Cross-Docking
Warehouse OperationsCross-docking is a warehousing strategy where incoming goods are quickly unloaded from incoming shipments and transferred directly to outgoing shipments with minimal storage time. Rather than storing products long-term, cross-docking facilities act as distribution hubs that consolidate orders and reduce inventory holding costs. This approach is especially useful for high-velocity products and can significantly lower warehousing expenses.
Related Terms
WMS (Warehouse Management System)
A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is software that controls and optimizes warehouse operations including inventory tracking, picking, packing, shipping, and receiving.
Receiving
Receiving is the warehouse process of inspecting, documenting, and accepting incoming inventory shipments.
Dock-to-Stock Time
Dock-to-stock time is the duration from when a shipment arrives at the warehouse dock until inventory is fully received, verified, put away, and available for order picking.