Introducing Historical KPI Tracking

This enhancement allows teams to compare actual performance in productivity, utilization, percent of target, and performance pulse against forecasted expectations over the past seven days or a specified custom date range. It shows the trend over time and provides a deep dive into individual days by parent area, area, and zone. This gives managers a better tool to analyze whether their teams are performing better or worse than expected and—more importantly—why.

Managers can investigate the specific factors contributing to those results. Was a great day due to the mix of work, did the team perform above their usual efficiency, or was it a combination of both? Did the work mix allow for faster processing? Did the team handle a higher volume of units than usual? Conversely, on days where performance lagged, was it because of a specific bottleneck?

This ability to look back and identify trends provides managers with previously unavailable insights. It allows them to better understand what’s working and where improvements can be made.

Historical Productivity by Area

CognitOps historical KPI tracking also adds an important layer of granularity. Managers can break down performance issues by zone, department, or even down to specific teams. This deep dive helps answer questions like: Why did we underperform in this particular area? Was the mix of work different, or was the team simply slower than usual?

For instance, if a team was forecasted to process 106 units but only completed 103, historical data can show whether there was a specific reason for the shortfall. Maybe one zone experienced a slowdown that impacted overall performance. This level of detail enables managers to explain historical performance to others in the organization, such as operations, finance, and supply chain leaders who want to understand the reasons “why” when expectations are not met.

Productivity Against Target by Day by Area

Using Data to Coach and Improve Teams

One of the most valuable aspects of historical KPI tracking is its use in coaching. With real-time data, managers can immediately step in to guide teams that are underperforming, offering on-the-spot feedback to get them back on track. However, with historical data, managers can go a step further by identifying trends and patterns that might not be visible on a daily basis.

For example, if a team consistently underperforms in a particular zone, historical data can help identify whether this is due to inefficient workflows, suboptimal resource allocation, or other factors. Armed with this information, managers can provide targeted coaching or make adjustments to address the specific issues affecting performance.

Conclusion

Before our introduction of historical performance KPIs, warehouse managers and supervisors had to dig into a bunch of WMS reports to find out how they had been performing. Now, they have one screen where they can look at key labor metrics across the building to see how performance is trending over time and identify any critical issues affecting that performance. It’s simply a more effective and efficient way to run a warehouse.