Summary:
Kenco streamlined its WMS data migration across multiple instances with Cycle’s Configuration Migration Solution (CMS), reducing a labor-intensive task from days to hours.
About Kenco
Kenco supplies integrated logistics solutions that include distribution, eCommerce fulfillment, comprehensive transportation management, material handling equipment services, and customized supply chain solutions, all designed for Operational Excellence. Kenco is a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider in North America and has been building lasting customer relationships for more than 70 years. The company focuses on supporting customers’ business needs through connected solutions and on redefining 3PLs by offering innovative solutions.
Kenco’s Challenges
Kenco faced a recurring issue. The company was constantly establishing new warehouses and needed a more efficient way to migrate configuration data from one Blue Yonder warehouse management system (WMS) environment to another.
The migration was difficult mainly because of the complexity of the WMS data model, which consists of interrelated database tables and data. A single application setting is often supported by data across three or more tables, and many of the key values are system generated and not visible from the WMS application. Kenco had identified only two approaches to the migration:
- Recreate all the configurations in the target environment using the Web User Interface (UI).
- Rely on an experienced Blue Yonder expert to manually generate CSV files containing the necessary data, then compile them into a comprehensive Blue Yonder rollout, which is a collection of data files and instruction files for loading that data.
With more than 100 database tables and up to 30 screens involved, both options had significant drawbacks. Each carried a substantial time investment and the risk of human error.
Cycle Labs’ Solution
Using CycleScripts, Cycle Labs developed a specialized feature called the Configuration Migration Solution (CMS), designed to speed up the transfer of Blue Yonder configuration data between WMS environments.
The CMS streamlines the migration in three steps. It extracts data from the source system, then transforms that data so it moves cleanly from source to target without overwriting or deleting any existing data in the target system. Finally, it generates a set of files containing both the data and the instructions for loading, or rolling out, that data into the target system.
The export and rollout steps are relatively straightforward, but the data transformation is highly intricate. That complexity comes from the WMS application’s system-generated keys and the interrelationships between the data being moved.
Kenco’s Results
The CMS has delivered significant savings in the time and resources Kenco previously spent on manual setup. A three-day, labor-intensive effort for the operations team can now be completed in typically 2-4 hours. The time saved also positions Kenco to build a repeatable, scalable process.
Kenco also anticipates substantial cost savings over several years, estimated at approximately $440,600 over 3 years.
“Great company, great people, great product!”
Brett Peterson, Director of Information Technology, Kenco
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