A Guide to Warehouse Management System (WMS) Implementation
From greater operational efficiencies to cost savings, a WMS can bring a number of benefits to any warehouse. But every new WMS roll out needs an implementation plan to ensure the platform can be quickly and smoothly integrated into your day-to-day operations.
Creating a WMS implementation plan can easily start to feel overwhelming, which is why we’ve put together this guide. Below, we cover what WMS implementation is in detail and provide you with a step-by-step WMS implementation sheet. We’ll also cover best practices and explore the entire WMS implementation process from pre-implementation, setting your system up, to post implementation.
Pre-implementation WMS checklist
To get you started, you can begin to plan implementing your new WMS software with our WMS checklist:
1. Define project KPIs
This first step in WMS implementation is to take a look at your essential warehouse processes and see where you’d like to improve your operations. Whether it’s faster picking-and-packing times or optimising your warehouse layout, write down the key KPIs you’d like to achieve with a new WMS.
2. Define implementation team
The next step is to decide who is going to be responsible for implementing your new software. This team will help refine your main KPIs, make them clear to your vendors, and make sure your software is implemented in a way that aligns with those goals. It’s best to keep your team on the smaller side (max 10 people) to avoid too many conflicting opinions or approaches while making sure that your team is still large enough to benefit from multiple people’s expertise.
3. Notify your warehouse team
It’s best to get buy-in early from your team. These are the people who will be using your new software each day, discussing how it will help them do their jobs better and help save them time. Get their thoughts and opinions on the new software and make sure you address any reservations. When the time comes, roll out training and make sure they have ongoing support to get the most out of the new systems.
4. Get your data ready
After notifying your team, you’ll need to prepare your data. Make sure your data has been cleansed (e.g. free from mistakes and duplicates) and is up to date. Then back it up to make sure it’s protected in the event of any potential mishaps during migration. Now it’s ready to be transferred to your new system.
5. Procure hardware & software
Do you need any additional hardware or software to support your new system? Whether that’s label printers or handheld barcode scanners, make sure you buy and set these up first to ready your team for your new WMS.
Tips for a successful warehouse management system implementation
Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can help make sure you implement your new WMS effectively.
Tip 1: Be clear on requirements
The first step is to be clear on your requirements. What overarching goals do you hope to achieve? Being able to answer this question will help you get clear on the kind of software you need: the features, capabilities, integrations, support and pricing that aligns with your need.
Tip 2: Define budget
Software can be expensive. Not only do you need to factor in upfront costs such as implementation and onboarding, but you also need to factor in costs like ongoing operating costs, support, maintenance, complementary software and hardware, and annual licensing. Make sure you factor all of these into your overall budget with leeway for changes in your annual revenue.
Tip 3: Explore the software available before you buy
No matter how impressive a WMS looks, it’s always essential to test it out before you commit to buying it. Request product demos and free trials from every vendor on your list.
Tip 4: Involve your team
Whether it’s a bad user experience or not fully understanding how to use and get the most out of a new piece of software, reluctance to employ and use a new tool can mean your new WMS system doesn’t get adopted by or fully utilised by warehouse employees.
That’s why it’s so essential to include them at each stage of the process: talk through different software features and get them involved with demos or testing so they can experience the user experience and explore the benefits for themselves. Listen and incorporate their feedback.
Tip 5: Keep an open mind
While you may think you’ve found the right tool for you at an early stage, it’s always a good idea to keep an open mind and regularly consult and get feedback from your team. They may have alternative view points or see flaws and weaknesses in a system you haven’t considered.
Tip 5: Understand training requirements
What training will your team need to go through for successful implementation? First, make sure you set out a clear roadmap for implementation, cover training processes, materials, and timelines.
Tip 6: Get recommendations
Can anyone in your trusted network recommend a tool that will work well for your use cases? Make a list of contacts you trust and reach out to them to ask for recommendations.
Tip 7: Test before you implement across the whole business
Test out your software in one area before implementing the system across your entire business. This helps you see if the tool is a good fit for your business and how well it performs helping you achieve a specific goal. Better to find out early if a tool is a poor fit for you or if any improvements need to be made before you implement it across your operations.
Tip 8: Monitor performance
Once your system is set up, it’s important to keep monitoring its performance to help make sure it’s hitting your KPIs and improving your processes. Get regular feedback from your team at every level on both performance and overall user experience. Make a note of any struggles or flaws with the platform.
Tip 9: Celebrate successes
As you see improvements from your new WMS, take the time to notice and celebrate them. Share them with your team to help encourage continued use.
Tip 10: Iterative improvements
While a WMS can offer several upfront benefits, you’ll still need to take the time to learn about your new system, how your team can get the most out of it, and how to best use it to meet your goals. Noting any areas for improvement, implement them and track how the new improvements impact your operations.
Step-by-step plan for your WMS implementation
Below, we show you how you can create a step-by-step plan with our WMS implementation steps.
Step 1: Define project KPIs
Get clear on what you want from a WMS. Cover key processes, KPIs, key feature requirements, and budget. Tie your KPIs to measurable metrics and clear timelines to make them easy to monitor: e.g. cut picking-and-packing time by 30% in Q2.
Step 2: Select a WMS
Next, it’s time to see what’s out there. Start on trustworthy review websites and read several reviews to see which tools are rated the best. Make a list of the top tools to try. Once you have your list, contact the sales team for each tool and discuss your requirements and ask them if they have the features you need to meet your KPIs. If you’re happy with their responses, set up demos and free trials to experience each tool yourself before committing to a purchase.
Step 3: Implementation plan
An implementation plan is a necessity to make sure your WMS’ implementation goes as smoothly as possible. You’ll need to get your warehouse, employees, and systems prepped ready for the roll out. Set aside time to migrate your data, set up stock locations, and sketch out a warehouse map to support your new system. Make a list of all the employees who will need training and contact your provider for training resources.
Step 4: Set go-live date
A go-live date is the date you plan to officially begin using your WMS. A go-live date is important to help you keep track of and ensure you hit your key roll-out milestones (from demos to employee draining).
Step 5: Monitor, make improvements, and seek support
After you’ve begun using your new software, it’s important to continually review its performance and see where you can make improvements with its usage or whether you also need to bring in additional software, hardware, or training to help you hit your goals.
If you’re not happy with how your software is performing, speak to the Account Manager from your provider and ask for strategic support and additional advice on best practices to help you reach your goals.
Common challenges faced when implementing a WMS
There are several common challenges companies come up against when implementing a new WMS.
The first one is poor planning. Before you bring in a new WMS, you need to get clear on what goals you want to achieve, put the right infrastructure in place to support your new tool, set up an implementation team, and know your timelines. This is important for helping you choose the right provider, make sure implementation goes as quickly and smoothly as possible, and help you ensure you can use your new WMS to hit your goals.
Another one of the other challenges of implementing a new WMS is data quality. Poor data quality. It’s important your data is accurate, complete, and up to date. Data on inventory, stock movements, orders and more should all be reviewed and cleansed (e.g. you should address any errors or missing information in your datasets) before you migrate your data from your existing warehouse systems to your new WMS.
In addition, a final challenge to be aware of is resistance from employees. If you’ve been using the same systems for a number of years, employees may be reluctant to take on new tools. Training can be time consuming and new tools can be frustrating to use. To help address these issues, involve employees at the earliest stages of your decision making, get their feedback on different vendors, and provide training and ongoing support.
Help ensure a successful WMS implementation with Mintsoft
To successfully implement a WMS, it’s important to be clear on your goals, try out tools before you buy, and make a clear plan for the software’s roll out. At Mintsoft, we help provide all our clients with support to implement their new WMS and get the most out of their software.
To find out more about our unique features, head to the Mintsoft WMS features page. For help seeing if we could be right for you, take a look at our guide to choosing a warehouse management software.