a centrally located computer. This system uses specific radio frequencies to establish a connection between the remote devices.

Reason Code

A specific code used to describe a reason for a whistle transaction. Whistle allows users to choose Reason Codes from a limited list of pre-determined codes.

Report Production

The act of recording the production of new warehouse items. Warehouse personnel use Whistle to report the production of all warehouse items.

Sales Order

A document that states the terms of a sale. A unique number is associated with every sales order.

Scrollfield

A data input line that is used to scroll amongst a limited input selection. Scrollfields look like Display Fields in that they are surrounded by triangular brackets <>. You can choose what is displayed in a scrollfield by scrolling through the options using the A and Z keys.

Server

A computer that provides shared network resources to other devices on the network.

Shipstage

Containers that are going to be shipped are placed in this Bin prior to loading them on a truck. This is the staging area is used as an intermediary location between standard warehouse Bins and shipping trucks.

Telnet

A computer application used to communicate with another computer from a remote location. This application is used to establish a method of communication.

Textfield

A line on a Whistle screen where users may enter text or numeric data, whichever is appropriate, into Whistle. Textfields are surrounded by square brackets [].

Ticket

A tag used to identify a specific container. Each tag has a specific tracking number associated with it. A ‘License Plate’ for a warehouse container.

Tracking #

A unique number assigned to a container as a means of tracking it’s history and details. A tracking number is to a container what a license plate is to your car.

User interface

A device used to communicate with a central computer. Usually consists of some sort of input and output devices. The most common user interfaces used with Whistle are the handheld barcode scanner and the forklift-mounted computer.

User Parameters

These are user-defined Whistle parameters that are specific to your company. Whistle allows you to add up to 10 integer and 5 floating point parameters to better allow you to track your inventory.

Username

A series of letters and/or numbers use to identify a specific user. This is usually used in conjunction with a password to give the user access to controlled access functions.

UOM Unit of Measure.

This is used to specify in what units items are measured.

UPC Code

See ‘Barcode’.

WAN Wide Area Network.

A computer network (such as the internet) that uses long range telecommunications links to connect networked computers over long distances.See also LAN.

Warehouse Management System

A computer system used to manage and operate many if not all warehouse transactions. These include the processing of shipping orders, production orders, packing orders, inventory cycle counts, and more.

Waybill