WMS Glossary — Warehouse Terminology | VasKem
Plain-English definitions of warehouse management terms: SKU, FEFO, FIFO, picking, put-away, cycle counting and more.
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
An SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is a unique code that identifies each distinct product variant in a warehouse.
Read more →Picking
Picking is the process of retrieving items from storage to fulfil customer orders, and is the most time-consuming warehouse task.
Read more →Cycle Counting
Cycle counting is the practice of continuously counting subsets of inventory rather than doing one disruptive annual stock take.
Read more →ABC Analysis
ABC analysis ranks inventory items by value and movement to focus management on the SKUs that matter most.
Read more →FEFO (First Expired, First Out)
FEFO (First Expired, First Out) is a picking strategy that ships the soonest-to-expire stock first — critical for food and pharma.
Read more →FIFO (First In, First Out)
FIFO (First In, First Out) ships the oldest stock first — the most common inventory rotation strategy.
Read more →Put-Away
Put-away is the process of moving received goods from the receiving dock to their storage locations.
Read more →Cross-Docking
Cross-docking moves inbound goods directly to outbound dispatch without long-term storage.
Read more →Safety Stock
Safety stock is the buffer inventory held to protect against demand spikes and supply delays.
Read more →Reorder Point
The reorder point is the stock level that triggers a new purchase order — based on lead time and demand.
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