Warehouse Management System

DatkonPLUS provides a comprehensive environment for the Management of your warehouse. It gives you all the essential warehouse management functionality in a form which is easy to implement and use. You will gain full control over your goodsflow in your warehouse on a level that represents the fysical world so you can manage and track the movement of inventory from receiving through shipping.

DatkonPLUS is available for Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP. Older versions are running on Windows 3.xx, OS/2, VAX-VMS and UNIX. Currently it can be delivered in 4 languages: English, German, French and Dutch.

Communication with a WMS / ERP system or hostsystem in general
If connected as a intermediate (midleware) DatkonPLUS handles and translates all messages to and from the host. Without this additional functionality, the host has to handle all missions, warehouse locations, stock, etc, which can not be done by all hosts systems, simple because not alle host systems have the possibility to hold these data. DatkonPLUS can communicate with a host-system, using file-transfer, interfacing through a database, serial communication, DDE or TCP/IP messages, defined by Sygress or any clients definition. Prerequisites for missions are only a unique orderID, along with a pick location and a deposit location.

Location management
DatkonPLUS takes care of location management. Even if used as middleware and connected to a host system the host only hands over the pallets (and what's on them) to DatkonPLUS, but DatkonPLUS decides a suitable location for the pallet. The rules it uses to achieve this ensure efficient use of all available space in the warehouse. For dispatch of a pallet, it retrieves the requested pallet from its storage location.
Optimization of pallets is achieved by using sophisticated rules regarding e.g. weight, height and/or type. It ensures an efficient usage of all available space in the warehouse.

Article or Product management
Articles or Products can be managed using DatkonPLUS. It can store data like Articlenumber, description, articlegroup, but also dates like "best before date" and "use before date"and also fysical data like weight, height and/or type. The Articles lay the foundation for Stock and Order management.

Stock management
DatkonPLUS can manage stock control for non-complex warehouses. A small excerpt of the stock control capabilities of DatkonPLUS: It can store data for products on pallets, quantities, manage Turn-Over (ABC) rates, control product FIFO, best before data, control and optimize pallet weight, height and/or type.

Order creation and picking
DatkonPLUS can be used on stand-alone systems, to completely run a non-complex warehouse. Users can create input and/or output missions for products. DatkonPLUS takes care of the actual pallet-movements created by these missions. It also makes all necessary updates for changes in quantities and locations of any product involved, thus keeping stock and location data up to date.

Optimizing orders / missions
The execution of missions sent to or genetated with DatkonPLUS can be optimized, thus enhancing the throughput of the warehouse. Since DatkonPLUS communicates directly to Datkon, it is aware of the missions within Datkon and the positions of the crane(s). In combination with the previously mentioned Location management, it therefore can optimize the search for inputlocations. The One-Step-Beyond algorithms (while one order is executed, the next one is calculated) eliminate calculation delays and keep the machinery continuously working.

Barcode reading
DatkonPLUS can read barcodes from scanners connected to the PC. It then can combine the barcode with details that were received in advance, or inform the host about the arrival of a pallet or the WCS of the start of an Order. This reduces the probability of errors and increases the processing speed.

Barcode writing
DatkonPLUS can print barcodes on a barcode printer connected to the PC. It can use the barcode details that were received from the host or from the WCS system..

Error handling with Cause and Effect help
DatkonPLUS provides the user with a tool that speeds up and simplifies error correction by clarifying the cause and effect of an error. This tool provides all necessary help to effectively solve a problem.

Warehouse lay-out visualization
The warehouse layout screen continuously visualizes the positions, status and actions of the system. The screen is updated with the rate of the communication. It can also show the availability of missions on conveyors.

Localized languages
DatkonPLUS can be delivered in 4 languages: English, German, French, Dutch

Keyboard and mouse-control of the menus.
DatkonPLUS runs in a Windows environment and is completely menu controlled. It can be operated both by mouse and keyboard. The control screens can be provided with on-line help functions.