DC Velocity - June 2009

can eliminate three to four weeks from the design phase of a project. Differences among individual operations limit the amount of work that can be done in advance, he explains. “There’s too much variation to ever arrive at a standard preconfiguration.”

Not for everyone

Although the systems integrators contacted for this article agreed that preconfigured WMS models can cut installation time, they also warned that the software has its drawbacks. For example, some believe buying a preset package discourages users from exploring the software’s full range of capabilities. “It can inhibit the clients from learning and understanding the product because you come up with preconfigured opinions on how the system will run,” says Rod Wyles, a vice president at Fortna Inc., a Reading, Pa.-based systems integrator. “You can miss out on [features] that may work for your business.”

It’s important to note that not all DC operations are good candidates for preconfigured software. For example, highly automated distribution centers may not get much benefit from installing a preconfigured package. Operations that use a lot of automated equipment will need to have a lot of interfaces written, canceling out the advantages of preconfiguration.

Integrators say unrealistic expectations on the client’s part can lead to disappointment as

well. It’s not uncommon for customers to opt for a preconfigured package but later decide they don’t want to settle for the “standard” features. “The clients often wind up customizing the software package,” says Paul Faber, director of software and systems integration at Tompkins Associates. “It takes an awful lot of discipline from a client’s management team to stick to base functionality.”

And even if a warehouse operation is willing to live by the system’s “canned” rules, Wyles says, the company shouldn’t assume the package is plug and play. A WMS still must be configured to reflect the facility’s own physical layout. “The setup of a WMS is built around the facility,” he says, “and that often can’t be preconfigured.”

Although a preconfigured WMS may not be right for every warehouse operation, prospective customers should still take note of which vendors offer packages tailored to their industry. The mere fact that a software company has designed a program for, say, the retail or the automotive industry indicates that its software is suited to that type of business. “If somebody has a template for a specific market,” says Mulaik, “I would have a lot more confidence in buying that system.”