Introduction
Blue Yonder Warehouse Management System (WMS) supports warehouse operations by helping organizations manage inventory movements and execute essential warehouse processes. Blue Yonder WMS business process mapping helps functional consultants, warehouse teams, and implementation professionals understand how warehouse activities connect from receiving goods to shipping customer orders.
The four important warehouse processes are receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping. Each process has specific activities, operational rules, and system transactions. Mapping these processes helps teams understand the sequence of activities, identify process gaps, and maintain accurate inventory records.
In this guide, we explain Blue Yonder WMS business process mapping for receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping, with practical warehouse scenarios.
What Is Blue Yonder WMS Business Process Mapping?
Blue Yonder WMS business process mapping is the process of documenting warehouse activities, decision points, inventory movements, and system interactions in a clear, logical sequence.
A process map explains:
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How a warehouse activity starts.
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Which steps warehouse users perform.
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How inventory moves between locations.
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Which validations or decisions are required.
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How one warehouse process connects to the next.
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What system updates are expected after each activity.
For example, when a warehouse receives goods from a supplier, the process may continue through receiving validation, putaway, storage, order picking, packing, and shipping. Mapping these steps makes the overall warehouse workflow easier to understand and validate.
The exact workflow depends on the organization's warehouse requirements, system configuration, and implementation.
1. Blue Yonder WMS Receiving Process Mapping
Receiving is the process of accepting incoming goods into the warehouse and recording the receipt in the warehouse management system.
Key steps in the receiving process
Step 1: Prepare for incoming goods
The warehouse team reviews the expected delivery information, such as purchase orders, shipment details, or advance shipping notices, where applicable.
Step 2: Identify the incoming shipment
When the goods arrive, warehouse personnel identify the shipment and confirm the relevant item, quantity, and reference details.
Step 3: Inspect and validate goods
The receiving team checks the received goods against the expected information. Depending on warehouse rules, this may include quantity verification, product identification, condition checks, and handling requirements.
Step 4: Record the receipt
The receipt is recorded in Blue Yonder WMS according to the configured receiving workflow. Discrepancies, damaged goods, or quantity differences are handled using the applicable warehouse procedures.
Step 5: Prepare goods for putaway
After the required receiving activities are completed, the goods are made available for the next warehouse activity, such as staging or putaway.
Receiving process flow
Expected delivery → Shipment identification → Quantity and item validation → Receipt recording → Staging or putaway
Practical receiving scenario
A warehouse receives 100 units of an item, but the physical count is only 96 units. The receiving process should identify the difference, record or report it according to the configured workflow, and prevent the discrepancy from being overlooked during subsequent inventory activities.
Effective receiving process mapping helps warehouse teams understand where checks occur and how discrepancies are handled.
2. Blue Yonder WMS Putaway Process Mapping
Putaway is the process of moving received goods from a receiving or staging area to an appropriate warehouse storage location.
A well-defined putaway process helps organize inventory, use storage space effectively, and maintain accurate location records.
Key steps in the putaway process
Step 1: Identify goods ready for putaway
The warehouse team identifies the received inventory that is ready to be moved into storage.
Step 2: Determine the destination location
The destination may depend on configured putaway rules, product characteristics, storage capacity, location restrictions, and warehouse operating requirements.
Step 3: Create or assign putaway work
Depending on the implementation, the system may direct or support the movement of inventory to an eligible storage location.
Step 4: Move inventory
Warehouse personnel move the goods from the receiving or staging area to the assigned destination.
Step 5: Confirm the storage location
The movement is confirmed using the applicable system transaction or device workflow. Inventory records should reflect the completed movement according to the configured process.
Putaway process flow
Received goods → Putaway eligibility check → Destination selection → Inventory movement → Location confirmation
Practical putaway scenario
A warehouse receives several cartons of a product that must be stored in a designated area. The putaway process identifies an eligible location, directs the movement according to the configured rules, and confirms the final storage location.
If the selected location is full or restricted, the warehouse team follows the applicable exception-handling process rather than placing the goods in an unapproved location.
Mapping the putaway process helps clarify storage rules, movement responsibilities, and location confirmation requirements.
3. Blue Yonder WMS Picking Process Mapping
Picking is the process of retrieving inventory from warehouse storage locations to fulfill customer orders or other authorized warehouse requirements.
Picking accuracy and timely execution are important because errors can affect order fulfillment and shipping.
Key steps in the picking process
Step 1: Identify orders ready for picking
The warehouse identifies orders or tasks that are eligible for picking based on order status and configured release rules.
Step 2: Determine inventory availability
The picking process considers available inventory and the relevant allocation or task-generation rules configured for the warehouse.
Step 3: Generate or assign picking work
Depending on the implementation, picking tasks may be organized by factors such as location, order priority, equipment, or warehouse workflow.
Step 4: Retrieve the required items
Warehouse personnel travel to the specified locations, identify the products, and pick the required quantities.
Step 5: Confirm picked quantities
The picked items and quantities are confirmed through the applicable system workflow. Short picks, missing inventory, or other discrepancies are handled according to the warehouse's exception procedures.
Step 6: Move picked goods to the next stage
After picking is completed, the goods move to the configured packing, consolidation, or shipping staging process.
Picking process flow
Order release → Inventory availability and allocation → Picking task assignment → Item retrieval → Quantity confirmation → Packing or staging
Practical picking scenario
A customer order requires 20 units, but the picker finds only 17 units at the assigned location. The picking process should provide a way to record the short pick and follow the configured exception-handling workflow. The warehouse team can then investigate inventory accuracy or determine the next permitted action.
Business process mapping helps identify where picking confirmations occur and how shortages are communicated before shipping.
4. Blue Yonder WMS Shipping Process Mapping
Shipping is the process of preparing picked goods for dispatch and recording the relevant outbound warehouse activities.
The shipping process connects completed picking activities with the physical movement of goods out of the warehouse.
Key steps in the shipping process
Step 1: Receive picked goods
The shipping or packing team receives the picked goods in the designated packing or staging area.
Step 2: Verify order contents
The team checks the items and quantities against the applicable order or shipment requirements.
Step 3: Pack and label goods
Goods are packed and labeled according to the organization's packaging rules and shipping requirements. Label generation and validation depend on the system configuration and connected processes.
Step 4: Prepare shipment details
The relevant shipment, carrier, load, or dispatch information is completed according to the warehouse's outbound workflow.
Step 5: Stage goods for dispatch
Packed goods are moved to the designated shipping or dispatch area and organized for loading where required.
Step 6: Confirm shipping activities
The required shipment or dispatch confirmation is completed in accordance with the configured workflow, updating the relevant warehouse records.
Shipping process flow
Picked goods → Packing and verification → Labeling → Shipment preparation → Dispatch staging → Shipping confirmation
Practical shipping scenario
An order has been picked and packed, but the shipping team discovers that one carton has an incorrect item label. The shipping process should allow the team to identify and resolve the labeling issue before dispatch, following the applicable operational procedure.
Mapping shipping activities helps warehouse teams understand the checks required before goods leave the facility.
5. End-to-End Blue Yonder WMS Business Process Mapping
Receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping are connected warehouse processes. Mapping them together helps teams understand how inventory moves through the warehouse and how each activity affects the next stage.
End-to-end warehouse process flow
Inbound activities
Supplier delivery → Receiving → Receipt validation → Staging → Putaway → Storage
Outbound activities
Order release → Inventory allocation → Picking → Packing → Shipping staging → Dispatch confirmation
How the processes connect
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Receiving to putaway: Received goods become available for storage after the required receiving activities.
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Putaway to picking: Inventory stored in eligible locations can be considered for picking according to configured rules.
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Picking to shipping: Picked goods move to packing and outbound staging after the required picking confirmations.
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Shipping and inventory records: The applicable shipping confirmation updates the relevant records according to the configured workflow.
A complete business process map should identify the activity owner, required inputs, expected outputs, decision points, system confirmations, and exception paths for each stage.
Best Practices for Blue Yonder WMS Business Process Mapping
To create a useful process map for receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping, follow these practices:
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Document the current workflow
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Define clear process boundaries
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Identify system and user actions
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Include decision points
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Define expected confirmations
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Validate the complete flow
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Test practical scenarios
These practices make the process map more useful for functional understanding, workflow validation, and warehouse operations.
Blue Yonder WMS Online Training by ProExcellency
ProExcellency provides Blue Yonder WMS online training focused on receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping processes.
The training helps learners understand how these warehouse workflows connect and how business process mapping supports practical warehouse activities.
What you can learn
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Blue Yonder WMS receiving process and receipt validation.
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Putaway workflows and storage location confirmation.
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Picking processes, quantity confirmation, and common exceptions.
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Shipping workflows, packing, staging, and dispatch confirmation.
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End-to-end business process mapping from receiving to shipping.
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Practical warehouse scenarios and process-flow understanding.
Through focused learning on these four processes, participants can build a clearer understanding of warehouse workflows and the relationship between physical operations and system transactions.
To learn more about Blue Yonder WMS online training for Receiving, Putaway, Picking, and Shipping, contact ProExcellency.
Conclusion
Blue Yonder WMS business process mapping provides a structured way to understand how receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping work together in warehouse operations. Receiving records incoming goods, putaway moves inventory into storage, picking retrieves items for fulfillment, and shipping prepares goods for dispatch.
Mapping each process and the connections between them helps warehouse teams clarify responsibilities, identify decision points, manage exceptions, and validate inventory movements. Learning these workflows is valuable for anyone seeking practical knowledge of Blue Yonder WMS warehouse processes.
ProExcellency provides Blue Yonder WMS online training covering Receiving, Putaway, Picking, and Shipping to help learners develop a practical understanding of these essential warehouse workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Blue Yonder WMS business process mapping?
It is the documentation of warehouse activities, system interactions, inventory movements, and decision points in a structured workflow.
2. What are the main processes covered in this guide?
The main processes are receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping.
3. Why is receiving process mapping important?
It clarifies how incoming goods are identified, checked, recorded, and prepared for subsequent warehouse activities.
4. How does putaway connect with picking?
Putaway records inventory in storage locations, while picking retrieves eligible inventory from those locations to fulfill orders according to configured rules.
5. Does ProExcellency provide Blue Yonder WMS online training?
Yes. ProExcellency provides online training focused on Blue Yonder WMS receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping processes.
Written by Mahesh