What is a Warehouse Management System (WMS)?
A warehouse management system (WMS) is a software application that helps control and manage the day-to-day operations in a warehouse. WMS software guides inventory receiving and put-away, optimizes picking and shipping of orders and advises on inventory replenishment. A warehouse management system can be a standalone application or part of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
What can a Warehouse Management System for my business?
The overall goal of warehouse management system software is to achieve a paperless environment that directs your employees automatically on the optimal picking, put-away and shipping of your products. A warehouse management system can drastically reduce the likelihood of errors that could occur when a product is shipped. A WMS can help a company fulfill orders more rapidly and instantaneously trace ordered products within the warehouse.
- Real-time tracking of all warehouse activities
- Configuration based on your business
- Transactional Records
- Handle inventory in the most logical and optimal way
- Integration with ERP or TMS systems
Key Benefits of WMS & ERP
The benefits of a fully integrated WMS/ERP solution are extensive. With a native WMS program you gain business-wide traceability, employee accountability and real-time speed and responsiveness. With scanning devices and barcoding you can move beyond pen and paper to a fully digital WMS environment that eliminates re-keying of data and its unavoidable level of human error that accompanies it.
- Reduced Fulfillment Time
- Increased Inventory Accuracy
- Improved Customer Service
- Better Space Utalization
- Increase Warehouse Productivity
- Reduced Labour Cost
Considerations
While overall cost of ownership always rates high on the list of things to consider, it is not always the most important factor. In face, any company looking to improve their WMS systems should consider the following:
- Functional Fit of the WMS (primary)
- Software licensing (Subscription or purchase)
- Implementation & Training
- System Architecture & Redundancy
- Customization Capability
- Integration Capability
- EDI Capability
- Data Access & Ownership
The WMS that you decide to purchase should reflect the vision you have for your company and the image you want to project to your clients. The WMS systems of 2022 require tools that the WMS systems of yesterday cannot easily provide. It is important to understand who your customers are, so you can provide the tools they expect.