WMS: Trends in warehouse management software

Since it’s such an established technology, you may be thinking that there’s absolutely nothing new going on in the warehouse management systems (WMS) space. Well, you’d be wrong. Although the developments haven’t been as dramatic as they were 10 years ago, much progress has been made to enhance operations and reduce cost of ownership—and more warehouse/DC managers are beginning to make the move to upgrade.

“The WMS market is going through a metamorphosis,” says Steve Simmerman, director of business development for Next View Software (714-881-5105). “Users have systems that are eight-plus years old and too expensive to maintain and upgrade, too difficult to configure, and have outdated functionality. The solutions have matured, and that’s why we’re seeing more replacements.”

While the changes have been more evolutionary than revolutionary, they range from enhanced functionality and better integration with other supply chain systems to new modes of delivery and use. Here’s a deeper look at the top five trends that are the driving the evolution of WMS.