Warehouse operations are complex. From receiving to picking, packing and shipping, retailers need to constantly monitor everything that goes in and out of their warehouse and equip warehouse staff with the tools they need to make every packaging vision come true.
As you can imagine, this is simply unachievable for most businesses. In fact, just over a third of have have unintentionally sold a product that was unavailable in their inventory, resulting in delayed order shipments and ultimately a loss in revenue.
And this demonstrates just one of the operational challenges that many businesses face in effectively managing their inventory and order fulfilment processes.
To manage these challenges, many retailers turn to warehouse management software & Systems (WMS) to gain actionable insights into their warehouse operations and identify bottlenecks before they impact their bottom line.
What is warehouse management software?
Warehouse management software, otherwise known as a warehouse management system, is software designed to help companies streamline and optimize all the processes involved in managing a warehouse – from receiving goods to shipping them out.
It does this is by tracking everything in your warehouse in real-time – from location, and quantity, to expiry dates – and identifying low stock levels to automatically trigger reordering.
Warehouse management software is extremely important not only because it tracks all of the materials in your warehouse, but it can also create systems to streamline how workers pick products and pack orders, automating tasks like receiving, putaway (storing items), and replenishment (moving items to picking locations).
And since it has all the important data at hand, when a customer sends an order, it will immediately be able to check if the products are available.
This means that instead of a person manually cross-referencing the order and the stock, it will automatically mark the order as ready for packing, saving you time, effort, and most importantly, resources.
In fact, if used efficiently, many warehouse management software systems end up paying for themselves when used effectively.
What are the benefits of warehouse management software?
Warehouse management software is crucial for several reasons: it boosts operational efficiency, can greatly cut costs, and improves overall customer satisfaction.
By automating tasks like inventory tracking and order picking, WMS frees up staff time and reduces the likelihood of errors, allowing warehouses to process orders faster and handle higher volumes of stock. Labor is a major wasted expense in warehouses, and WMS helps optimize staffing needs and minimize wasted effort.
Read: How can a WMS Help Improve Your Spare Parts Warehouse
Real-time inventory tracking with WMS means you always know exactly what you have in stock and where it's located, eliminating errors in order fulfilment and reduces the risk of stockouts.
This leads to faster and more accurate order fulfilment and helps ensure orders are shipped on time and complete, reducing customer frustration and leading to happier customers overall.
Choosing a warehouse management software system
Choosing the right warehouse management software system is crucial for optimizing your warehouse operations.
Most businesses start by figuring out what features they need in their system and how much they are willing to spend. After that, they can request more information from the provider about how they can tailor warehouse management software to their operations effectively.
Before this, though, It’s important to identify your warehouse's specific needs and challenges. Consider factors like the size and complexity of your operation, the types of products you handle, and your order fulfilment volume, and which areas are you looking to improve the most.
You’ll also need to create a list of essential features you require in a WMS. Common features include inventory tracking, order-picking functionalities, reporting & analytics, and integrations with your existing systems (e.g., accounting software).
Best Warehouse Management Software Systems
There are a range of different warehouse management software systems available today, each with its own set of features that can be tailored to suit your operational needs.
Let’s explore ten of the best warehouse management software & systems available today based on their features, popularity, and user reviews.
Magaya Supply Chain
Magaya Supply Chain is a cloud-based software solution designed to be a one-stop shop for all your logistics needs, including warehouse management. The platform goes beyond just a WMS though, offering features for freight forwarding, shipping, compliance, and even customer service all within a single platform. It comes with a full-featured warehouse management system that includes functionalities like billing, receiving, inventory management, picking and packing, and shipping. Magaya also offers mobile functionalities, enabling warehouse staff to manage tasks and access data through handheld devices so they can pick, pack and ship orders faster.
Magaya Supply Chain is designed to be adaptable to various warehouse needs and can seamlessly scale to accommodate business growth. It provides real-time inventory tracking and insights into warehouse operations, allowing for better decision-making and improved efficiency. Magaya's reporting and analytics features also help identify areas for improvement and optimize warehouse operations based on data. By offering a unified platform for all your logistics needs, Magaya helps businesses streamline operations, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge.
Zoho Inventory
Zoho Inventory is a powerful, cloud-based warehouse management software designed to cater to businesses of all sizes. It’s best known for its intuitive and easy-to-learn interface, making it a popular choice for businesses new to WMS or those seeking a scalable solution. Zoho Inventory offers core WMS features like barcode scanning, stock level monitoring, and reporting to maintain accurate inventory control across multiple warehouses. This makes it easy to manage the entire order fulfilment cycle, from order creation and picking to packing and shipping, and to track across multiple warehouses or store locations from a single platform. You can also track individual items or batches for better inventory control, especially important when dealing with perishable goods or those with expiry dates.
Zoho Inventory integrates with other Zoho applications like Zoho Books for accounting and Zoho CRM for customer relationship management, creating a unified ecosystem for all your retail and manufacturing needs. You can seamlessly report to gain insights into inventory performance using data across platforms, allowing you to identify trends, solve challenges, and make data-driven decisions for optimizing your warehouse operations.
Cin7
Cin7 is a cloud-based warehouse management system designed to be a powerful all-in-one solution for businesses of all sizes. The platform goes beyond just basic WMS functionalities, offering features for inventory management, order fulfilment across multiple sales channels, and even built-in eCommerce capabilities. It also integrates seamlessly with Cin7 Core, a broader business management suite that offers functionalities for sales, marketing, and manufacturing, allowing you to allow you to manage inventory and fulfil orders across online marketplaces, your own webstore, and physical stores.
Cin7's strength lies in its ability to grow with your business. The all-in-one approach with integrated inventory management, WMS functionalities, and broader business management features makes it a compelling solution for businesses seeking a unified platform. Its focus on features like demand forecasting and multi-channel commerce also allows it to cater to the needs of modern businesses of all sizes. With its scalability and open API for integrations, Cin7 is a great VMS of for businesses looking for a comprehensive solution to streamline their operations and facilitate future growth.
ShipHero
ShipHero is warehouse management software designed specifically for eCommerce businesses and third-party logistics providers. The platform focuses on streamlining the processes involved in online order fulfillment, helping businesses ship products quickly and accurately by providing real-time visibility into orders, and a centralized dashboard. for tracking fulfilment processes efficiently. ShipHero's mobile app also empowers warehouse staff with tools for picking, packing, and shipping orders directly on the warehouse floor. It also comes with a powerful Barcode scanning feature that ensures accuracy throughout the fulfilment process.
ShipHero integrates with major eCommerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce, allowing for effortless order import and inventory management and eliminating the need for manual data entry to reduce errors. It also offers real-time shipping rate shopping to find the most affordable shipping option for each order, potentially reducing fulfilment costs. And for staff, it offers a gamified feature known as Hero Board displays picker performance in real-time, fostering a competitive spirit and motivating staff to improve picking efficiency.
Manhattan WMS
Manhattan WMS is a robust, cloud-based WMS solution designed for larger businesses with complex warehouse operations. The platform goes beyond basic WMS functionalities, using machine learning and real-time data to optimize order fulfilment with features like wave picking and dynamic slotting for faster picking and packing. It also comes with pre-built digital twin technology, creating a digital replica of your warehouse layout and staff. This allows for real-time visualization of operations and resource allocation, enabling better decision-making and proactive problem-solving.
Manhattan VMS offers advanced labor management tools to optimize staffing needs, allocate tasks efficiently, and track employee performance. This unified visibility and control allows you to gain real-time visibility into all aspects of your warehouse operations, from inventory levels and order fulfilment status to individual worker performance. At the same time, its real-time data and unified control panel provide a comprehensive view of your warehouse, empowering better decision-making and proactive management. Manhattan VMS consistently ranks high in industry reports like Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems, solidifying its position as one of the best warehouse management software systems on the market.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management (SCM) offers a robust warehouse management system built into its broader supply chain management suite. Dynamics 365 SCM offers a comprehensive WMS feature set, including inventory management, receiving, putaway (storing items), picking, packing, shipping, and returns management. The platform also has a dedicated warehouse management module, which allows you to configure workflows and functionalities to match your specific warehouse needs. There's even a Warehouse management-only mode for businesses who already have separate ERP and order management systems. Dynamics 365 SCM integrates with other modules within Dynamics 365 SCM too, creating a unified platform for managing your entire supply chain while eliminating data silos and ensuring all departments have access to real-time information.
Dynamics 365 SCM is great at optimising inventory levels to minimize stockouts and carrying costs. Its Machine learning algorithms can analyze historical data and predict demand patterns to ensure you have the right inventory on hand, and the platform supports integrations with warehouse automation technologies like barcode scanners and robotics to further streamline inventory management and picking accuracy. The platform’s built-in analytics and reporting tools provide valuable insights into warehouse performance, enabling smarter, data-driven decisions across your supply chain.
SAP Extended Warehouse Management
SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) is one of the industry’s best WMS software designed for businesses with complex warehouse operations. The platform goes beyond basic WMS features, catering to complex needs like multi-warehouse management, labor management optimization, and value-added services (VAS) functionalities for kitting, labelling, and bundling products. It also gives you total visibility into your warehouse operations in real-time, allowing you to seamlessly track inventory levels, order fulfilment status, labour performance, and resource allocation for proactive problem-solving and informed decision-making.
AP EWM is specifically designed to handle the intricate needs of large-scale warehouses with high volume and complex workflows. For geographically dispersed warehouses, it offers a decentralized deployment option, enabling central management with local execution capabilities. For businesses already using SAP solutions like SAP S/4HANA for ERP, SAP EWM offers unparalleled integration, creating a unified platform for managing your entire supply chain.
Luminate Logistics by Blueyonder
Blueyonder’s Luminate Logistics is a cutting-edge warehouse management system that is an industry leader in intelligent warehouse automation. Built on Blue Yonder's industry-leading AI and machine learning (ML) platform, Luminate goes beyond basic WMS functionalities by analyzing vast amounts of data to predict potential disruptions and recommend actions before they occur. This proactive approach helps ensure smooth warehouse operations and minimize downtime. The platform also automates tasks and workflows based on AI-driven insights, allowing for more efficient resource allocation and faster decision-making and leading to an "autonomous warehouse" environment.
With Luminate Logistics, you gain real-time visibility into all aspects of your warehouse operations, including inventory levels, order fulfillment status, and yard management. The platform’s real-time visibility and seamless integration with other robotics solutions empower businesses to optimize their entire warehouse operations and future-proof their fulfillment strategies. If your business is looking to future-proof its warehousing operations and embrace autonomous logistics, Luminate Logistics is one of the best Warehouse management software systems on the market.
Oracle Fusion Cloud Warehouse Management
Oracle Fusion Cloud WMS is a cloud-based warehouse management system that leverages the power of Oracle's cloud infrastructure to provide a scalable and secure solution for optimizing your warehouse operations. The platform offers a full suite of features, including inventory management, receiving, putaway, order picking, packing, shipping, and returns management, allowing you to manage all aspects of your warehouse operations from a single platform. It also provides in-depth analytics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) like picking accuracy, order fulfillment times, and labor productivity. These insights help identify areas for improvement and optimize your warehouse operations.
Being cloud-based, Oracle Fusion Cloud WMS eliminates the need for on-premise hardware and software management. The system is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, and mobile functionalities allow warehouse staff to manage tasks and access data through handheld devices. The platform also integrates seamlessly with other Oracle Cloud applications, such as Oracle Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). This streamlines data flow between your warehouse and other business systems and prevents data silos to ensure everyone has access to the latest information. You can also generate reports and access customizable dashboards to visualize warehouse performance data, enabling data-driven decision-making and ultimately better operational efficiency.
Körber Warehouse Management Systems
Körber Warehouse Management Systems aren't just one single software solution, but rather a suite of WMS solutions designed to cater to businesses of various sizes and complexities. Developed by Körber Supply Chain, a company known for its expertise in warehouse automation and integration, Körber WMS focuses on flexibility and scalability to optimize warehouse operations across industries. The platform comes with a range of out-of-the-box WMS options, from feature-rich solutions like Körber Manhattan (based on Manhattan Associates' WMS) to more basic options like Körber Lite, suitable for smaller warehouses or those with manual operations. Körber also provides industry-specific WMS configurations tailored to the unique needs of industries like pharmaceutical, e-commerce, and third-party logistics. These configurations consider industry-specific compliance requirements and workflows.
Unlike other WMS providers on this list, Körber WMS boasts an open API, making it easy to integrate with existing warehouse management systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and other business-critical applications. The platform can also integrate seamlessly with warehouse automation technologies like robotics, voice-directed picking systems, and conveyors. This streamlines workflows minimizes errors, and boosts productivity across the board. Whether you're a small business with basic needs or a large enterprise looking for an industry-specific solution with advanced automation capabilities, Körber likely has a WMS that fits the bill, making it our choice for the best warehouse management software for 2024.
