WMS Pioneers

Real estate firm CBRE is out with its latest report, packed with interesting data points.

Task Management is one of the most essential capabilities of an advanced Warehouse Management System, but not well Understood

Various data points indicate a real slow down in e-commerce growth. Will there be a pullback in investments for hardware and software in support of e-fulfillment automation?

Many companies are considering or deploying mobile robots in distribution. A key question: should you rely on the robot company’s software to manage the robots’ activities? Or would a platform that supports multiple robot types and vendors be the better choice? We explore this issue in this week's episode.

In this week's episode, we have part 2 of our review of the State of Distribution Technologies Report. Based on a survey of 187 logistics managers, this study provides interesting and valuable insight to readers. The report by Softeon is available here: https://www.softeon.com/new-report-state-technologies-distribution-2022  

In this week's episode, we review the highlights of a new research report from Softeon on how users view various distribution center technologies. The report by Softeon is available here: https://www.softeon.com/new-report-state-technologies-distribution-2022    

In this week's episode of Logistics Insights, we review highlights of the 27th annual "3PL Study" from Dr. John Langley and team, released at the recent CSCMP Edge conference in Nashville.

In this week’s episode, we advise on not losing critical time early in a WMS project. An often unrecognized key to Warehouse Management System implementation success is ensuring valuable days aren’t lost early in a project.

In this week's episode, we take a look Gartner's seven categories of mobile robots for distribution and manufacturing, or what Gartner calls "Smart Intralogistics Robots."

In this week’s Logistics Insights podcast: Cross-Docking in Distribution Cross-docking in distribution is often talked about, but there are several types, and it generally takes a robust WMS to well handle the complexity and timing issues. In this episode, we dive deeper into cross-docking.

In this week’s Logistics Insights podcast: Understanding the Gartner WMS Critical Capabilities Report. Different from the WMS Magic Quadrant analysis, the Critical Capabilities report focuses solely on functionality across nine different attributes. Those attributes include core and extended WMS capabilities, adaptability, usability, the ability to support automated material handling systems, and...

Labor is a hot topic distribution right now, with rising wages and labor shortages in most markets. In fact, a recent survey by Gartner found that for the first time, addressing labor issues was cited as the top reason for investing in DC automation, surpassing reducing operating costs, the traditional driver of material handling systems adoption. Labor management software can provide a variety of...

Software demonstrations are a critical step in selecting a Warehouse Management System or any other logistics software package. How else are you going to determine the fit of various packages to your operational requirements? Despite its criticality, it is surprising how often companies don’t really think through the many elements needed to get the demo process right – which in the end means selec...

Warehouse Management Systems were a little late to the Cloud party but now are the great majority of implementations. Softeon, a tier 1 WMS provider, has successfully deployed Warehouse Management Systems in the Cloud dozens of times. Here are some lessons learned from those successes...

At the recent Gartner supply chain symposium in Orlando, it was revealed that the number 1 topic for client inquiries is around robots for distribution. A recent Gartner survey found that for about two-thirds of companies interested in robotics, the driver for doing so now is to combat labor shortages, not to drive cost reduction, which is very different than just a few years ago. Gartner has cate...

With what appears to be growing interest in automation in distribution, driven by severe labor issues for many shippers and more, Softeon commissioned a survey and report on a variety of topics relevant to materials handling systems and warehouse software. The report is based on survey data from a wide variety of business sectors, led by retailers and consumer goods companies of all sorts, but man...

In our last episode, we discussed some of the ways efficiency can be improved with the right software tools. Here are some more ways you can optimize Cart Picking in ways you may not know about...

How warehouse software can optimize cart picking in ways you probably don’t currently know about.

In our last episode, we discussed how Softeon and Thru-Put Partners produced a webinar on the “7 Uncommon Keys to End-End WMS Success.” We covered the first 4 of those tips, which included: Understanding WMS Value Upfront Creating a clear decision-making framework Getting the demo right, and… Not wasting time early in the project This week, the final three uncommon tips...

Recently, Softeon and Thru-Put Partners – a leading supply chain consulting firm – produced a webinar with Modern Materials Handling Magazine on the “7 Uncommon Keys to End-End WMS Success.” On this podcast we’ll cover the first 4 of those, and we promise these will be a little different than tips you might have heard from others.

In this week’s Logistics Insights podcast, we sort out the WMS, WCS and WES flavors of warehouse software.

Gartner recently held its virtual Supply Chain Symposium for 2021. That included a session on Warehouse Management Systems, or WMS, led by well-known Gartner analyst, Dwight Klappich. During the session, Klappich detailed what he sees as key trends in WMS technology moving forward. As an intro to those trends, Klappich first noted that Warehouse Management Systems are getting smarter.

In this week’s Logistics Insights podcast, a look at three key trends in warehouse management systems, including the move to the Cloud, the rise of Warehouse Execution Systems and the increasing support for automation, such as for mobile robots and putwall systems.

Labor challenges in US distribution are as high as we have ever seen. Almost everyone is scrambling for labor, and few are able to hire and retain all the DC labor they need. Facing similar challenges, tool maker Hilti launched a program earlier this year to revolutionize the way it treats DC workers, across more than a dozen facilities in the US.

Here's a fact: if a company is deploying a new WMS solution, unless they are already using Voice or other picking technologies such as pick-to-light or “put walls,” these types of technologies are almost never designed in from the start, even if there is great interest in them for down the road. But is that really the right approach?