Running an efficient storage operation without warehouse management software can feel impossible. You decide it’s time to adopt a solution, but your budget keeps you from scoring a new system. What can you do? Free warehouse management software, though it sounds too good to be true, may be the option for you.
Compare Top Warehouse Management Software Leaders
In this article, we will cover some of the top-rated free warehouse software for those looking to step up their game without budget-breaking purchases.
Key Points:
Best Free Warehouse Management Software
If you’re in need of a WMS but don’t have a huge budget to work with, never fear. Here’s a list of the top free warehouse management software on the market.
Zoho Inventory
Zoho Inventory provides a cloud-based solution that manages overall inventory operations. Its built-in shipment module helps track and estimate shipment delivery. Its features allow users to create and manage drop shipments, backorders and purchase orders.
It provides seamless integration with multiple applications and marketing software.
Dashboard overview demonstrating sales and product activity. Source
Top Benefits
- Improve Multichannel Order Management: Manage offline and online orders by offering seamless integration with online marketplaces. Create offline orders within the software inventory to manage orders placed via phone or in person.
It provides real-time updates on order status and tracking information.It also supports a specific workflow rule that can update a field or customize email messages for special customers.
- Strengthen Tracking: Manage and track items using tools such as SKUs, purchase orders, shipping labels and a packing slip generator. It reduces errors by categorizing inventory into different groups.
- Increase Visibility: Provide a complete overview of inventory management that includes product details, purchase orders, top-selling items, sales orders, sales order summaries and more via the dashboard.
Analyze and uncover insights to make smarter business decisions.
- Promote Integration: Provide integration with multiple third-party applications that include CRMs and shipping, eCommerce, EDI, accounting and payment software.
Primary Features
- Multichannel Selling: Adjusts inventory quantities across multiple channels when receiving items from the integrated sales channel. It supports multiple currencies by converting them into a base currency after purchase.
- Inventory Control: Manage, support and group items from a single application. List and organize products based on details like availability, SKUs and pricing. Item kitting bundles a set of items together under a single unit.
- Order Management: Manage sales and purchase orders by integrating with online marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, Shopify and Etsy. Send updated locations to customers by monitoring package movement after shipment. Create online payment accounts to start receiving payments.
- Reports: Analyze inventory summaries like FIFO, committed stock details, best-selling products, and number of low products and export them to PDF, XLS, or CSV files.
- Order Fulfillment: Fulfill orders efficiently by systematically planning, managing and tracking sales and purchase orders and delivery updates from a centralized system. Receive post-shipment updates via AfterShip integration. View pending sales and packaged and delivered orders from a single dashboard.
Limitations
- Doesn’t support serial and batch item tracking.
- Doesn’t support workflow automation, in-app notifications, webhooks, email alerts, custom fields and more.
- Doesn’t offer advanced features like customization and viewing reports.
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Sortly
Sortly offers a user-friendly solution that manages inventory for businesses of all sizes. It can automatically monitor stock using QR codes and barcodes through its asset tracking app. This app allows users to add more than one image for each item. Every item allows users to add a custom field, value and receipt to improve tracking across multiple locations.
Use the quick scan and move button to track items in folders and sub-folders. Source
Top Benefits
- Boost Tracking: Manage in-stock items by tracking inventory using QR code and barcode scanners. Visually track item details such as price, quantity, conditions and more. Receive real-time alerts when items require re-ordering, the warranty date ends or the expiration date arrives.
- Enhance Transparency: Monitor items visually through tablets, phones and computers. Update inventory and obtain instant access to item details using the in-app barcode scanner. Keep tabs on supplies and receive alerts when items run low. Run inventory reports from anywhere. View, track and get real-time item status.
- Improve Collaboration: Provide multiple-user access to improve logistics while ensuring there are sufficient products and supplies. It allows team members to check item status and other relevant updates.
- Reduce Errors: Manage items with accuracy and enter product details on sign-out forms or spreadsheets. It minimizes administrative errors by allowing users to enter details such as item serial number, check-out date, customer name and address, item condition and more using custom fields.
Primary Features
- Inventory Import: Import and export inventory data, and visually track items and other details from a centralized system. Use this data to create audit lists, training manuals, order sheets and more, and share with clients.
- QR and Barcode Scanner: Its in-built barcode system allows users to scan, track and manage inventory with the ability to connect external scanners. It can generate, print and scan unlimited barcode labels. Use these barcode labels to identify items with high shipping frequency to avoid misplacement.
- Label Generation: Create customizable barcode labels and automatically link them to items. It provides off-the-shelf self-adhesive labels for seamless item linking.
- Alerts and Notifications: Eliminate periodic check-ins by setting up automatic email and in-app notifications. It keeps track of item stock levels and sends alerts when items run low.
- Reports: Generate item and transaction-based reports by viewing the inflow and outflow of items and reviewing the total quantity or value of stock.
Limitations
- Doesn’t integrate with eCommerce platforms.
- The free plan has limited features and functionalities.
- The free plan does not offer customer support.
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Boxstorm
Boxstorm is a cloud-based solution that allows businesses to monitor inventory through multiple channels from any location. Its API provides seamless integration with third-party applications like Shopify, BigCommerce, Shippo and QuickBooks Online. It offers a wide range of features and tools such as cycle count reports, kitting, vendor and billing management, stock alerts, barcode printing and more.
Change order status from quote to accepted and fulfilled by viewing sales information. Source
Top Benefits
- Enhance Security: Create groups and add modules and features with specific access permissions. Only authorized users can view, access and make changes within the system.
- Boost Performance: Handle standard vendor, customer and inventory management tasks. It’s easy to use and accessible through mobile phones and desktop computers. Make inventory changes and updates in real time from any device.
- Improve Order Management: Receive stockout notifications by automating reorder point alerts for each item. It provides safety stock as a buffer to fulfill unexpected customer demand.
Primary Features
- Inventory Management: Automates inventory processes and organizes warehouse operations. It keeps an accurate inventory count and tracks product quantity. Users can add new products and adjust inventory costs accordingly.
- Units of Measure (UoM): The UoM module lets users separate or combine inventory into different units of measure. There’s no limit to the number of units of measure users can create and store.
- Data Import and Export: Download data into CSV files and allow users to upload relevant information such as order numbers, customer details, products, cycle counts, reports, audits and more into the system.
- Reports: Customize, save, and print reports that include information such as inventory valuation summary, cycle count, location and item barcode reports. This report provides a list of current inventory quantities, barcodes for users to print and more.
- Location Management: Assign incoming and outgoing items to locations or sub-locations to keep track of inventory. It optimizes shipping and receiving operations by automatically assigning items to their default locations.
Limitations
- Can’t rearrange manually placed items added on mobile applications.
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
SKUSavvy
SKUSavvy offers modern mobile order fulfillment, inventory management and visual warehousing. It provides features for businesses to manage and fulfill logistics needs from a centralized platform. Use automation to manage complicated tasks such as re-ordering, shipping calculation, replenishment and delivery routing.
Fulfill multiple orders daily using a single application. Source
Top Benefits
- Facilitate Shipping Speed: Automate order management and batching that fulfills multiple orders. Increase shipping speed by automatically printing labels, validating addresses and choosing correct boxes before shipping. Provide tracking portals for customers.
- Improve Performance: Allocate and track inbound items, and create purchase orders under one device to optimize warehouse operations. Set up automation and routing rules to create delivery routes across multiple destinations.
- Boost Customer Satisfaction: Provide order notifications via SMS and email for each order to promote customer loyalty. Issue notifications manually or by setting up automation to update customers in real time.
- Increase Transparency: Navigate through order picking using clear visuals. Coordinate warehouse activities on dashboards by entering the relevant information. The visual interface allows users to track exact item locations and bins used for restocking.
Primary Features
- Visual Warehouse Management: Provide complete warehouse layout visibility that includes visual picking, replenishment, product allocations, cross-dock requests, assigning pick waves and more. Coordinates product picking and shipping from a single interface.
- Purchase Order Management: Automatically track, assemble and send purchase orders to vendors. Vendors can edit and approve the purchase order and send it back via an automated portal. It creates purchase orders according to order volume and lead time.
- Shipping and Fulfillment: Automates batch picking to reduce multiple trips and optimize operational efficiency. Send tracking updates through email notifications and SMS. Gather packaging information, box-sizing suggestions and reports for outbound shipments.
- Mobile Warehouse Management: Create, edit and update order details such as shipping information, addresses and customer details instantly. Scan products or bins, and manage complete warehousing operations from any device. Get instant updates on stockouts, and place purchase orders in real time.
Limitations
- Lacks undo, bulk editing and bulk selection features.
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Odoo Inventory
Odoo Inventory is an open-source module that offers seamless integration with third-party logistics and external applications such as scanners and RFIDs. Its stocking method helps businesses improve and control internal operations. Users can create their own product routes and automate the transfer of products between warehouses and delivery centers.
Track multiple stocks from anywhere. Source
Top Benefits
- Strengthen Storage Management: Track inventory levels to manage storage capacity. Optimize storage use by placing the right product in the right warehouse. It helps control the storage management process by keeping maximum products within the warehouse.
- Increase Productivity: Procurement employees can access information on the go without waiting for data or permission. Users can edit and modify orders within the warehouse. It allows users to register inventory documents, records, interactions and other important information.
- Boost Customer Relationship: Stock shelves with products to meet customer demand. Know when to stock, where to get the stock and have multiple suppliers handy for each item. It also provides efficient delivery by guiding shipping method and delivery processes.
- Improve Forecast Accuracy: Provide real-time visualization of financial data and sales trends. Information such as the enterprise performance, financial position and current situation supports planning.
Primary Features
- Inventory Adjustment: Adjust and change product quantity using filtering options such as product amount, on-hand quantity, and lot and serial number. This option allows users to manage inventory-related operations while making adjustments to the system.
- Drop Shipping: Create and manage products to sell directly to the customer without physically stocking the product in the warehouse. It generates a request for quote (RFQ) upon customer confirmation.
- Barcode Scanning: Use barcodes to scan, add and track products. Search existing products using barcodes or internal references from the repository. Avoid human errors while managing large quantities of products by scanning through them.
- Lot and Serial Number Management: Create unique identification numbers for individual products using serial numbers. Group products using lot management support to transact bulk quantities. This process helps businesses track products and generate reports.
- Replenishment: Control and regulate inventory movement with strategies such as reordering rules and make-to-order (MTO) routes. Reordering rules maintain minimum stock levels while make-to-order creates a draft upon order confirmation.
Limitations
- Lacks centralized documentation.
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
What Are Warehouse Management Systems?
Warehouse management systems (WMS) are a suite of integrated modules that help manage and optimize warehouse operations. They provide real-time inventory tracking, order management and automated data capture to improve warehouse efficiency and accuracy.
Most WMS vendors offer features like labor management, task scheduling, and reporting to help warehouse managers make informed decisions and optimize their operations. These platforms increase productivity, reduce errors and improve customer satisfaction by providing complete visibility into warehouse operations.
While there are four types of WMSs (standalone, supply chain modules, ERP integrated and cloud-based) standalone systems are the most common. They provide features that support daily warehouse operations, monitor processes and control the overall supply chain.
Although systems vary from vendor to vendor, some common functions, like receiving, picking putaway and cycle counting, remain similar.
Supply chain modules have a broader scope and allow businesses to automate and manage different aspects of supply chain visibility. ERP integrated systems include some warehouse management functionality, though they’re less extensive than standalone ERP platforms. Cloud-based warehouse management systems use a centralized computing approach for their scalability and deployment features.
System Selection
Making the wrong system selection can put a company out of business. While there are multiple warehouse management systems that offer significant benefits, implementing one without in-depth research carries risks. Before moving forward, consider taking a look at our Lean Selection Methodology for a comprehensive product evaluation strategy.
Define Your Requirements and ROI
Identify successes and failures within your warehouse operations. List the features you’d like to see in your system and start calculating the costs associated with those requirements.
Establish a Strategy
Once you’ve figured out your requirements, discuss next steps with team members and stakeholders.
In-depth Research
Conduct an in-depth analysis of available vendors and choose potential partners based on your current and future needs. Once you create a list of options. you can start sending requests for proposals (RFP).
Schedule Demos
On receiving positive responses, start shortlisting vendors and schedule demos accordingly.
Make Comparisons
Don’t forget to compare each vendor’s strengths and weaknesses and how they align your business requirements.
Final Decision
Compare costs, required features and overall functionality. Once those aspects are nailed down, make your final call.
Next Steps
The right warehouse management systems can improve overall operations, increase profitability, boost customer satisfaction and more. However, with many options to choose from and compare, selecting the best system is tricky.
Jumpstart your selection process with our free comparison report.
Implementing a robust WMS is a costly affair. However, with our top picks for the best free warehouse management software, you’ll likely find what you’re looking for.
Have we missed out on any free WMS examples? Let us know in the comments.
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