A warehouse management system (WMS) is a software application that supports the day-to-day operations in a warehouse. WMS programs enable centralized management of tasks such as tracking inventory levels and stock locations. WMS systems may be standalone applications or part of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
Early warehouse management systems could only provide simple storage location functionality. Current WMS applications can be so complex and data intensive that they require a dedicated staff to run them. High-end systems may include tracking and routing technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and voice recognition.
No matter how simple or complex the application is, the goal of a warehouse management system remains the same -- to provide management with the information it needs to efficiently control the movement of materials within a warehouse.
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Martin Murray addresses some of the problems you may run into when "Implementing a Warehouse Management System (WMS)."
Dave Piasecki writes about the evolution of warehouse management systems (WMS).