Delayed shipment to the warehouse, truck driver detention, gate congestion, inability to locate empties, lack of visibility of the loading, inability to monitor safety compliance — this is just a short list of problems occurring in the yard.
Yard logistics is a constituent part of the whole logistics process and an intersection between warehouse and transportation. It coordinates the flow of inbound and outbound shipments and facilitates all the processes within. All the goods make their way through multiple yards till they reach the buyer.
Traditionally, yard logistics is paper-based, with big chances for mistakes and schedule deviations. However, the tech-oriented world doesn’t tolerate manual work at this level, and the omnipresent IT sector enhances SAP implementation with SAP Yard Logistics module, which aims to facilitate all the processes automatically, leaving no chances for man-made errors and improving the whole logistics process.
What is SAP Yard Logistics?
SAP Yard Logistics is a module within the SAP software group that is focused on planning, execution, and yard monitoring. It seems to be a small token in the whole process, yet, it fills the gap between transportation and warehouse management. SAP Yard Logistics is a highly adjustable solution, which can be tailored according to the specific needs of every client depending on the yard configurations, layout of facilities, requirements for operations, etc.
Another key feature of SAP YL is its easy integration with other SAP modules, creating more efficient and cohesive solutions for its users. In addition to numerous technical benefits, SAP YL can pride itself on a user-friendly layout, decent capabilities of reporting, and customizable dashboards.
Benefits of SAP Yard Logistics
- Improved visibility (a shared characteristic among all SAP solutions) – SAP YL provides real-time insight into all the activities performed at the yard: track the goods, monitor their delivery status, and control the whole course of actions. Besides, the users can quickly identify any kind of issues and address them instantly, avoiding any further disruptions.
- Enhanced efficiency — automation of logistics isn’t just a matter of convenience. It significantly reduces the waiting time and facilitates loading and unloading, which improves the whole process.
- Better control — SAP YL gives every business owner or manager a chance to control numerous processes through a single platform.
- Enhanced yard space — full automation helps to define inefficient space usage like bottlenecks and optimize its usage. Besides, space-efficient placement saves costs.
- Planned yard activities — SAP YL helps to plan and track all the yard activities and tasks like start and end times for the load/unload and arrivals/departure, slot booking, etc.
Why SAP Yard Logistics Solutions?
SAP Yard Logistics is a breakthrough advancement in transportation, which maximizes the performance of the transport sector. It is an all-around-yard solution that advances every activity within:
- Efficient Task Planning
- Location Determination
- Transport Units classification
- Checking and Measuring the activities
- Monitoring and alerting
- Control over internal yard processes
- Mobile yard execution
- Driver check-in
- Assisted driving communication
- Billing of yard tasks
- Control of display boards, etc.
Such automated scenarios are particularly valuable for the yards with big volumes, where it’s easy to lose track of wares, and never find them back.
SAP YL is easily integrated with SAP Transportation Management, Extended Warehouse Management, Logistics Business Network, and Dock Appointment Scheduling, which create a holistic approach to the organization of logistics and transportation, and thus, the product lifecycle.
Conclusion
Yard management follows one main principle – the right products, at the right time, and in the right place. Proper implementation of SAP Yard Logistics contributes to the “rightness” and transparency of the product lifecycle, helps to avoid the ‘blind zones’ in its transportation, and reveals all the deficiencies in the logistics organization. When automating yard activities, the business significantly increases its performance and benefits its financial well-being.
