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Five must-have features in a YMS, DC Velocity, October, 2012

Five must-have features in a YMS, DC Velocity, October, 2012

Understanding Yard Management

Yard Management in Action

Yard Management System (YMS) Consulting Services

MWPVL International Yard Management System YMS Consulting Services

A Yard Management System (YMS) is a software application designed to manage trailer movement within large yards or transportation hubs.  A YMS is a component within a mission-critical supply chain execution (SCE) suite Yard Management Systemof applications.

A YMS typically sits between a Warehouse Management System (WMS) and a Transportation Management System (TMS).  The job of the YMS application is to provide real time instructions to the yard jockeys responsible for moving trailers from the yard to the distribution center.  Some larger distribution operations have several hundred trailers staged in the yard and it is imperative to move trailers to the receiving dock on a prioritized basis to maximize order fill rates and to eliminate carrier detention charges. 

A properly integrated YMS application enables complex distribution operations to accurately locate and identify trailers in the yard, such that inventory held in the trailer can be prioritized for unloading. For example, if product held inside a trailer is on back order or running low on stock, then order fill rates can be improved if the trailer is prioritized for receiving.  Some YMS applications provide RFID tracking capability to enable a rapid assessment of the trailers held throughout the yard because all incoming trailers receive an RFID tag at the guard shack.

It is important to understand that YMS applications are highly specialized solutions that can be purchased as standalone best of breed applications, or as integrated modules within a suite of supply chain execution software applications.  YMS software, combined with appointment scheduling, can provide a significant competitive advantage for companies with a high volume of inbound trailers to contend with.

MWPVL International works with suppliers, customers and business partners to provide unbiased YMS consulting services that address the following types of questions:  

  • Which YMS software application is best-suited for our company, size of business, yard operation, and financial budget?
  • What is the economic business case for investing in a YMS application?  What are the total capital investment requirements including internal and external resource requirements? What financial benefits or competitive advantage can our company realistically expect to obtain from a new YMS application?
  • What are the main features and functions that our company should expect from a YMS application? 
  • What are the main differences between the commercial YMS applications available within the market place? Which vendors should our company consider evaluating based on our operating profile and yard-specific requirements?
  • Is there a structured process that our company should follow when selecting a YMS application to ensure due diligence and to protect our interests?

MWPVL International provides strictly unbiased consulting services and trusted experience in helping companies with: 

  • Developing the economic business case and financial justification for a YMS application
  • YMS requirements definition and RFP development
  • Development of structured software demonstration scripts
  • Vendor/solution evaluation and selection
  • Software negotiation and acquisition
  • Developing the project budget, plan, schedule, internal and external resource requirements for deployment
  • Project management


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MWPVL International Inc. is a full-service global Supply Chain, Logistics and Distribution Consulting firm. Our consulting services include Supply Chain Network Strategy, 3PL Outsourcing Strategy, Distribution Center Design, Material Handling Systems, Supply Chain Technology Advisory Services (WMS, TMS, LMS, YMS, OMS, DMS, Purchasing, Slotting),  Lean Distribution, Transportation Management, Distribution Operations Assessments, Warehouse Operations Consulting and much more.