A warehouse management system (WMS) runs the physical side of your operation: where every item is, what arrives, what needs to be picked, packed and shipped, and in which order. When it fits the way your warehouse actually works, orders go out faster with fewer mistakes. When it does not, people work around it with paper lists, spreadsheets and memory, and the errors show up at the customer.
SemBricks builds custom warehouse management software and extends existing systems: scanner apps for the floor, integrations with your web shop, ERP and carriers, and the logic that makes your processes run. We work for e-commerce companies, wholesalers, manufacturers and logistics providers.
What a WMS Does
- Receiving: checking incoming goods against purchase orders, recording differences and damage, and printing labels.
- Putaway and locations: assigning every item a location, from bulk storage to pick bins, with rules for where things go.
- Picking: single-order, batch, wave or zone picking, with pick lists sorted along the shortest route through the warehouse.
- Packing and shipping: checking picked items at the pack station, choosing the carrier and service, and printing shipping labels, see carrier API integrations.
- Replenishment: moving stock from reserve to pick locations before a picker finds an empty bin.
- Stock counts: cycle counting per location instead of closing the warehouse for a full inventory count.
- Lots, expiry and serial numbers: first-expired-first-out picking and full traceability, see batch tracking.
- Returns: receiving, inspecting and restocking returned goods, with the right status in your web shop and accounting.
Multiple Warehouses and 3PLs
Once stock sits in more than one place, coordination becomes the hard part. A WMS for multiple warehouses keeps stock per location, so every system knows what is available where:
- Transfers between warehouses with stock in transit, so goods are never counted twice or lost between locations.
- Order allocation: deciding automatically which warehouse ships an order, based on stock, distance, cost or delivery promise.
- External warehouses and 3PLs: exchanging orders, stock levels and shipment confirmations with fulfilment partners, see warehouse integration.
- Consolidated reporting: one view of stock, throughput and errors across all locations, see supply chain dashboards.
Scanning on the Warehouse Floor
A WMS lives on handheld scanners, not on office screens. We build barcode scanning apps for rugged Android scanners and phones that guide pickers step by step, keep working when Wi-Fi drops and sync when it returns. Labels are printed directly on thermal printers, including ZPL label templates for Zebra printers. Where it pays off, RFID speeds up receiving and counting.
Integrations
- Web shops and marketplaces: orders in, stock and track-and-trace out, for example with Shopify, WooCommerce and Bol.com. See also multi-channel inventory sync.
- ERP and accounting: purchase orders, stock valuation and invoicing, for example with Exact Online and AFAS.
- Carriers and shipping platforms: labels and tracking with PostNL, Sendcloud, MyParcel and direct carrier APIs.
Standard WMS, Custom, or In Between?
A standard WMS package works well for standard processes, and we will say so when that is the case. Custom software makes sense when:
- your processes are what sets you apart, and a package would force you to work like everyone else;
- your products need special handling: kits and bundles, lots and expiry dates, serial numbers, hazardous goods or oversized items;
- you have many systems to connect, and the package's integrations do not cover them;
- a full WMS is too heavy or too expensive for the size of your operation.
Often the best answer is in between: keep your current WMS or ERP and add what is missing, such as a scanner app, an integration or a picking module.
How We Build Your WMS
- On the floor first: we walk the process with the people who do the work, from goods-in to the truck, and map where time and errors are lost.
- Start where it hurts most: usually picking or receiving, live in one zone or one warehouse before the rest.
- Run side by side: the new system runs alongside the old way of working until the numbers match.
- Training and support: short instructions on the scanner itself, and quick fixes in the first weeks after go-live.
Frequently Asked Questions about Warehouse Management Software
What is the difference between a WMS and inventory software?
Inventory software tracks how much stock you have and what it is worth. A WMS also manages where it is in the warehouse and how it moves: receiving, locations, picking and shipping. See stock management software for the inventory side.
Do we need a custom WMS or is a standard package enough?
For standard processes, a package is often enough. Custom software pays off when your processes, products or integrations do not fit a package, or when you only need part of a WMS. We help you decide honestly.
Does it work with handheld scanners?
Yes. We build scanner apps for rugged Android devices and phones, which keep working offline and print labels on thermal printers.
Can it manage several warehouses and a 3PL?
Yes. Stock is kept per location, with transfers between warehouses, automatic order allocation and integrations with external fulfilment partners.
Can it connect to our web shop and accounting?
Yes. Integrations with web shops, marketplaces, ERP and accounting software and carriers are a core part of every WMS we build.
Who owns the code?
Ownership of the source code is set out in the contract, and the code can be fully yours, including documentation and tests.
See also custom inventory software and logistics software development.
Improve Your Warehouse
Tell us how your warehouse works today and where it gets stuck. We will tell you whether a package, a custom WMS or a smart addition is the best next step.