GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Provia Software's ViaWare Warehouse Management System will be used in a pilot project this summer to track and monitor RFID tags on select products as they arrive and depart.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are an emerging technology that can be employed within a supply chain as an alternative to traditional bar codes. RFID tags are designed to help companies better track and control inventory – from warehouses and loading docks to trucks.

Today's bar code systems use line-of-sight technology, which means scanning machines need to "see" the actual bar code in order to register the code. RFID tags can be read without that technology, eliminating the need for manual intervention and saving associated labor costs. The project will take place at a Gillette Co. distribution facility.