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Top 10 tips for a successful WMS implementation

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Written by
Amol Deshmukh
April 2024

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Written by
Alex Hirst
April 2024

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Top 10 tips for a successful WMS Implementation

Amol Deshmukh and Alex Hirst, Consultants at Hatmill, share their top ten tips for a successful WMS implementation.

Updating your Warehouse Management System (WMS) can provide significant operational benefits, including a reduction in OPEX and increasing operational efficiencies. However, finding a suitable provider isn’t always easy. It requires tremendous effort to detail your requirements and running a tender to find suitable software. However, once you’ve selected a provider, the hard work isn’t over.

Implementing a WMS is not a simple task. It requires careful planning, coordination, and execution to ensure a smooth and successful transition from the current state to the future state. In this article, we share some of the best practices and tips for a successful WMS implementation, based on our experience and expertise in this field.

Updating your Warehouse Management System (WMS) can provide significant operational benefits, including a reduction in OPEX and increasing operational efficiencies.

Here are our top 10 ideas for a WMS implementation:

  1. Understanding Current and Future Processes: Begin with an understanding of the ‘As-Is’ (or current) processes and workshop the desired ‘To-Be’ warehouse processes and layout after the WMS implementation. Based on the current state analysis, the project team should also conduct a future state visioning to define the optimal warehouse processes and layout that would leverage the WMS functionalities and benefits.
  2. Stakeholder Alignment: Ensure all WMS design and configuration activity is aligned across all stakeholders e.g. IT, warehouse, logistics, etc. The project team should also communicate and coordinate regularly with the WMS vendor and other external parties.
  3. Staff Engagement: Engage with warehouse staff and managers in the WMS design, testing and implementation phase to ensure buy-in and sustainable adoption of the new system. The project team should also train and support the warehouse staff and managers in the WMS testing and implementation and address their issues and concerns promptly.
  4. Engaging with Actual Warehouse Users: Ensure you are engaging with the actual warehouse users and not just looking at process flows - what you think the warehouse staff are doing vs what they are actually doing could be very different. The project team should also validate the process flows and the system features with the warehouse staff to ensure that they reflect the reality and the needs of the warehouse operations.
  5. Effective Project Management: Make sure you are using your suite of project management tools but not too many - it is sometimes easy to get bogged down in documents no one reads. The project team should use a project charter, a project plan, a risk register, a change request log, and a status report as the main project management tools.
  6. Adequate Time for Testing: Leave adequate time for all Testing activities like FAT (Factory Acceptance Test), SIT (Software Integration Test), UAT (User Acceptance Test) and BIT (Business Integration Test) etc. The project team should also involve the warehouse staff, managers, and other stakeholders in the testing activities, and ensure that the WMS meets the quality and performance standards.
  7. Rigorous Change Control Process: Have a rigorous change control process involving all stakeholders to assess the impact on the project personnel, timeline and costs along with the wider business. The change control board should also assess the impact of the changes on the project resources, costs, and risks, as well as on the business operations, customers, and suppliers.
  8. Agreeing on Deployment Approach: Agree the WMS deployment approach with all stakeholders, whether it be by warehouse zone, product category, or all in one big transition. The project team should also consult and agree with the warehouse staff, managers, and other stakeholders on the deployment schedule and sequence.
  9. Planning Deployment and Go Live Activities: Plan the WMS deployment and Go Live activities with a ramp-down and ramp-up as required for the warehouse operations. Manage supplier inbound lead times and GR activity. Extend customer delivery lead times where appropriate to manage the impact of the transition. The project team should also communicate and coordinate with the internal and external stakeholders on the impact of these changes and manage the supplier and customer expectations and requirements accordingly.
  10. Effective Communication and Change Management: It is critical that everyone directly or indirectly involved in the project is aware of its scope and objectives. The communication plan and the change management strategy should also promote the benefits and value of the WMS, and address any questions, concerns, or feedback from the project stakeholders.

Using our analytical tools we can extract data from your WMS to identify problem areas in your warehouse operation. If you’d like to discuss further, please contact us.

How can Hatmill help?

We can review your existing WMS software and processes and help you plan and deliver improvements to get more out of your existing WMS system, or we can help you select and implement a new WMS system. Using our analytical tools we can extract data from your WMS to identify problem areas in your warehouse operation.

If you’d like to discuss further, please contact us.

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