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7 Steps to Selecting the Right Warehouse Management System

1 November 2023

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Hi, I’m Domnic, co-founder and director of Tekclover. I’m on a mission to spread awareness about Warehouse Management Systems.

As an integral part of supply chain & logistics industry, you’re probably aware about the implications of WMS.

I’m here to shed light on selecting the right WMS with the help of a 7-points-long checklist.

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You really cannot skip this step. Please do your homework to make the correct choices later.

Have you been able to sit down and identify the reasons for which you need a WMS?

You should be crystal clear on all the processes you want to automate in your warehouse. Define them using a simple process flow chart.

You’ll need to cover the minimum of the key process streams, like inbound/ goods inward process, the make and change process that accounts for all the transfers within the warehouse, outbound/ goods outward process, the stock counting process that can be cyclic or perpetual, and one to list all the KPIs.

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Done laying the groundwork and have determined your process?

Now, you need to carefully analyze the resources you have and their utilization matrix. Take a look at your current Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

Determine what your ERP’s upgrade roadmap looks like.

Is your ERP compatible with integrating with a third party WMS? If yes, what is the preferred protocol? File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or Application Programming Interface (API)?

Answers to these questions will help you make an informed choice while selecting the right WMS.

In case your ERP isn’t compatible with a third party WMS, you have to self analyze the capability of your enterprise to run a WMS in a standalone manner.

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The WMS isn’t for a month or two. It’s a decision that’s going to have a huge impact on the way you run your business for years to come.

It makes sense to take its sustainability and scalability into account. For that, you need to determine if the WMS can handle the projected data volume for the next 5 years.

If you have any business sales channel expansion plans, the WMS must be able to manage them. All your ERP upgrade road maps must be well-accommodated by the WMS you choose.

In fact, even if you don’t feel like it right now, do take having multiple warehouses into consideration. The WMS you choose should be able to run efficiently in a scenario with multiple warehouses.

The next installment of this 7-point series will be up soon. Meanwhile, you can share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Domnic Regies Amalraj

Co-Founder & Director, Tekclover