What to Expect During a WMS Implementation Project

In earlier articles, we’ve explored what a WMS actually does in a warehouse environment. We’ve also talked about how to know when you’re ready to implement a WMS, and then we’ve talked about how a modern WMS like Dispatcher WMS might integrate with your larger technical environment. Next on the list is talking about what happens once the decision to implement has been made. What do you do first? Who needs to be involved? How long does it all take?

Knowing what to expect during a WMS implementation project takes away uncertainty, and it sets your team up for success from the very start. So here’s our very high-level overview for you. As ever, we’re happy to have a no-obligation chat about details, if you’d like to find out more.

Discovery Phase

Most projects kick off with a detailed discovery phase. If you were to choose to work with us, then Job One would be working closely with you to map out your current processes in depth. At this stage, capturing what you do is important, but understanding why you do it is even more critical. Frequently, this phase of the project shines light on opportunities to streamline workflows. For this process to be as effective as possible, we recommend that we get input from operational leaders, supervisors, and people working on the floor… because they’re the ones who know where everyday reality parts ways with written SOPs.

Config and design work

Once the discovery phase is complete, configuration and any required design work begin. This is where Dispatcher WMS is tailored via function access, to your warehouse layout, product types, picking strategies, and operational rules. Depending on the complexity of your operation, this phase can take several weeks to a few months. Expect regular workshops, configuration reviews, and approval checkpoints to keep things moving without surprises.

At this point, we want to talk about the flexibility of your chosen system. The more functionally rich your WMS, the easier it will be to get a perfect fit without the need for customisation. And customisation is something that we recommend you avoid at all costs. Partly, this is because customisation of a large WMS will take time and probably quite a lot of money. And partly, it’s because each time you need to upgrade your WMS to keep up with emerging technologies, you’ll need to re-engineer those customisations back in, if you want to keep doing what you’ve been doing, the way you’ve been doing it.

Much better to implement something that is so functionally rich that it can be configured to what you need it to do off the shelf, because everything you need has already been baked in.

This is why we work uniquely with Dispatcher WMS, we know how powerful it is because our development team have been working with Dispatcher WMS since its inception. And, in fact, our team were the people who developed it in the first place, starting thirty years ago.

User Services Portal (USP)

If your operation does things in ways that are totally different from the norm, and you do need additional work done to tailor systems to your way of working, we are able to offer you our Blue Yonder Approved microservice – User Services Portal (USP). USP has a completely independent upgrade path from Dispatcher WMS and any work that you require is rolled into the main product to ensure easy upgrades going forward. If you’d like more information about USP, you can find it here.

Integration

But back to running the project. Integration work runs alongside this process mapping and configuration. Because, as we discussed in our recent article on system integration, your WMS probably doesn’t stand alone. Connecting it with any ERP, TMS, automation technologies, and carrier systems will require technical and operational planning. Integration testing can uncover differences in data structures, process timings, or field formats that need resolution before go-live. It’s detailed work, but it’s worth getting right first time, to avoid operational friction later.

Testing

Testing is a stage that shouldn’t be rushed. The kind of testing we recommend goes beyond basic user acceptance testing. Automated module testing has its place, but end-to-end process testing is hugely important – walking real orders through receiving, putaway, any kind of processing your warehouse might perform on inventory, then picking, packing, and shipping is important to make sure that every configuration choice works in the Real World. Getting warehouse supervisors and experienced operators involved in this testing is crucial, because they’ll spot issues that might not be obvious to project teams or IT specialists.

Training

Training happens alongside testing and final preparation. Good training is hands-on and role-specific. Pickers need to practice using handheld devices and scanners in live environments. Supervisors need to understand task management dashboards, what do to for exception handling, and how to get the most out of their new performance monitoring tools. System administrators need more in-depth knowledge of configuration, user management, and reporting. We’ve found that avoiding generic classroom sessions in favour of focused, operationally relevant training is what builds confidence and reduces errors when the system goes live.

Change management

Change management is critical through every stage of the project, though it’s something that can often be underestimated by the Big Picture people. Typically, decision-makers are removed from the changes taking place on the warehouse floor and might not understand the connection between good change management and the eventual adoption of their new WMS. Maximising adoption of your new WMS is what will bring the most rapid ROI, and change management is what facilitates this.

At this point, your team will know what a WMS is and why it’s needed, but if the project is going to be as successful as possible, they’ll also need to feel ready for what it will mean In Real Life on a day-to-day basis. Roles may shift slightly as tasks become more automated. Accountability for accuracy and productivity will become more visible. Early, honest communication about these changes, combined with visible support from warehouse leadership, goes a long way to preventing the kind of fear and resistance that can undermine a successful rollout.

Go-Live

Then finally, there’s the go-live itself. For most warehouses, this is phased rather than all-at-once. You might start with a single process or zone before expanding to the entire operation. You need to prepare yourself for an initial dip in productivity as staff adapt to new workflows and technology. This dip typically stabilises over days or weeks, with performance improvements emerging as confidence builds.

Realistically, a WMS implementation project runs over several months, and can sometimes take up to a year for complex or multi-site operations. Rushed implementations tend to store up problems that cost more to fix later. But in contrast, a well-planned, well-resourced project will give your new WMS the best start so that you can achieve your desired ROI faster.

If you’re considering a WMS project and want to find out more about how Socius24 could help you, get in touch. Early discussions are often what makes the difference between a stressful rollout and a confident, successful launch, and we’re always happy to talk: info@socius24.com