Case Study: Streamlining Order Fulfillment

Background

This audiovisual company specializes in providing electrical equipment for concerts and events, which introduces a unique logistical requirement. For efficient unpacking and setup at event venues, all equipment must be packed in a specific, reverse sequence. This critical business demand necessitates highly precise inventory management and real-time visibility into potential order shortages. The company manages its inventory across six Kardex VLM storage units, utilizing both Microsoft D365 (ERP/WMS) and Power Pick software.

The Challenge: Sequential Packing and Critical Shortage Visibility

The company’s primary obstacle was a lack of unified data visibility between their core systems, making it challenging to validate inventory against sequenced order requirements in real time. This systemic limitation created major operational bottlenecks.

Before ItemPath, this created high operational risk and human stress:

• Risk of Event Delays: If a critical item was missing or packed out of sequence, the entire setup process could be halted, leading to delays, re-packing and even unplanned shipping expenses.
• Manual Shortage Reconciliation: The existing system lacked real-time visibility, forcing warehouse teams to manually reconcile potential shortages after orders were allocated, wasting valuable hours, and leading to costly overtime.
• ERP Dependency: Creating orders with location-specific or custom criteria within the existing system was cumbersome and prone to error.
• Inefficient Inventory Control: Cycle counting was a time-consuming, fully manual process, further degrading inventory accuracy.

The Solution: Real-Time Data Flow and Optimized Fulfillment

The company implemented ItemPath Cloud  and integrated it directly with their Microsoft D365 and Power Pick systems using a secure, robust API. This strategic integration shifted their warehouse from a reactive shortage management model to a proactive, real-time prevention model.

Key components of the solution included:

• ItemPath Cloud: Provides a consolidated source of real-time inventory and optimized order fulfillment workflows, ensuring accuracy across the six VLM units.
• Seamless API Integration: ItemPath’s API enabled a two-way data exchange with Microsoft D365, automating the transfer of order information, material details, and transaction history via REST API connection.
• Customized Shortage Reporting: The Batch Line report theme allows the team to identify upcoming pick shortages immediately after order allocation, but before the physical picking process begins.
• Automated Data Flow: The team leverages ItemPath's Data Pull to retrieve orders and materials from their ERP and creates them in Power Pick. Data Push is used to send confirmation of completed transactions back to D365, maintaining absolute data consistency.

The Results: Reduced Errors and Filled Orders Faster

The ItemPath integration delivered immediate, quantifiable improvements by solving the core problems of visibility and sequence.