The storage allocation strategies establish a fraction of the
overall available storage space in the forward area to be devoted to
the generic SKU according to specific criteria, given a certain time
horizon. An equal space (EQS) strategy devotes the same fraction of
space to each SKU, while an equal time strategy (EQT) ensures the
same number of restocks for each SKU given a selected time
horizon. Both of these strategies are renowned in industry and are
suitable for every storage context (i.e., cartons-cases picking). The
optimal strategy (OPT), as proposed by Bartholdi and Hackman
[17] and previously by Hackman and Rosenblatt [18], minimises
the restocking to the forward area for pieces-picking (i.e., the order
picking for the small parts). The proposed DSS implements
different so-called allocation strategies by which to configure
alternative scenarios of stock for every SKU. In the forward area
(i.e., the fast-pick area or the low-level locations), the choice of the
stock level to devote to each SKU affects the replenishment
activities as well as the picking processes because this choice
influences the locations of the SKUs [16]. The system also supports
a pattern [17] to determine the sub-set of SKUs that maximise the
net-benefit of the forward area, considering both the time savings
per pick (i.e., the pick from the forward vs. the pick from the
reserve) and the time for replenishment.