[FR] Which logistics software for your stocks?

Optimum traceability, increased team productivity, improved service quality: these are just some of the promises of logistics software for your stocks. But you still need to make the right choice from among the plethora of software on the market.

This article takes you through your project, outlining the features you might need, and giving you a selection of stock management software to choose from.

What is inventory logistics software?

Inventory management software, also known as Warehouse Management System (WMS), is software that centralises all the data relating to a company’s inventory.

It provides a 360° view of all your available products, from the moment they enter the warehouse to the moment they leave with each order, for optimum traceability throughout the supply chain.

Logistics software for your stocks enables you to :

• Arbitrate your supply needs
• Optimise your storage space, by reducing inventory tie-ups and overstocking
• Boost your order preparation, thanks to functions that optimise product picking
• Reduce order preparation and logistics inventoryerrors
• Analyse your stocks according to seasonality, so you can better manage your logistics teams according to your workforce requirements

To find out more, find out everything you need to launch your logistics WMS integration project.

What features should you look for in logistics inventory management software?

There are many different inventory logistics software solutions on the market. Here are a few guidelines to help you find the one that meets the needs of your business.

Different modules to suit your needs

Depending on the inventory management software you analyse, you won’t always find the same functionality.

Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of the features you might need in your software:

• Monitoring the receipt of raw materials or finished products
• Tracking product quantities (finished or semi-finished), whatever your point of sale (e-commerce or in-store)
• Track the human resources at your disposal
• Track order preparation, by producing picking lists and tracking order status in real time
• Scheduling of orders according to urgency
• Monitoring goodsflows
• Stock audits
• Assistance with inventories
• Analysis of activity peaks
• Forecast product and human resourcerequirements
• Customisable alerts, for example, if a product is out of stock or past its use-by date

It’s up to you to consider which ones you need to ensure the productivity of your warehouse.

An interface with your other logistics software

Synchronising your data with other software that you already use can be essential to the end-to-end traceability of your logistics activity.

In particular, check whether your inventory logistics software can be connected to :

• Your e-commerce platform, to obtain a unified view of all your stocks, and interface your online sales platform with your warehouse
• Your ERP(Enterprise Resource Planning) software – this is a software package that monitors your entire business activity on a larger scale (often used in larger organisations)
• Your Transport Management System (TMS) – the platform for tracking the transport of your goods outside your storage space

Thanks to native or custom-developed integrations, you can be sure that you’ll never lose sight of all your stock, as well as being able to automate tasks linked to your business management (such as accounting or after-sales service).

Other criteria to consider

In addition to the above-mentioned functions, there are a few other criteria to consider when making your choice:

• The scalability of the logistics inventory software: it must be able to evolve and adapt to the pace of growth in your business
• Ease of use: it should be easy for your logistics teams to operate
• Customisation: is your logistics software adapted to your business sector? Your type of product? To the size of your stock?
• Maintenance: updates should be carried out simply in-house, or should you have them handled by a specialist integrator?
• Tool training: your teams need to be trained in the tool by the publisher itself, so that they get to grips with it properly

Now that you have all these criteria in mind, you can start looking for the logistics stock management software you need.

Our selection of 9 logistics stock software packages to consider

We’ve put together a selection of the 9 best WMS software packages on the market today.

Easy Mecalux WMS

This logistics warehouse software is suitable for both very small businesses and large warehouses. In addition to fairly traditional functions, it includes integrations with advanced picking technologies, such as pick-to-light and voice picking.

SAP Extended Warehouse Management (SAP EWM)

SAP EWM is a complete warehouse management solution, best suited to complex supply chains – particularly those incorporatinglogistics automation technologies. It enables you to monitor production and order preparation, as well as the quality of your service.

Reflex WMS

Reflex is a fully customisable WMS that adapts to all types of logistics flow. It can also be integrated with all warehouse mechanisation and automation systems (robots, software, conveyors, IoT, etc.). Customisable dashboards let you monitor your activity in real time.

Monstock

Monstock is stock management software for warehouses, factories and shops. Its simple, user-friendly interface and mobile application, which can be accessed from anywhere, make it easy to manage your stocks. The little extra? It’s available at a very reasonable price.

Akanea WMS Xtent

This logistics software for stocks is suitable for all types of organisation: transporters, traders, e-merchants, etc. It is easy to use and offers very comprehensive functions (particularly in terms of predicting stock requirements).

ShipStation

ShipStation is designed for e-tailers. This software, which can be integrated with your CMS and the various marketplaces where you sell your goods, has the typical features that all e-commerce businesses need for their logistics: order, stock and delivery management.

Odoo Inventory

Odoo Inventory has a user-friendly interface that’s easy to learn. The software has advanced features, such as the reduction of picking paths in the warehouse, or the integrated barcode reader.

Erplain

Designed for VSEs and SMEs that sell on a B2B basis (particularly in the distribution and wholesale sectors), Erplain is available at a lower cost than other solutions, while offering interesting stock tracking and automation features.

Stocknet

Stocknet lets you manage stocks, purchasing, sales, replenishment and warehousing in real time, and is very easy to use. We also like the fact that it can be used by an unlimited number of users at no extra cost: ideal for large companies.

It’s up to you: which solution will you choose to simplify your stock management?