What Is Replenishment?
Replenishment literally means: refilling. In logistics, it refers to refilling pick locations in your warehouse from your bulk or reserve stock locations.
When an order picker starts their shift, you want to make sure the shelf they pick from is fully stocked and accurate. If not, they’ll have to wait—or go searching themselves. That costs both time and money.
In Layman’s Terms: Imagine a Supermarket…
- The customer (order picker) walks to the bread shelf (pick location)
- But it’s empty… and the bread is still in the stockroom (bulk location)
- Someone needs to refill it quickly (replenishment)
Warehouses work the same way. And it’s crucial to know before the location is empty that restocking is needed.
Why Replenishment Is Critical in Your Logistics Process
- No stock = no picking = no shipping
- Late replenishment causes delays and unnecessary walking
- Pickers refilling themselves = lost time and chaos
- No overview = unreliable stock and frustrated customers
Without smart replenishment, the entire chain stops or slows down unnecessarily.
How Replenishment Works (Smart, Not Manual)
There are 3 types of replenishment:
- Min/Max Replenishment
→ Refill once stock drops below a minimum threshold - Demand-Based Replenishment
→ Refill based on expected picking volume (e.g., 120 units needed tomorrow) - Scheduled Replenishment
→ Fixed refill rounds, e.g., at 06:00 and 14:00
Smart systems combine multiple methods depending on product type, location, or customer demand.
Common Problem From the Field
“Our pick locations are often empty by midday. Then pickers have to wait, search, or fetch boxes themselves. And nothing gets registered.”
As a result:
- Productivity drops
- Error risk increases
- Pickers get frustrated
- Customers receive late deliveries
The Solution: Automated and Predictive Replenishment
At Babeldat, replenishment is built into the core of our WMS. Here’s how it works:
- Each location has a maximum and minimum quantity
- The system monitors all pick locations in real time
- Once a threshold is reached, Babeldat automatically generates a replenishment task
- Your warehouse worker receives the task on their scanner or terminal – ready to go
What Makes Babeldat Extra Powerful?
- Replenishment happens before stock runs out
- Fully configurable per item, customer, or warehouse zone
- Combination of min/max + forecast + scheduled moments
- Priority rules for urgent picks or ABC products
- Visual dashboards: which locations are “under level”?
- Linked to location types: only refill from bulk to pick locations
Real-World Example
A company ships thousands of packages daily. Product X (a popular fast mover) is stored in pick location A with a capacity of 80 units.
- The day starts with 60 units
- Three orders are ready, each needing 30 units
- Babeldat detects: just barely enough
- System schedules a replenishment task before stock runs out
- Worker completes the task before the first pick arrives
📈 Result: no interruptions, no stress, no mistakes
Replenishment may be invisible to your customer, but it’s one of the most important processes in your warehouse. If you do it manually, you’re always too late. If you automate it well, everything runs smoothly.
Babeldat ensures your pick locations are always filled—before things go wrong. Fully automated, scalable, and tailored to your way of working.
No waiting. No unnecessary walking. No chaos.
