Inventory and Warehouse Management Software Buyer Trends 2018
As the year 2018 continues to roll along, there are technology trends that businesses need to be aware of if they are to stay ahead of the game this year and beyond. Some of such trends are the Warehouse Management Software Buyer Trends reported recently by Software Connect.
As a warehouse management system (WMS) is key to optimizing warehouse operations, distributors and manufacturers in particular need to be mindful of these trends to make the right decisions towards selecting a WMS. This report examines several WMS buyers over the past two years, highlighting crucial areas that buyers are paying attention to in 2018.
Some of the findings shed light on why businesses buy WMS, but here are some key takeaways from the report:
- Businesses are buying new warehouse management software because they need more or better features or need to replace outdated systems.
- Barcodes are preferred over radio-frequency identification (RFID) to track inventory, as real-time inventory allocation depends on it.
- WMS budgets increase with the size of the company. Often hitting above $300,000 for companies with more than 100 employees.
- Buyers are looking for software to help manage multiple warehouses with the addition of mobile WMS capabilities that allows companies to manage off-site bulk locations and perform all WMS functions in remote sites.
- Businesses surveyed use a wide range of products, but QuickBooks Enterprise system was being most commonly replaced by WMS.
Important to note also is that warehouse management systems can operate independently or integrate within an ERP package. When projects require significant features beyond warehousing, inventory, purchase order, and order management, then a combination of WMS and ERP is needed.
For better coordinated warehouse operations, distributors and manufacturers are making a serious investment in WMS software. For full Warehouse Management Software Buyer Trends – 2018 Report, visit here.
