Warehouse management system (WMS)

Warehouse management system that ends late waves and empty pick faces

Off-the-shelf WMS rules force your floor into someone else’s process. We build WMS software that uses AI to plan slotting, waves, and labor around your orders, layout, and carrier cutoffs.

Warehouse Management System (WMS)_2880x1760

Why a warehouse can be busy and still ship late

Most delays start long before the pick. A pick face runs empty because replenishment waited for a batch job. A wave releases orders that crowd the same aisle. Labor sits in the wrong zone as the carrier cutoff approaches.

Svitla builds WMS software that plans work against real constraints: layout, labor, equipment, and carrier cutoffs. Receiving, putaway, replenishment, picking, and shipping share one live view of tasks. Supervisors see bottlenecks while there is still time to move people.

Who we serve

Third-party logistics providers

Multi-client warehouses that need per-client rules, inventory segregation, and activity-based billing.

E-commerce fulfillment centers

High-volume, small-order operations with tight cutoffs, peak spikes, and daily returns.

Manufacturing and distribution centers

Sites that feed production lines or stores, with kitting, cross-docking, and scheduled replenishment.

Challenges we address

Labor drives 50% to 70% of warehousing costs, yet only 25% of operations actively manage it, according to Supply Chain Insights research with Easy Metrics. Much of that labor goes to walking, waiting, and rework the system could prevent.

Receiving

Challenge: Inbound trucks arrive unannounced, and pallets wait while the dock team sorts paperwork.
How Svitla solves it: ASN-based receiving and dock scheduling let the team prepare before trucks arrive.

Putaway

Challenge: Workers pick locations from memory, so fast movers end up at the back.
How Svitla solves it: Directed putaway sends each pallet to the right location by velocity, size, and storage rules.

Replenishment

Challenge: Pick faces run empty mid-wave because refills run on a fixed schedule.
How Svitla solves it: Demand-driven replenishment triggers moves before a pick face runs out.

Picking

Challenge: Pickers walk long, overlapping paths and wait in congested aisles.
How Svitla solves it: Optimized waves, batching, and pick paths cut walking and spread work across zones.

Packing and shipping

Challenge: Orders miss carrier cutoffs because nobody saw the backlog building.
How Svitla solves it: Cutoff-aware planning prioritizes orders by carrier and service level.

Labor

Challenge: Supervisors staff zones by habit, not by the work coming in.
How Svitla solves it: Labor planning shows expected workload by zone and hour, so supervisors move people early.

Our process at Svitla

STEP 1

We walk the floor with your team

We observe from receiving to shipping across normal and peak shifts. We time tasks and note every paper list and workaround.

STEP 2

We model your layout and rules

Locations, equipment, client rules, and carrier cutoffs become a digital model the system can plan against.

STEP 3

We test with your real order history

We test each release against past order waves, including your busiest peak days.

STEP 4

We go live zone by zone

We start in one zone or with one client, with our team on the floor and a fallback process ready.

STEP 5

We tune with live data

We track picks per hour, dock-to-stock time, and order accuracy after launch, then adjust rules.

Schedule a call

Receiving and dock scheduling

ASN-based receiving with barcode or RFID scanning.

Dock appointment booking for carriers and suppliers.

Directed putaway

Assigns locations by velocity, dimensions, weight, and compatibility.

Supports cross-docking straight to outbound.

Slotting optimization

Recommends moves so fast movers sit closest to pack stations.

Re-slots by season or demand shift.

Replenishment

Triggers pick face refills from upcoming demand, not just min and max levels.

Prioritizes refills that would block the next wave.

Wave, batch, and zone picking

Builds waves around cutoffs, zones, and equipment.

Supports pick-to-cart, pick-to-light, and voice picking.

Packing and shipping

Recommends carton sizes and checks packed contents.

Prints carrier labels and manifests through carrier APIs.

Lot, serial, and expiry control

Enforces FEFO or FIFO rotation by rule.

Traces any lot to its orders for recalls.

Labor management

Measures performance against engineered labor standards.

Forecasts labor needs by zone and hour.

Multi-client billing for 3PLs

Captures billable activities such as storage, handling, and value-added services.

Produces client invoices from the same activity data.

Is a custom warehouse management system the best option for your needs?

Answer a few simple questions to find out whether you should choose a custom solution or a pre-built WMS platform.

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Do your pickers work from paper lists or basic scanning without directed tasks?

Do pick faces run empty during waves?

Do orders miss carrier cutoffs during peaks?

Do you serve several clients with different rules from one warehouse?

Do you track lots, serial numbers, or expiry dates?

Do you plan to add robots, conveyors, or other automation?

Has an off-the-shelf WMS forced your team into workarounds?

Do you bill clients for warehouse activities by hand?

Would AI slotting or labor forecasting change how you plan shifts?

Do you plan to open new sites in the next two years?

Important integrations for warehouse management system

ERP

Purchase orders, sales orders, and item data flow in. Receipts, shipments, and inventory adjustments flow back.

Order management and e-commerce

Orders arrive in near real time with service levels and promised dates. Status updates reach customers.

Transportation management system (TMS)

Load plans and carrier cutoffs shape wave planning. Shipped loads pass back for tracking.

Carrier and parcel APIs

Rates, labels, and tracking numbers come from carriers at pack-out.

Mobile devices and scanners

Rugged Android devices, RFID readers, and wearables receive tasks and confirm each scan.

Warehouse control and execution systems

Conveyors, sorters, and pick-to-light run on tasks the WMS releases.

Robots and AMRs

Autonomous mobile robots receive pick-and-move tasks through vendor interfaces.

More picks per labor hour

Shorter pick paths and fewer empty pick faces.

Less idle time between tasks.

Higher order accuracy

Scan confirmation at every step.

Fewer returns and reshipments.

Faster dock-to-stock

Receiving prepared from ASNs.

Inventory available for sale sooner.

More shipments on time

Cutoff-aware waves.

Backlogs visible before they cause misses.

Better use of space

Slotting puts the right items in the right places.

Storage capacity grows without new square footage.

Accurate 3PL billing

Every billable activity captured.

Fewer disputes and less unbilled work.

Operations discovery

We observe each process from receiving to shipping, across shifts and peak periods. We collect order history, item dimensions, and location data. We document client rules, regulatory needs, and carrier cutoffs. These become the baseline for design and ROI.
Layout and data modeling

We model locations, zones, equipment, and travel paths. We clean item master data because wrong dimensions break putaway and carton selection. We design the task model that every process will share.
Core execution build

We build receiving, putaway, replenishment, picking, packing, and shipping as connected task flows. We design mobile screens with floor staff for speed and scan-first use. Offline mode keeps scanners working during network gaps.
Integration and automation

We connect the ERP, order management, TMS, and carrier APIs. Where you run automation, we integrate conveyors, sorters, or robots through their control systems. We test each interface at peak volume.
Simulation and pilot

We replay past peak days through the system to test waves, labor plans, and cutoffs. Then we pilot in one zone or for one client, with a fallback process ready.
Rollout and optimization

We expand zone by zone or client by client. After go-live, we tune slotting, wave rules, and labor standards on live data. Each new site reuses the core with its own layout and rules.

How much does a warehouse management system cost?

A WMS for one warehouse with standard receiving, picking, and shipping flows typically starts around $70,000. A multi-site or multi-client system with labor management, automation integration, and AI slotting can reach $500,000 or more. Site count, automation, and client-specific rules drive most of the difference.

Want to understand the cost of your warehouse management system?

Calculate the cost

Check our client success cases

Complete Platform Overhaul In Just Six Months

Project Type AU Solution, Web Development

Industry Logistics & Transportation

Svitla Systems re-platformed GS1 Australia's MyGS1 member portal onto OutSystems in just six months, redesigning the UX for its 25,000 users and integrating external systems and a common data service. The overhaul modernized legacy architecture and now lets product and marketing teams make content updates without developer support.

An Award-Winning Digital Transformation For A Shipping Specialist

Project Type AU Solution, Cloud Solutions, Front-end, Web Development

Industry Logistics & Transportation

Svitla Systems replaced MONSON's aging SaaS with MB2, a fully custom in-house shipping agency application built on the OutSystems low-code platform. Featuring an intelligent rules engine, automated documents, and multi-port estimators, it saves staff roughly two hours a day and won the 2022 OutSystems Innovation Award.

Rapid Application Development Delivered Against Tight Deadlines

Project Type AU Solution, Back-end, Web Development

Industry Logistics & Transportation, Manufacturing

Svitla Systems partnered with Mondo to rapidly build the first iteration of a water-monitoring application, working from just a screenshot and wireframes. Integrating IoT usage data captured every 15 minutes, it tracks household usage, targets, and averages, and was delivered into users' hands for testing in a little over five weeks.

Consulting

We assess your floor processes, data, and systems. You get a build, extend, or replace recommendation, a phased roadmap, and an ROI model based on your labor and accuracy data.

Engineering

We design, build, and test your WMS, from receiving to shipping. Our teams cover mobile apps for floor staff, task engines, and ERP and carrier integration.

Modernization

We audit your legacy WMS, paper processes, and spreadsheets, then plan the migration. We add what the old system lacked, such as dynamic slotting or labor forecasting. Cutover happens zone by zone, followed by inventory and accuracy validation.

Multi-site rollout

We roll the WMS out across sites with different layouts and rules. Each site keeps its local setup, while leaders see network-wide inventory and performance.

Automation integration

We connect conveyors, sorters, pick-to-light, and mobile robots to the WMS. People and machines get tasks from the same plan.

Team extension

We add engineers, QA, and support specialists to your in-house team, for peak season or long-term development.

FAQ

When does a custom WMS make more sense than an off-the-shelf one?

Packaged WMS products work well for standard flows. Custom pays off when client rules, billing, special handling, or automation need workarounds the package can’t support. It also removes per-user license fees as your workforce grows.

Can we keep our ERP’s inventory module?

Yes. The ERP stays the financial record of inventory. The WMS manages locations, tasks, and movements, and posts results back to the ERP.

What happens when the Wi-Fi drops on the floor?

Mobile apps keep working offline for scanning and task confirmation. Data syncs when the connection returns. The system flags any conflicts for a supervisor.

How do you prepare the system for peak season?

We test the system against your past peak days before go-live. We load-test waves, labor plans, and integrations at expected peak volume. Temporary staff get short, scan-first training.

How long does it take to train floor staff?

Most tasks follow a scan, confirm, and move pattern, so new staff learn in hours, not days. We design screens with your team. Supervisors get separate training on planning tools.

Can one WMS support several clients with different rules?

Yes. Each client can have its own inventory rules, picking logic, labels, and billing rates. Client data stays separate, while you run one warehouse.

How do you build trust in an AI slotting recommendation?

Each recommendation shows expected walking savings and the data behind it. Supervisors approve moves before they happen. We track picks per hour before and after each change.

Can we add robots later?

Yes. We design the task engine so people and machines can share work. New automation connects through its control system without rebuilding core processes.

How do you migrate from our current WMS without stopping shipments?

We migrate one zone or client at a time. We count and reconcile inventory before each cutover. We have a rollback plan for every step.

Ship more orders before cutoff with the same team

Tell us how your warehouse runs today. We’ll show you where a custom WMS could save time on every order.

Warehouse management system (WMS)

Warehouse management system that ends late waves and empty pick faces

Off-the-shelf WMS rules force your floor into someone else’s process. We build WMS software that uses AI to plan slotting, waves, and labor around your orders, layout, and carrier cutoffs.

Why a warehouse can be busy and still ship late

Who we serve

Third-party logistics providers

E-commerce fulfillment centers

Manufacturing and distribution centers

Challenges we address

Receiving

Putaway

Replenishment

Picking

Packing and shipping

Labor

Our process at Svitla

We walk the floor with your team

We model your layout and rules

We test with your real order history

We go live zone by zone

We tune with live data

Receiving and dock scheduling

Directed putaway

Slotting optimization

Replenishment

Wave, batch, and zone picking

Packing and shipping

Lot, serial, and expiry control

Labor management

Multi-client billing for 3PLs

Is a custom warehouse management system the best option for your needs?

Almost done

Thank you!

Important integrations for warehouse management system

ERP

Order management and e-commerce

Transportation management system (TMS)

Carrier and parcel APIs

Mobile devices and scanners

Warehouse control and execution systems

Robots and AMRs

More picks per labor hour

Higher order accuracy

Faster dock-to-stock

More shipments on time

Better use of space

Accurate 3PL billing

Operations discovery

Layout and data modeling

Core execution build

Integration and automation

Simulation and pilot

Rollout and optimization

How many miles do your pickers walk every shift?

How much does a warehouse management system cost?

Estimate the cost of your WMS solution

What is your goal?

What type of operation do you run?

How many sites will use the system?

How many order lines do you ship per day?

Which integrations do you need?

Which AI capabilities interest you?

What is your timeline?

What is your budget range?

Almost done

Thank you!

Check our client success cases

Complete Platform Overhaul In Just Six Months

An Award-Winning Digital Transformation For A Shipping Specialist

Rapid Application Development Delivered Against Tight Deadlines

Consulting

Engineering

Modernization

Multi-site rollout

Automation integration

Team extension

FAQ

When does a custom WMS make more sense than an off-the-shelf one?

Can we keep our ERP’s inventory module?

What happens when the Wi-Fi drops on the floor?