Yard management refers to the processes and strategies used to efficiently manage the movement of vehicles within the yard. It includes the activities of receiving, cross-docking, and loading/unloading. Effective yard management requires coordination and communication between various departments and stakeholders, including transportation carriers, warehouse staff, and supply chain managers. It often involves using specialized software and equipment, such as yard management systems, RFID tags, and automated material handling systems. By optimizing the flow of goods within a yard or warehouse, companies can improve their overall supply chain performance and gain a competitive edge.
Yard Management is often an overlooked aspect of the supply chain. A yard acts as a bridge for warehouses and transportation, making it critical for overall supply chain efficiency. The delays and errors in relaying information across the facilities and yards can severely impact the supply chain.
According to industry analysis, on average, a trailer moving across facilities takes three days, of which 80% or 2.5 days is spent idle in yard emptying or loading, which can result in delays or losses like production downtime, product spoilage for perishables, opportunity loss, etc.
Most of the errors or delays occur due to a lack of visibility. Organizations invest significantly in managing a warehouse, transportation, and customer service. Monitoring yard operations and analyzing the delays and errors with limited information along the board, like driver detention, location information, arrival or departure, gate visibility, and door availability, can be tedious and time-consuming.
Some of the common challenges are related to visibility issues within yard management and can be listed below:
Visual Yard is a feature of SAP Yard Logistics specifically designed to manage yard operations. Visual Yard provides a graphical representation of the yard layout and the location of assets such as trucks, trailers, and containers. It allows users to manage yard tasks and movements in real-time. SAP Yard Logistics can help businesses obtain real-time information with visual representation, effectively aiding decision-making by quickly identifying available space and allocating resources accordingly.
The challenges we listed above can be mitigated using Visual Yard of SAP Yard Logistics. SAP YL provides visibility of the happenings on the Yard that enables operators to virtually see the vehicles that are parked or at the doors/docks loading or unloading or the congestion at the gates, which also includes buildings, material handling equipment, weigh scale and helps them to make cognitive decisions with real-time updates.
The visual representation is not limited to the yard with trucks or trailers but to the shipping yard, oil, and gas, production, etc.
In addition to the visualization, simple movement operations can be performed directly through the yard cockpit without creating the yard request/order, like moving the truck from parking to door or any other location. With the help of advanced technologies like IoT, drones, geo-fencing, and updating TU weight, a lot more can be accomplished with excellent visibility and simplicity.
The Visual Yard feature in SAP Yard Logistics offers several benefits for businesses looking to optimize their yard operations and enhance overall supply chain performance.
1. Real-Time Visibility
With Visual Yard, users can access real-time information about the location and status of assets, enabling them to make informed decisions and respond quickly to changing circumstances.
2. Improved Asset Utilization
Visual Yard allows users to optimize their yard space and assets by providing a clear view of available space and asset locations, enabling efficient planning and scheduling of tasks and movements.
3. Reduced Wait Times
By providing accurate and up-to-date information about the location of assets and the status of tasks, Visual Yard can help reduce wait times and improve overall efficiency.
4. Customizable Solution
Visual Yard is a highly configurable solution allowing users to customize the yard layout, and asset types to match their specific operational needs. SAP Yard Logistics can also integrate with other SAP modules, such as Transportation Management and Warehouse Management, to provide end-to-end visibility and control over the entire supply chain.
SAP Yard Logistics is a powerful module that helps businesses optimize yard operations, streamline supply chain processes, and improve efficiency. With features such as Visual Yard, companies can achieve real-time visibility into their yard operations, enhance asset utilization, reduce wait times, and improve customer service. The module's flexibility and configurability allow businesses to tailor it to their unique operational requirements, providing a highly customized and efficient solution. ArchLynk, as a domain expert in SAP Yard Logistics, can help businesses implement and leverage the full potential of the Visual Yard feature, tailoring it to their unique operational requirements. To know more, Speak to an Expert.