Do you need warehouse management software? In this article, we recommend the best inventory control systems. Discover both paid and free tools that can help you in your business, whether you have a small warehouse or a larger facility.
Today, almost everything is available online. We buy items from shopping sites, pay for items from anywhere, and if we don’t like the product, we return it from anywhere.
When we buy a product and return it, this data must be reflected immediately. This, in turn, is the current need for businesses. To meet this need, we will need software that will be able to keep track of all warehouse operations (item dispatch, shipment tracking, and sometimes take it back).
What is WMS Warehouse Management Software?
A warehouse management software WMS is a program to automate all processes and operations that take place in a warehouse. Its functions include stock management, control of inputs and outputs, or management of the location of the units.
The 10 Warehouse Management Software
There are numerous programs to manage warehouses. Some are ideal for small and medium-sized businesses that do not have a large volume of stock. Others are much more complete and closed tools, which allow the management of much larger inventories. Below we show the 10 best warehouse management software, separated between free and paid programs.
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NetSuite WMS
NetSuite is also known as Oracle NetSuite warehouse management is one of the best warehouse management software out there. Proven to be the best WMS for those businesses based on perishable goods, the software has a good user interface with a shelf-life integration, and to crown it all it has an expiration tracking function that makes products get to customers on time.
Features:
- Good user interface
- Simple logistics management
- Financial management capability
- Production management menu
- Setting up policies for material handling
NetSuite WMS helps in handling the distribution of products effectively through the use of Radio frequency identification (RFID), it helps to customize and arrange properly the warehouse with other factors like real-time inventory updates and direct shipping.
The software is so flexible and allows the use of third-party plugins which makes it a very high-end software and it is expected that this will come at a price that may not be cool for small businesses. Nevertheless, the software really worth it and will help speed up product tasks and distribution.
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Fishbowl Inventory
Fishbowl Inventory WMS is also a top-rated warehouse management system which is why we have listed it at the top of our list. This warehouse management software is a perfect selection for small scale businesses and also medium businesses, on seeing it first you might be a little confused about its capability but once you take charge of this software you will find out it is well packed with all SCM and warehouse management features you can ever need.
Features:
- Neatly designed and User-friendly interface
- Cheaper plans
- Up-to-date features
- Inventory tracking features
- Multi-location control
- Third-party plugins integration
According to the features listed above, you can tell this is the perfect WMS for your business, there is one function you will so much love about Fishbowl Inventory which is the fact that you can study warehouse-specific trends and take advantage of it.
With the USPS integration handling of orders will be effortlessly and speedy. It also has a multi-currency payment gateway which means it can be used anywhere and also used to get paid in more than one currency.
To go beyond the normal usage, you can also integrate QuickBooks which is accounting software and you have an accurate inventory check.
Aside from all the goodies we’ve mentioned about Fishbowl it also comes with some drawbacks like lack of cross-docking. This shouldn’t be a problem for most users anyway, to take advantage of this wonderful software you are given a 14 day free trial with all functions enabled.
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3PL Warehouse Manager
Third, on our list of top ten warehouse management software is the 3PL Warehouse Manager, this is a full-fledged cloud-based WMS, it operates on the SaaS model and it is one of the most used. With this, you can manage your warehouse effectively though mostly used for the management of third-party logistics.
You get full benefits with this software as it allows multiple- customers management and real-time data integration and billing.
Features:
- Radiofrequency identification (RFID)
- Barcode scanners & EDI
- Standard warehouse management technologies integration
- Full inventory management capabilities
The software is carefully developed and made to be user-friendly with a clean user interface, in addition, you get the opportunity of utilizing modules to further increase the functions. With its robotic process automation, you stand the chances of getting a drastic improvement in your business while making more profits within a short time frame.
Just like the Fishbowl Inventory, you can also integrate QuickBooks so you can have your sales and every department in sync with stats from the software.
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Softeon
Softeon is warehouse and inventory management software designed to be a cloud-based system for small and medium-sized businesses and also for giants in the business world.
It has the typical functions of inventory manager, such as inventory management, updating inputs, and outputs, location of items, or reporting of damaged products.
In addition, it has very interesting characteristics, for example, it is one of the few warehouse management systems that does not have a limit of items, users, or locations. In addition, it offers free help and support.
Features:
- It is a web-native cloud system
- Has a good order management
- Productivity tracking
- Automated system integration
- Scalable architecture
With this software you can process a lot of orders, you hardly need the help of support agents as the software is well designed to be bug-free and seamless in processing all functions but if there is still a need to get in touch with the customer support it is as fast as a jet.
With all the benefits you get from this software it is sad it also comes with some downside which is – not compatible with Mac OS and Linux OS, lack of billing management function, and the implementation function isn’t so cool.
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Infor SCM
Infor SCM is a recommended program for all sizes of companies, and it allows you to upload an unlimited number of products to its database, and add as many work centers as you want.
The company that developed the Infor SCM software is called Agilsys and has its headquarters in New York City, US with 1300 customers in 2002 when it was launched.
Features:
- Core and Advanced warehouse capability
- WMS 3D visualization
- Multiple transportation management
- A centralized shipment tracking
- Flexible payment features
It has some downside; you cannot export reports and have no facility for document management.
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HighJump
One thing you are going to love about this software is the fact that it is mobile-enabled which others seem to lack. HighJump is a cloud-based system and one of the top-rated WMS that every serious business and warehouse owner should have, this is a product that is future-proof and developed for market needs.
Functions:
- Multi-clients operations support
- ERP Integrations allowed
- Order picking function
- Yard and Labor management
The developer of this software developed and keep the software updated based on market needs and also feedbacks gathered from customers, this is to tell you that you will hardly come across issues using this program.
Even though the positive side of it is huge it also has some drawbacks which are no reporting function added and there is no card processing capability.
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Manhattan Associates
This is another on our list of best warehouse management software, it was launched in 1990 with its headquarters situated in Atlanta, Georgia in the USA. Manhattan Associates is an award-winning warehouse management system that has proven to be one f the best for decades.
Functions:
- Supports ross-docking
- Vendor performance page
- Good user interface
- Yard and Labor management
- Scheduling of appointment support
- Mobile device support
- Material handling equipment integration
This is a more secure warehouse management system you should try out.
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Cin7 WMS
Cin7 warehouse management system is one of the most preferred WMS in the market, it is a warehouse inventory software that is cloud-based and it comes with the normal warehouse management alongside the retail management capabilities, you also get an EDI software and allows third-party logistics all in one package.
This is a good tool for e-commerce stores, retail outlets, and other simple business platforms.
Features:
- Inventory tracking
- Nice user interface
- Real-time PoS tracking and integration
- Allows third-party plugins
With all the mouthwatering features this software comes with it also has one downside which is the steep learning curve.
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Finale Inventory
This is a cloud-based system and also it supports multi-warehouse, as a top WMS software it has a lot of functions to keep you updated like the Inventory control features, order management, tracking with serial numbers being generated, purchase and replenishment function. It is a perfect tool for smooth scalability that handles your fast-growing business’s demands with ease.
Functions:
- Beautiful UI
- Stock handling with ease
- Integration with an online marketplace
- Tracking facilities
- Bulk order processing
You can try the software out as it comes with a 14-day free trial per system.
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TECSYS WMS
This is another cloud-based warehouse management system that is perfect for medium-scale businesses and also large organizations. It was launched in 1983 with its headquarters situated in Montreal, Canada. As you can see this is a company with much experience so a lot will be covered by the software which others must have leveraged on.
Features:
- Clean user-interface
- Dock and cross-dock management
- Tracking
- Transport management
- Multiple pick method
This is a scalable system with an expandable workflow that also allows the integration of various CRM and ERPs.
Final Thoughts
All the software listed on this page is all top-ranked with positive reviews from customers so the choice is yours, you can’t go bad with any of our selections.
If you need more INFO, we recommend you go to the website of each developer, where you will find all the information you need about warehouse management software. On our website, you can also find other articles of interest for businesses.