How Infor WMS Improves Order Accuracy in 3PL Warehouses

The logistics industry prioritizes order accuracy as the only metric that may distinguish success from failure. The 3PLs have to provide precision in the inventory and fulfillment requirements of varied clients and then they would only build trust and reputation around that.

Leading 3PLs are discovering that achieving this critical level of accuracy is impossible with outdated systems. The answer is to use a modern WMS tailored specifically for the difficulty of managing multiple client operations. That solution is Infor WMS.

This blog explores the challenges inherent in 3PL fulfillment and details exactly how Infor WMS improves order accuracy in 3PL warehouses, transforming their operations to consistently achieve a perfect order rate.

1. Why Order Accuracy Matters in 3PL Operations

A 3PL, or Third-Party Logistics provider, takes care of logistics functions outsourced by other companies and does it all, including warehousing, managing inventory, transporting, and fulfilling. Since they act as their clients' representatives for the customers, the order accuracy of 3PLs is one of the warehousing KPIs that is of utmost importance.
Consider the fallout of even a 1% error rate:

• Customer Dissatisfaction: Mislabeled shipments are not only a sign of bad service but also a source of losing trust and harming one’s brand.
• Lost Revenue: Wrong picks create a chain reaction consisting of expensive returns, reshipments, and chargebacks.
• Reduced Client Trust: The constant problem of low accuracy makes the clients look for a partner with more reliability, thus causing customers to leave.

In an industry where margins are tight and client contracts are won on reliability, high 3PL order accuracy is the non-negotiable key to client retention and scalable growth. This is where Infor WMS steps in, providing the platform for operational precision.

2. Understanding Infor WMS and Its Role in 3PL Warehouses

Infor WMS is undoubtedly a software platform, but it also represents a specialized, industry-driven Warehouse Management System (WMS) capable of meeting modern, sophisticated, and multi-tenant logistics requirements. According to its cloud-based architecture, it is highly flexible and scalable, characteristics that are primarily required for WMS of 3PLs dealing with the inventory of multiple clients that have different and sometimes extreme requirements (e.g., cold chain, hazardous materials, high-value goods).
The system's main strength is that it can control the whole lifecycle of fulfilment:

• Receiving and Putaway: Where and how to store the inventory.
• Order Picking and Packing: Directing staff and automating processes for precision.
• Shipping and Verification: The right goods go to the right place.

When compared with generic WMS solutions, the Infor WMS 3PL functionality does not require learning that a single warehouse floor operates under dozens of different client rules. It just happens to be an accurate foundation for making such a powerful system.

3. Key Challenges in 3PL Order Accuracy

To appreciate the power of Infor WMS, it is necessary to understand the typical accuracy pitfalls facing 3PLs:

• Human Errors in Picking and Packing: The reliance on paper lists or poorly guided manual processes is the single biggest cause of mis-picks in the warehouse, regardless of how well-trained the staff is.
• Poor Inventory Visibility: Stock-outs, overstocks, and misplaced items happen very often because of manual data entry, and all these lead to the 3PL not knowing the location of inventory or if it is available, thus causing delays and errors in the fulfillment process
• Lack of Real-Time Data: A delay that happens between a floor action (like picking) and an update in the system means that WMS data is always one step behind realit,y and this will result in errors in the next orders.
• Inefficient Workflows: If there is no system to smartly map out the fastest pick-and-pack route, workers will be wasting time, getting tired easily, and making mistakes more often.

4. How Infor WMS Solves Order Accuracy Challenges

Infor WMS features are specifically engineered to eliminate the sources of error and enforce precision across the entire warehouse floor.

a. Real-Time Inventory Visibility

The cornerstone of the solution is real-time inventory visibility in 3PL. Infor WMS uses advanced scanning technology upon receipt, movement, and issue to create a single, immutable source of truth for every stock-keeping unit (SKU).

Infor WMS Feature in Action: Every inventory move is immediately recorded. If a picker is dispatched to a location, the system knows precisely how many units are there, preventing them from attempting to pick a non-existent item or accidentally picking the wrong client's stock. This instant data access virtually eliminates errors rooted in uncertainty.

b. Automated Picking & Barcode Scanning

The most critical factor in achieving fulfillment accuracy is minimizing the potential for human error during picking. Infor WMS manages to do this by system-directed tasks and verification, respectively.

The use of mobile devices, scanners, and sometimes even voice technology enables the system to guide the picker to the precise passage, shelf, and bin. The WMS barcode scanning 3PL workflows expect the picker to scan the location, scan the item’s barcode, and verify the quantity. This three-step digital verification guarantees that the correct item is being picked from the correct place, thus significantly reducing mis-picks in the warehouse. The support for multi-order and wave picking further enhances speed with no accuracy loss.

c. Integrated Quality Checks

Infor WMS system does not wait to detect customer complaints to check for mistakes. It incorporates validation into the process. The built-in validation guarantees that each order is verified before shipping.
Before a label is printed, the system can require a final packing scan of all contents. This acts as a digital checkpoint to confirm the contents of the box match the manifest. This capability is key to helping 3PLs significantly improve order fulfilment accuracy and directly contributing to the ability to achieve a perfect order rate.

d. Performance Analytics & KPIs

An accurate system must be measurable. Infor WMS order accuracy reporting provides granular, real-time data, giving managers actionable intelligence through custom dashboards.

The WMS tracks essential KPIs for 3PL warehouses such as:

• Pick Accuracy Rate: The proportion of orders that were correctly picked and did not contain any mistakes.
• Order Fill Rate: The proportion of orders that are entirely filled in the first delivery.
• Order Cycle Time: The entire period from the moment the order is received until it is sent out.

Managers can make use of this data to detect the areas where errors are more frequent, for instance, a specific zone or shift, and accordingly implement corrective measures which are really targeting that area, thus being consistent with a data-driven operational excellence model.

5. Real-World Impact: Results from 3PLs Using Infor WMS

The impact of shifting to a specialized WMS is transformational, moving accuracy from an aspiration to a guarantee. 3PLs who have adopted Infor WMS report:

• Order Accuracy: Infor WMS success stories frequently report order accuracy hikes beyond 99.5%, with the highest achievers almost touching 99.9% order accuracy with no flaws.
• Client Confidence: The 3PLs enhance their client relationships by eliminating the errors costs and providing better customer experience, which not only results in long-term contracts but also SLA performance improvement.
• Speed and Efficiency: There is a direct correlation between the drop in mis-picks and the reduction of time spent on rework, returns processing, and customer service inquiries, thus more resources are liberated and the overall order fulfilment becomes quicker.

In this fierce battle for customers, logistics precision is a competitive differentiator.

6. Comparing Infor WMS with Traditional WMS Systems

Legacy WMS systems were typically slow and inflexible, as they were designed for single-client use only and required expensive custom modifications to be able to cope with the complexities involved in 3PL operations.

Due to its seamless, hassle-free integration with ERP and transportation systems, Infor WMS is a future-ready solution capable of supporting a rapidly growing 3PL network and the increasingly complex demands of modern commerce. Its AI-powered automation unlocks the full potential of Infor’s platform.

7. Conclusion: Driving Accuracy and Efficiency with Infor WMS

With the help of the technology that includes mobile devices, scanners, and occasionally voice commands, the picker is sent to the exact place in the passage, shelf, and bin. WMS barcode scanning 3PL workflows conduct the picker to scan the location, scan the item’s barcode, and confirm the quantity. This three-step digital handshake significantly reduces mis-picks in the warehouse by ensuring that the right item is picked from the correct location.

Infor WMS is a system that detects errors as soon as they happen in the process instead of waiting for a customer to complain. It has built-in validation. Built-in validation is an assurance that no order leaves for shipping without verification.

The transition from old risky manual systems to a digital platform like Infor WMS that is strictly enforced is the secret to controlling fulfilment. Infor WMS gives a real-time inventory visibility, takes human error out through WMS barcode scanning, and then provides the detailed analytics to drive continuous improvement thereby empowering 3PLs with the control necessary to consistently improve order fulfilment accuracy and reach a perfect order rate.