{"id":2604,"date":"2018-11-05T09:50:26","date_gmt":"2018-11-05T09:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brightpearl20.wpengine.com\/10-questions-to-ask-prospective-wms-vendors-checklist\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T19:20:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T19:20:43","slug":"wms-vendor-questions-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brightpearl.com\/blog\/wms-vendor-questions-checklist","title":{"rendered":"10 Questions to Ask Prospective WMS Vendors [Checklist]"},"content":{"rendered":"

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To ensure your WMS<\/a> vendor discussions are going to center around what is most important to you and your business, (and how they\u2019re going to facilitate those needs with relevant product features and services<\/a>), we\u2019ve created this handy checklist of ten questions you should ask prospective WMS vendors.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but should give you a good starting point to add to as you do your research and demo bookings.<\/span><\/p>\n

10 Questions to Ask Prospective WMS Vendors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

#1. Will orders be sent to your warehouses automatically, or will this be a manual process for the sales team to do?<\/span><\/p>\n

#2. How does the print, pick, pack process work in the software?<\/span><\/p>\n

#3. Can picking routes be optimized by chosen product locations?<\/span><\/p>\n

#4. Can shipping labels be automatically printed, and how are they integrated with carriers?<\/span><\/p>\n

#5. How are tracking references dealt with in the system?<\/span><\/p>\n

#6. How are inventory<\/a> counts managed? Can they be assigned to a warehouse representative and easily split into cycle counts?<\/span><\/p>\n

#7. Are variance reports shown to managers only? <\/span><\/p>\n

#8. Is there the ability to request a recount for certain product lines?<\/span><\/p>\n

#9. Do inventory counts automatically sync with core inventory levels and accounting?<\/span><\/p>\n

#10. Can you obtain an inventory audit history from the system?<\/span><\/p>\n

WMS Vendor Discussions Checklist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve also created a useful print out of these questions as well, which you can take along to sales demos and conference calls:<\/span><\/p>\n

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Author\u2019s Note:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

As you can see, these questions focus on the functional parts of a warehouse management system<\/a>. But it\u2019s also crucial that you understand your nonfunctional requirements as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

During your discussions, make sure you ask questions about system performance and scalability, security and data protection, technical support options, and how the implementation process works.<\/span><\/p>\n

To help you further, <\/span>we\u2019ve created a template<\/span><\/a> that contains all of the functional and nonfunctional requirements you should be aware of before embarking on any vendor discussion, whether solely for WMS, or for a complete back office or ERP system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fill out a few details now to request the template.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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These questions and checklist have been adapted from our recent guide:\u00a0<\/span>\u2018How to choose the right warehouse management system\u2019<\/strong><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The guide provides you with a detailed overview of everything you\u2019ll need to consider when choosing, purchasing and implementing a warehouse management system<\/a> within your business, including:<\/span><\/p>\n