Upgrade your Shipping Process without Increasing Complexity
by Olena Stepovyk
In the world of business logistics, optimizing and automating shipment processes are crucial goals. While these objectives may seem straightforward, they present unique challenges and opportunities, depending on which ship functions you use in QAD.
Simple shipping: Uses packing lists and Sales Order Shipments (7.9.15 SO Shipment).
Complex shipping: Employs Pre-Shippers/Shippers (7.9.2 Pre-Shipper/Shipper Workbench).
The 7.9.15 SO Shipment is a streamlined tool for recording order fulfillment and generating customer invoices. In contrast, the 7.9.2 Pre-Shipper/Shipper Workbench offers more comprehensive functionality, allowing detailed shipment recording in a single document that can serve multiple purposes, including electronic transmission, picklists, Bills of Lading (BOL), and invoices.
Which is best to use?
Some users perceive the pre-shippers/shippers QAD functionality as complicated and time-consuming due to the multiple steps involved and the more complex QAD menus to navigate. Instead, they opt for the simplicity of the 7.9.15 SO Shipment menu.
However, the functionality of pre-shippers/shippers is quite powerful and helpful and offers efficiencies not realized in the 7.9.15 SO Shipment menu.
This is why, at 32 Soft, we developed the 7.9.2 Pre-Shipper/Shipper Workbench Data Loader. This solution simplifies the pre-shipping/shipping process by allowing users to create, modify, and navigate multiple shipments through an Excel spreadsheet with real-time QAD data access, eliminating the need to navigate the complex multiple QAD windows.
Key benefits of the 32 Soft 7.9.2 Pre-Shipper/Shipper Workbench Data Loader include:
- Improved order picking, inventory accuracy, and customer invoicing
- Minimal additional staff training is required
- Reduced labor costs for complex shipping processes
Here’s what you can do with the Pre-Shipper/Shipper Workbench Data Loader:
- Create detailed pre-shippers (pick lists) with product and location information.
- Merge multiple pre-shippers into a single pre-shipper/shipper.
- Analyze and prioritize pending shipments.
- Verify order details and product availability.
- Logistic planning using comprehensive shipment details (dates, size, weight, destination, and more).
- Batch order picking for increased efficiency. Warehouse staff can collect items for multiple orders on a single trip.
- Minimize delays caused by labor shortages.
- Prepare for high-volume shipping periods.
The 32 Soft solution optimizes your shipping process regardless of its complexity. If you currently use more elaborate shipping processes, it maintains the existing flow while making details more accessible and manageable. If you currently use a simpler process, it leverages QAD’s pre-shipper/shipper functionality to upgrade order picking, inventory accuracy, and customer invoicing without adding complexity.
By implementing this solution, businesses can significantly improve their shipping department efficiency, reduce turnaround time for shipper creation, and increase overall accuracy and effectiveness in logistics operations.
We’re planning a webinar in 2025 to demonstrate this Data Loader. Contact us or subscribe to our newsletter above to receive an invitation to the webinar once it is scheduled. Or, contact us today to learn more or schedule a private demonstration for your team!
