Special technology report Voice and WMS
includes the training of key users. Once the system is live, the customer can
independently incorporate new employees into the system.
Binder comments that integration has always been a key area of importance and this can be bewildering for the uninitiated. He adds that Zetes’ level of experience and full range of options makes the company aptly qualified to help. Binder also argued that the selection of how to approach integrating a Voice system should really depend on the type of WMS being used, together with any future plans for WMS/ERP systems. As a general rule, he considers that if the WMS supports the business logic for Voice, then a direct integration approach, using a system such as 3iV Crystal, is
Finken reflects that topVOX’s experiences have shown that customers prefer standard interfaces for connecting the Voice system to their WMS. “We naturally offer the appropriate modules for this,” he said. “It is always important for our customers that the actual business logic of the Voice application is still located in their WMS/ERP. This has the distinct advantage that adjustments or changes in the business logic are performed directly by the customer, and the Voice system adopts these changes.” Finken added that what should be highlighted in this context are the solutions that topVOX has developed for SAP or Axapta users, for example. “In this case we have integrated our Voice solution directly into the respective kernel versions,” he said. “For the end customer this means a simple and uncomplicated integration of the Voice application.” Finken also makes the point that, in order to best support its customers in the introduction of the Voice system, topVOX offers a plug and play package including the interface, Voice application and all hardware components. Rounding out the package is the company’s going-live support, which also
18
MANUFACTURING &LOGISTICS
IT July 2011
preferable. If, however, the existing WMS does not support a Voice execution system and there is no plan to upgrade to one that does, Binder believes a middleware-based solution is the best option. He points out that Zetes’ WES Express is a middleware product that, due to the inclusion of XML configuration, requires very little customisation for individual customer implementations. “As a middleware solution it can never be a completely ‘one size fits all’ system,” he added, “but WES Express comes as close as possible to being a standard product.”
From Stanhope’s perspective, it appears that most of the Voice providers who are struggling to make an impact in the market are promoting ‘open architecture’ as the way forward rather than ‘proprietary systems’. “It seems somewhat disingenuous to promote a system as ‘open architecture’ but then sell their own proprietary middleware solution,” he said, making the point that VoiteQ provides the full range of interface options; whether it be middleware, existing WMS
direct interfaces, ERP interfaces or helping users create their own direct interfaces.
Wider range
Adams’ experience is that customers have always endeavoured to choose the warehouse technology that best suits their business operations. He adds that Vocollect partners with leading WMS vendors to develop the best possible integration of Voice with existing and impending WMSs in the customer warehouse. “What has developed in the past few years is a much wider range of available integration methods to suit different sizes and types of warehouse operation and the integration preference of customers and WMS/ERP companies,” said Adams. “We see a movement towards increasing control of Voice-directed business processes into the host system. The Vocollect Voice software suite is based on open, standards-based IT interfaces and provides advanced host interface and Voice workflow logic to a variety of host systems. To meet the demand for integration with a wide range of WMS/ERP systems, we offer pre- configured connectors to integrate our Voice technology with the leading and most widely used WMSs.” Adams added that, in addition to the pre-configured connectors, Vocollect offers different integration methods to support rapid development and deployment of Vocollect Voice for the broadest range of WMSs/ERPs.
In Clark’s view, WMS integration is becoming increasingly web-based, even for traditional ‘on premise’ software. He commented: “The ability to carry out Web Service calls, or utilise secure communication methods without compromising transaction speeds has released the deployment of business critical systems away from the site where they are used, to professional and secure, purpose built data centres. This evolution also requires software vendors to provide simpler, faster interface methodologies within their applications to help their clients to do more, with less overhead and cost.”
Make or break What might be the next
innovations/developments to look out for in the
www.logisticsit.com
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