Logistics and supply chain

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Logistics and supply chain4PL (fourth-party logistics)

A layer that designs and manages several 3PLs, carriers and warehouses on your behalf. Software and contract orchestration are separate from the 3PL’s execution.

See also: 3PL (Third-party logistics), TMS (Transportation Management System)

Logistics and supply chain5S

Sort, set in order, shine, standardise, sustain. In the warehouse it is the lean counterpart of location labels, empty-pallet and aisle discipline; software does not do 5S by itself.

See also: Location, Poka-yoke (error-proofing)

Logistics and supply chainBackorder

An order line left open because stock was short. The WMS can release it when goods arrive; without a written customer promise it piles up silently.

See also: Partial delivery, Stockout, ATP (available to promise)

Logistics and supply chainBill of lading (B/L)

The carrier’s receipt for goods, and in most sea freight a document of title. In bonded and port warehouses the B/L line is tied to stock.

See also: Incoterms, Bonded warehouse, Packing list

Logistics and supply chainConsignment stock

Goods sitting in your warehouse while title stays with the supplier. They are invoiced when used; if the WMS mixes status and owner, financial stock drifts.

See also: VMI (vendor-managed inventory), Stock status

Logistics and supply chainConsolidation

Combining several small shipments into one load. In the warehouse it is gathering orders for the same vehicle in staging; the risk is mixed labels and doors.

See also: Deconsolidation, Staging, Milk-run

Logistics and supply chainDark store

A store format closed to walk-in customers, used only for pick and delivery. The WMS or store system must not mix display stock with pick stock.

See also: Micro-fulfilment, Ship-from-store

Logistics and supply chainDead stock

Inventory with no foreseeable sales or usage demand. Not every item without recent movement is dead stock: seasonal goods or required spare parts may still have future demand.

See also: Inventory inactivity, Slow-moving inventory, Obsolete inventory

Logistics and supply chainDeconsolidation

Breaking one inbound load into consignee, order or channel piles. It is the first step in a cross-dock or transshipment warehouse; a wrong split seeds every later error.

See also: Consolidation, Cross-docking

Logistics and supply chainDistribution centre (DC)

A regional warehouse that holds stock and fulfils orders. A fulfilment centre leans e-commerce piece-pick; a classic DC leans pallet and store replenishment.

See also: Fulfilment centre, Hub-and-spoke

Logistics and supply chainDropshipping

The order going from supplier to customer without entering your warehouse. Even if the WMS is out of that flow, returns and complaints land on your record; the channel rule must be written.

See also: Omnichannel fulfilment, Returns management

Logistics and supply chainEOQ (economic order quantity)

The classic order size that balances ordering cost against holding cost. Warehouse capacity and expiry sit on top of the formula as real constraints.

See also: Inventory carrying cost, Reorder point

Logistics and supply chainFill rate

The share of orders or lines fulfilled from on-hand stock at the first attempt. A low rate is a safety-stock or allocation issue; warehouse accuracy is measured separately.

See also: OTIF (on time in full), Stockout, Perfect order

Logistics and supply chainFulfilment centre

A warehouse that picks piece and carton orders and hands them to a carrier. Dense SKUs, short cut-offs and a returns area set it apart from a classic DC.

See also: Distribution centre (DC), Omnichannel fulfilment, Micro-fulfilment

Logistics and supply chainGreen logistics

Delivering the same service with less packaging, empty kilometres and energy. Cartonization and full-vehicle rules in the WMS attach to it; claims are not written without a measure.

See also: Cartonization, Cube utilisation

Logistics and supply chainHS / customs tariff code

The worldwide classification number for goods. A wrong code ties bonded stock and duty to the wrong item.

See also: Customs declaration, Bonded warehouse

Logistics and supply chainHub-and-spoke

A network where a central warehouse (hub) feeds satellite sites (spoke). If transfer stock and STO discipline break, satellites either swell or stock out.

See also: Stock transfer order (STO), Distribution centre (DC)

Logistics and supply chainIncoterms

The international definition of where delivery, freight and damage risk sit (FOB, CIF, DAP, DDP and others). The warehouse reads from it when goods become “your stock”.

See also: Landed cost, Bill of lading (B/L)

Logistics and supply chainInventory carrying cost

The annual cost stock attracts: capital, space, insurance, shrink and obsolescence. Assuming “the warehouse is free” hides excess stock.

See also: EOQ (economic order quantity), Dead stock, TCO (total cost of ownership)

Logistics and supply chainInventory turnover

How often inventory is consumed and replenished over a period. A quantity-based measure divides period issues by average stock quantity; value-based comparisons use a consistent cost basis. Low turnover alone does not establish that stock is dead.

See also: Slow-moving inventory, Stock coverage (days of supply), ABC analysis

Logistics and supply chainLanded cost

Unit cost to the warehouse door: goods, freight, insurance, duty and handling. If putaway and pricing look only at purchase price, true margin is hidden.

See also: Incoterms, TCO (total cost of ownership)

Logistics and supply chainLast mile

The leg from the distribution centre to the door. Warehouse cut-off and label accuracy are common causes of delay on this leg.

See also: Cut-off time, Carrier integration

Logistics and supply chainLead time

The time from placing an order to stock arriving or leaving to the customer. In-warehouse dock-to-stock is the visible part of that span.

See also: Dock-to-stock time, Safety stock

Logistics and supply chainMicro-fulfilment

A small automated or semi-automated stock area in the city for short delivery. Capacity is limited; stock sharing with the main DC must be a written rule.

See also: Fulfilment centre, Dark store

Logistics and supply chainMilk-run

One vehicle calling at several suppliers or customers in sequence. If receiving and dispatch appointments are not tied to that loop, a dock queue forms.

See also: Dock scheduling, Consolidation

Logistics and supply chainPacking list

The case, pallet and line breakdown of a shipment. Without an ASN, receiving is counted against this list.

See also: ASN (Advance shipping notice), Bill of lading (B/L)

Logistics and supply chainPipeline stock

Goods awaiting arrival within the supply chain, such as supplier shipments or transfers between warehouses. They are not physical stock at the destination; expected receipt dates and planning rules may allow them into a future ATP calculation.

See also: Stock transfer order (STO), ASN (Advance shipping notice), ATP (available to promise), Physical on-hand stock

Reference: Microsoft Learn

Logistics and supply chainPostponement

Holding final form, label or pack until demand is known. In the warehouse it appears as kitting and VAS; master stock stays generic.

See also: Kitting, Value-added services (VAS)

Logistics and supply chainReorder point

The threshold that triggers replenishment when stock falls below it. It is set from safety stock and lead time; the warehouse only sees the drop.

See also: Safety stock, Lead time, EOQ (economic order quantity)

Logistics and supply chainSafety stock

A buffer held against demand or supply variance. It occupies warehouse space; planning calculates it, the WMS shows what is actually on hand.

See also: Reorder point, Stockout, Lead time

Logistics and supply chainShip-from-store

The order leaving from store stock instead of the warehouse. Store counts and reservations are often weaker than the WMS; promises should be more cautious.

See also: Omnichannel fulfilment, Dark store

Logistics and supply chainStockout

Sellable stock running out while demand remains. The cause may be planning, supply or a warehouse record; the WMS only shows “not in the location”.

See also: Fill rate, Safety stock, Negative stock

Logistics and supply chainSupply chain

The network of supply, production, warehouse and distribution from raw material to customer. The WMS is the warehouse node; the chain takes its stock truth from there.

See also: WMS (Warehouse Management System), 4PL (fourth-party logistics)

Logistics and supply chainVMI (vendor-managed inventory)

The supplier watching stock in your warehouse and replenishing it themselves. In the WMS, owner and physical place are split; when it invoices is a separate rule.

See also: Consignment stock, Multi-client warehouse

Logistics and supply chainWarehouse layout

Placing receiving, reserve, pick, pack and shipping areas with circulation in mind. Software does not fix a bad layout; walking and crossing flows are born in the plan.

See also: Slotting, Very narrow aisle (VNA)

Logistics and supply chainXYZ analysis

Classifying items by demand predictability: X regular, Z irregular. Together with ABC it drives slotting and safety stock.

See also: ABC analysis, Safety stock