What is flow management and cross docking? Which network design has more pipeline inventory?

Under distribution management, wareshouses or distribution channels are linked together which is also known as channel management. Each company in the supply chain management has wareshouses and distribution center to store products. These wareshouses receives products from suppliers known as inbound shippment, and distributes products to customer which is known as outbound.

Flow management is managing inbound shipments and storing products in the warehouse. After an order from is received, products are reteived from the storage location and orders are fill based on customers' requirements and order quantity, which creates an outbound shipment. This process is known as flow management.

Cross docking occurs when product is received and retieved without storage. In this process in bound shipment  is received, the shipment is already prepared for the order with the right quantity and customer's request, and the inbound load is loaded onto a trailor when storage or reterival. This process is known as cross docking