A WMS (warehouse management system) is the software that runs warehouse operations: receiving, put-away, order picking, inventory counts and shipping. It knows at all times which item is in which location, and tells operators, forklifts or robots what to do next.
What a WMS does
- Receiving: checking supplier or production deliveries, labelling, updating stock.
- Put-away: choosing the location for each pallet or carton according to space, turnover and site rules.
- Order picking: pick lists, wave grouping, guidance by handheld terminal, voice or pick-to-light.
- Packing and shipping: packing, labels, truck loading, documents.
- Stock and inventory counts: quantities by location, lots, dates, cycle counts.
- Returns and, depending on the software, labour and dock management.
WMS, ERP, WCS, WES: what is the difference?
- The ERP manages orders, purchasing, stock value and accounting. It knows how much of an item the company owns, rarely in which exact location. Many ERPs have a warehouse module, usually less advanced than a specialist WMS.
- The WMS receives from the ERP the orders to pick and the expected receipts, organises the work in the warehouse, then reports back to the ERP what was actually received and shipped. It rarely works on its own.
- The WCS (warehouse control system) controls automated equipment in real time: conveyors, shuttles, sorters.
- The WES (warehouse execution system) sits between the two: it orchestrates the work of people and automation in real time. The line between a full WES and a WMS is blurring.
- The TMS manages transport once goods leave the warehouse.
What manufacturers said at Tech for Industry Show
At Tech for Industry Show 2026, at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles:
- Saint-Gobain presented its SAP EWM rollout across its warehouses, with a roadmap of more than 50 sites in three years. The group took warehousing out of its global ERP programme to move faster, and chose a vendor mobile solution rather than in-house development. According to the speakers, around 500 users carry out nearly 80,000 actions a day, and at one site in Romania inventory discrepancies fell from about 150,000 euros to about 10,000 euros per count. Read the article
- Exotec explained that the customer's WMS sends picking orders to its robotic system through an interface, and the system then picks the fastest robot for each order. Read the article
Saint-Gobain's experience is available as a replay: Warehouses, SAP and mobile usage.
Other examples in France
- Renault chose Hardis's Reflex WMS in 2018, launched a version for its plants in 2020 with a first site in Maubeuge, and reported at the end of 2024 that it had installed it at 14 sites (Le Monde Informatique, 17/12/2024).
- Manitou uses the same software in its spare parts warehouses, including Ancenis (34,000 m², 80,000 references), connected to its ERP, its TMS and the site's automated shuttles (Le Monde Informatique, 22/02/2024).
Open source WMS and prices
- Odoo, in its open source community edition, offers an Inventory application that its documentation presents as both a stock management tool and a WMS. In its paid version, the Standard plan, which includes all applications, is listed at between 19.90 and 24.90 euros per user per month depending on the first-year discount (vendor page, checked on 04/11/2026).
- OpenWMS.org is an open source WMS project, under the Apache 2.0 licence for its core; some modules, such as order picking, fall under other licences. It is aimed at teams able to develop it.
Specialist WMS vendors generally do not publish their prices: they depend on the number of sites and users, the automation to be controlled and the integration.
How to choose and deploy a WMS
1. Describe your flows: number of references, order lines per day, order profiles, seasonality, lot or date constraints.
2. Choose the level: the ERP's warehouse module for simple flows, a specialist WMS when volumes, picking or automation require it.
3. Define exchanges with the ERP, the TMS and automation: which system is the reference, how often.
4. Think of the operators: simple terminal screens, few clicks, short training. Adoption decides the outcome, as Saint-Gobain showed.
5. Start with a pilot site, then roll out in waves with a common template.
6. Measure: inventory discrepancies, picking productivity, picking errors, lead times.
2027 exhibitors equipping the warehouse
To meet at Tech for Industry Show 2027 (in alphabetical order):
- KBRW Adventure: flow orchestration and real-time supply chain execution;
- Rayonnance: mobility and traceability software, including a WMS, and terminals;
- Timcod: traceability, industrial mobility and supply chain solution integration.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WMS, in one sentence?
The software that runs warehouse operations and knows at all times which item is in which location.
What is the difference between a WMS and an ERP?
The ERP manages the company's orders and stock; the WMS organises the work in the warehouse, location by location, and reports back to the ERP what was received and shipped.
What is the difference between WMS and WCS?
The WMS organises work and stock; the WCS controls automated equipment (conveyors, shuttles, sorters) in real time.
Are there open source WMS?
Yes, for example Odoo's Inventory application in the community edition or OpenWMS.org. They require skills to adapt and maintain.
Is an ERP warehouse module enough?
For simple flows, often. When volumes, order picking or automation become more complex, a specialist WMS becomes useful.
