CHINHOYI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENUERSHIP AND BUSINESS SCIENCES

LECTURER: MRS MAZVARAMHAKA

MODULE: INVENTORY AND WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT

LEVEL: 2.1

NAME REG NUMBER

2 Destiny N Minezi C22149604O

3 Paidamoyo C Matema C22150467T

4 Leelee M Dube C22150566H

5 Fildah A Mvindi C22151053H

6 Calton Mashawatu C22149849C

7 Tendai I Gwarada C22150325T

8 Nyasha Amanda Sithole C22152682D

9 Runyararo Tsotsoma C22149366W

10 Estella Tamisai C22151768Q

11 Sharmaine Dinhidza C22150934I

12 Loreen R Munyoro C22151477A

13 Bianca Chigariro C22152451L

14 Nyaradzo Chikumbu C22151808S

~1~
15 Tawanda P Bvitira C22151875S

16 Dermetria Chigwada C22150001V

17 Sly D.T Mudzivo C22150264W

18 Shaun Gumbo C22150037P

18 Gilbert Nikisi C22149817I

20 Malaci T Chirukamari C22149906C

~2~
QUESTION:
You are a warehouse manager for an organization that deals with complex technical goods.
Describe in detail the warehousing process, including necessary documentation from the
point you receive goods from the supplier until they get to the end user. (25)

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Warehousing Process
This is the fundamental process carried out in warehousing which consists of 6 key elements
namely receiving, put-away, storage, picking, packing and shipping.

Warehouse manager

This is one of the key personnel in the warehouse that oversees the delivery of goods into the
warehouse and ensure products are accounted for, stored safely, secured and dispatched
efficiently to customers. They also take care of other operations in the warehouse such as
managing staff and coordinating departments.

Technical Goods

These are products designed and developed through technological practice to serve particular
functions. They include items such as machinery, equipment or software that is used in a
particular industry or field. These goods may require specialized knowledge or skills to use
them properly and they are often regulated by industry standards. Examples include medical
devices, laboratory equipment and industrial machinery.

INTRODUCTION
First and foremost, for a warehouse manager to successfully manage the warehouse, he/she
has to know and follow the 6 key stages in conjunction with goods in question, in this
scenario, complex technical goods have to be taken into consideration. Therefore the manager
should be able to keep track of the whole warehousing process along with the documentation
relevant to each stage of handling the goods. For instance, complex technical goods are
fragile such that any minor defect may cause complete damage to them, therefore a manager
is tasked with maximum supervision of the whole warehousing process e.g. Biochemical
components, as these require intense care and proper handling.

~3~
Furthermore, all necessary document processes have to be done thoroughly to avoid missing
minor errors within the goods in question and ensure efficient and accurate management of
inventory.

Below is a detailed description of the warehousing processes including the necessary

Receiving Goods
This is the first step in warehouse operation and one of the most crucial stage whereby we
receive goods from the supplier. When goods arrive they need to be properly documented and
inspected for any damages or any discrepancies. The following documentation is typically
involved;

Purchase order – used to verify that the received goods match with what was ordered.
Therefore in case of technical goods, the right personnel must check whether the delivery is
the right model, version or the right order. For example, a company specialising in computer
accessories may receive the wrong order of RAM storage chips.

Bill of lading - This document serves as proof of receipt and outlines the details of the
shipment including the name, address of the shipper and receiver, quantity, weight and
description of the goods. It ensures that goods are shipped and delivered properly. For
instance, when UNKI Mine receives industrial machines such as lathe machines, information
such as description and weight are very crucial for proper handling.

Inspection report – This document any damages or discrepancies found during the inspection
process.

Put away
Once the goods have been received and inspected they are unloaded from the delivery bay to
their designated location within the warehouse. During this stage additional documentation
may include;

Put away document – this is a document that only creates warehouse entries and it’s meant to
move the goods from the receiving area to inventory bin. This system simplifies the process
of storing items, reduce the risk of displacing or losing items.

~4~
Storage
During this process goods are placed in their most appropriate storage space. Slotting
optimization systems can also help by assisting with the allocation of the best storage location
for a given cargo or good.

Warehouse receipt – this document acknowledges that goods have been received into the
warehouse and specifies their location within the facility.

Bin card – this is a record keeping document that contains a table of general stock item stock
information such as item name, brand name, quantity and some form of identification code.

Picking

This a process where goods ordered by a customer or distributor are strictly retrieved from
their respective storage location using information from the Bin card in order to achieve
inventory accuracy. Therefore the manager has to make sure that the products are collected
from the warehouse with no breakages or faults. For examples when solar panels are moved
from the warehouse read for shipping they have to be checked if they are still intact.

Picking list – this document specifies which items to be retrieved from the warehouse to fulfil
a specific order. It contains information such as quantities and locations to be picked.

Packing

Right after the goods have been confirmed picked, the goods are securely packed for
shipment. Since complex technical goods require maximum attention or handling, the
manager ensures that the right equipment is used for packing the products. In most cases,
moth balls are put inside containers to protect the goods from humid areas. For example,
when laptops are shipped from China via sea, it is necessary to put these preservatives. The
following documents are used during this process in order to ensure successful packaging of
the products;

~5~
Packing list – This is a document that is used to identify the packages being shipped with the
help of coding and details of the packages, weight, volume, or number of packages as wells
as how they are to be packed.

For instance, when Bio-chemicals (when potassium or lithium is exposed to air, it can blow
up the place or even the container carrying it) are shipped they have to check every aspect is
followed in packing.

Shipping

Shipping is the final warehouse process and the start of the journey of goods from the
warehouse to the customer. Shipping is considered successful only if the right order is sorted
and loaded, is dispatched to the right customer, travels through the right transit mode, and is
delivered safely and on time.

Previous processes, such as ordering, put-away, picking, and packing, are also vital to the
success of shipping because they greatly affect whether the order is fulfilled accurately and
safely.

Shipping list – it is a document that shows goods or products being transported, showing the
quantity, size and destination it will be received.

Shipping label – a document is labeled with shipping information, including the recipients
address, tracking number and any special handling instructions.

Bill of lading – this document serves as a contract between the shipper and carrier, providing
details about the goods being transported, their destination and terms of delivery.

Conclusion

In summary, the warehousing process is a complex and critical part of the supply chain. It
involves a number of steps, including receiving goods from the supplier, inspecting goods for

~6~
damage or defects, storing goods in the warehouse, picking goods for orders and packing and
shipping goods to customers.

In order to ensure that the warehousing process is efficient and effective, it is important to
have a clear understanding of the key steps involved and the documentation required. By
following these steps and maintaining accurate documentation, warehouses can ensure that
their goods are received, stored, and shipped in a timely and safe manner.

~7~