Understanding Directed Putaway in the Distribution Center

One of the core concepts relative to Warehouse Management Systems is that of “directed putaway.” While many logistics professionals are very familiar with this topic, it is clear from conversations with many companies that others don’t really have all the details – and that quite a few lack directed putaway capabilities with the system they are currently using to run their distribution center. As the name suggests, directed putaway is all about the WMS communicating to DC associates through a mobile wireless terminal where in the DC a product should be stored, at the specific location level. But to understand directed putaway, you also need to add the related concept of zoning or zone management. A good WMS should allow you to define, practically without limit, different putaway zones for which rules will be applied relative to putaway. A zone is simply a grouping of locations.