Shipping Process Workflow Overview and Key Components

Shipping Process - Current State

Key Components

• Submarine Areas: Mentioned areas include:
  • Shipping: This aspect involves the logistics of transporting goods.
  • Manufacturing (MFG) : The process of transforming raw materials into finished goods.
  • Procurement: The sourcing and acquiring of goods and services needed for the shipping process.

Process Flow

1. Operations Makes Request

   • This step indicates that operations teams initiate requests for items to be shipped, suggesting a centralized control over shipping needs.
   • Idea: Implement a digital request system to streamline this process.

2. Requested Items to Ship

   • Once a request is made, it involves determining which items are needed for shipment.
   • Thought: Maintain a real-time inventory list to improve visibility over available items.

3. Checking Inventory

   • A critical step where current inventory is checked before proceeding. Note indicates "Can't check inventory in the system!"
   • Idea: Upgrading to a digital inventory management system could resolve this issue, ensuring that operations can check inventory seamlessly.

4. Required to Budget Purchase

   • If items aren't available, there's a need to budget for purchasing them.
   • Thought: Set up alerts for low inventory levels to trigger budget requests proactively.

5. Packaging

   • Includes steps like creating packing lists and shipping documents.
   • Suggestion: Standardize packaging procedures to improve efficiency and reduce errors.

6. Verifying What’s Being Shipped

   • Ensures that items being packed match the request.
   • Additional Info: This step is crucial for accuracy during shipping phases.

7. Preparing Packaging

   • Physically preparing boxes and materials for shipping.
   • Idea: Explore eco-friendly packaging options to enhance sustainability practices.

8. Pulling Parts

   • Final step where parts are collected for shipping.
   • Thought: Implement barcode scanning to streamline picking and packing processes.

Visual Summary

The whiteboard diagram illustrates a linear flow of the shipping process, with clear dependencies between each step. The highlighted issue in inventory checking indicates a critical point of improvement for the entire process. By addressing this and optimizing each step, the overall efficiency and accuracy of shipping can be significantly enhanced.

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