Santa delivers presents to the children of the world in one night. While some say its magic, we know it’s through a good WMS, fleet management and asset tracking.

Ever wonder how Santa delivers all those presents in one night—how does he remember who gets what and how does he get around so quickly?

Long before Christmas, Santa and his elves are preparing for the big day in the workshop. When you see Santa and his helpers at the mall, they not only listen to what kids want, but are sending requests back to elves in the workshop in real-time using field service software on a mobile computer. Once the request is sent, the name of the child is automatically added to their database and cross-checked to see if the child was naughty or nice.

As you can imagine, Santa’s workshop is very large, so he uses a Workshop Management System (WMS [Warehouse Management System]) to keep track of all of the toys and supplies needed to create them. The WMS ensures that all of Santa’s toys are put on the right shelves so that when it comes time for the holiday season, they are easy to find, pick and pack.

Christmas Eve is Santa’s busiest day—he has to travel the world in order to deliver presents to all of the good boys and girls. This seemingly impossible task for Santa and his reindeer is made possible through fleet management software. The fleet management software helps Santa create an optimized route plan that takes into consideration how many presents can fit into the sleigh, the number of trips down chimneys needed, time zones and more.

While Santa and his reindeer are out delivering the gifts, the elves in the workshop are making sure that everything gets delivered to the right place at the right time through package tracking software.

Although Santa’s day is busy, he makes it work by using the right technology so as to not disappoint any of the little ones. Have a warehouse, inventory or mobile fleet that just might be as busy as Santa’s? Contact us to see how you can streamline your processes and become more efficient—delivering toys to all of the world’s children in one night is no easy task, but Barcoding. Inc. is always up for the challenge.

Finding an asset tracking solution that fits your needs can be difficult, especially with the amount of requirements needed in today’s fast-paced world of business. Asset tracking via a barcode scanner is made simple via RedBeam Asset Tracking.

RedBeam applications are available in both standard and mobile versions. Standard versions allow for cabled barcode scanners accompanied by PCs, while mobile versions allow for this in addition to the ability to collect data via scan-enabled barcode computers.

Using RedBeam Asset Tracking integrates tested asset tracking practices with barcoding, record keeping and reporting capabilities into one, allowing organizations to track everything from computers to vehicles.

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Service Lifecycle Management, or SLM, has existed as an idea for quite some time, but the tools to make it work are relatively new and constantly evolving. Basically, Service Lifecycle Management handles the storage, manipulation and rendering of electronic data as it pertains to a business service. A good SLM should support the entire service lifecycle from project quotes, to lead generation, to services to billing and even asset retirement.

Tools for the all-encompassing SLM have begun to expand in order to provide users with the power and flexibility they crave for managing all their service operations. However, not all companies use SLMs. Some companies may use a CRM (customer relationship manager) for lead tracking, and an AM (asset management) to track their goods, and other programs for various functions, but it makes more sense to have one solution that supports all of the functionalities needed to run a service-based organization.

In a service-based organization, down-time is not always an option, and a comprehensive SLM will account for that. Watch the below video to learn more about Service Lifecycle Management as it pertains to the various functionalities within an organization.

UID, or Unique Identification, is a requirement of the Department of Defense (DoD), that requires all government property, contracts, and deliverables be marked with a unique number. The UID itself is a 2D data matrix barcode, comprised of the CAGE Code, Serial Number, and Part Number, all which can be encoded by laser mark, chemical etch, dot peen, or ink jet. Together, this information comprises the serialized identification number required by the DoD for efficient and secure data tracking.

In order to meet UID standards, which must meet MIL-STD130M standards, the first step is to print and mark all contracts, deliverables, and government property with the 2D matrix barcode. By using durable polyester, laser mark, chemical etch, dot peen, or ink jet, the markings will meet printing specifications and maintain quality.

In addition, syntax and formatting standards must be met in order to account for accurate scanning. Once scanned, all valid UIDs are tracked to item-specific locations and then registered. After this, the data is transferred to the UID Registry.

If all of this seems complicated, there’s a lot of companies out there willing to help those who seek UID compliance. If your interested in becoming UID compliant, you can learn more here.

Electronic Product Code, or EPC, is a relatively new RFID-based standard that tracks inventory at the item level without any visible human interaction. Items are tracked through data that is stored in RFID labels attached to the items. To do this, EPC sets aside fields that act as a serial number for each item, and as items pass through RFID readers, there information is received. Ultimately, there will be an EPC network that will act as an open system, allowing computers to sense-man-made objects and read the information on the RFID EPC labels.

However, as with most standards, EPC standards will take several years before supply chains start to fully maximize the potential of the EPC network. While some big retailers will begin to require EPC labels within a few years, it may take quite some time before it is fully implemented throughout the supply chain due to integration issues.

With newly implemented EPC regulations, the ideal of fully adopted RFID technology will become a reality, allowing for real-time tracking of inventory throughout the entire supply chain.