Manufacturing WMS Buyers' Guide (2025)

Manufacturing is complex, requiring optimized workflows and the right tools.

Choosing a warehouse management system is no different. Unlike other industries, manufacturing demands a WMS designed to handle multiple locations and processes before, during, and after production. From staging goods to shipping and returns, clear communication and visibility are key.

This manufacturing WMS guide will teach you:

What requirements a manufacturing WMS should meet
What comes standard in a manufacturing WMS
Additional features you might want to request
Where to start with your budget
A shortlist of vendors you may want to consider

What should my requirements be for a manufacturing WMS?

Choosing the right WMS for manufacturing starts with evaluating your requirements. Your software, including WMS, should adapt to your operations, not the other way around.

Look at your other processes and the software involved to see what expertise you might already have and what your staff is familiar with today. If you’re using only installed, on-site systems, then you might want to reconsider a cloud-based WMS. Or, you’ll identify a requirement that it needs to work with your specific ERP system.

Use this requirements template to find and prioritize requirements for manufacturing WMS

Consider the goods and raw materials you work with, their special requirements, and how they move in and out of your locations. Check if providers need specific processes or software.

Review your manufacturing workflows, tracking where materials are introduced or items are created, including customizations and recycled elements.

Take a break and think of biting into a nice KitKat bar. A BBC documentary showed that these bars are made up of other, crushed-up Kit Kats. The manufacturing process recycles and reuses the offcuts, so you know their WMS needs to calculate tonnage and reuse. Does your process do anything similar or as unique? What would your WMS need to capture to make that workflow useful?

"The manufacturing process recycles and reuses the offcuts, so you know their WMS needs to calculate tonnage and reuse"

During the RFP and selection process, you’ll be looking through a few different types of warehouse management systems, some that may put either ERP or WMS first. Knowing what your business needs is the best way to narrow down your requirements and needs in a way that will protect your investment.

What are the must-have features of manufacturing warehouse management software?

Your WMS requirements list should guide your selection of core and advanced features for a manufacturing WMS. To get started, consider WMS/ERP integration, goods controls, and warehouse management processes. Here’s a high-level overview to support your selection process.

Core features to request

Some scenarios will need to have consistent deliverables and capabilities. We’ve put together a few here to get you thinking about what you’ll need. Your requirements for creating a list of the top warehouse management systems specific to you will vary, but here’s where to begin:

Complex picking support: Manufacturers face complex picking needs, balancing production, internal movement, and shipping. Unlike standard warehouses, your facility and orders are more intricate. Choose a system that manages diverse workflows while keeping tasks organized and efficient.
Multiple put-away rules: Your receiving process is just as important as picking. Choose a system that adapts to your workflows, supports smart put-away, and updates your ERP automatically by verifying purchase orders as items are stored.
Reverse logistics: This feature is crucial for WMS and ERP integration for manufacturers, especially with increasing customer demands for packaging returns and recycling. As direct selling grows, having a plan for returned goods is essential to avoid warehouse chaos.
Lot control: Manufacturers risk product faults when materials or parts are of poor quality. Lot control links components to their origin, helping prevent supply chain issues. Crucial for food safety programs, it also helps all manufacturers avoid failures, respond quickly to recalls, and prevent the use of expired products.
Storage and staging options: Storage and locator functionality is standard in warehouse management systems, but the best manufacturing software goes beyond storage. Focus on staging goods for optimal production and order creation, ensuring flexibility for changing production lines and maximizing warehouse space.
ERP integrations: Linking WMS and ERP software is key for warehouses, enabling end-to-end demand planning and vendor integration. While you may outgrow ERP integration quickly, it remains essential for manufacturers of all sizes.
Support for industry standards: Includes barcodes and other tagging or data requirements specific to your industry, helping maintain quality and certifications.
Audit and export: For industries with ISO or similar certifications, it's essential to export and share data for auditors and track edits across the supply chain.
Mobile support. Warehouses need devices that boost efficiency. Beyond barcode capture, consider mobile printers, signature tools, advanced scanners, and RFID gates. Choose tech that works today and supports future needs.

Advanced options to consider

Advanced data formatting: Some WMS platforms let manufacturers track materials in detail and adapt to changing needs, unlike inflexible static systems.
Component and customization support: Modern manufacturing demands more customization, including assembling components to cut WIP inventory and save costs.
Just-in-time (JIT) support: JIT manufacturing requires a precise supply chain. Some solutions can help ensure accuracy and efficiency.

When reviewing WMS demos, test advanced features to ensure they align with your processes. JIT or lean initiatives may not fit your operations if the system lacks necessary complexity, even if it supports JIT on paper.

How much does a manufacturing WMS cost?

The only people who say, “it depends,” more often than lawyers and barristers seem to be support reps for manufacturing WMS tools.

There was no clear way to nail down a price on manufacturing ERP or WMS software because of the integrations and other requirements unique to each manufacturer. This went beyond normal specialty pricing restrictions and made it difficult to predict costs even when narrowing down to broad categories like small business manufacturing software.

Get a range of out-of-box prices for WMS with our WMS pricing guide

Your research is going to involve speaking to a lot of reps directly, because you can’t necessarily rely on posted pricing either. Fishbowl, for example, says that its WMS tools for manufacturers start at $4,395, though our brief chat with a representative uncovered that manufacturers almost always need customization and advanced support, so you should expect to end up receiving a custom quote.

"For single-location operations, you can expect your first year to come in around the $20,000 mark for cloud systems."

For a ballpark estimate, manufacturers typically start in the “mid-range functionality” segment based on essential tools and services.

For single-location cloud systems, expect first-year costs around $20,000. Installed systems with perpetual licenses can double that but may decrease in later years. Complex operations, especially WMS replacements, could reach $100,000 due to scale and complexity.

Need a clearer picture? Check out our guide on WMS costs and vendor options to help refine your expectations and shortlist potential providers. Note: this is a general overview, not a tailored list.

Which manufacturing WMS vendors should I consider?

There’s a large list of WMS services available that support manufacturers, as well as some specific to warehouse inventory management needs you have. For small operators, you may also consider a more general WMS if it meets your core functionality needs.

For more suggestions, why not check out our interactive WMS comparison tool?

We can’t show that full list, so we’ve put together the top 10 warehouse management systems we could find in a way designed to show you options and capabilities. We’ve excluded free warehouse management software simply because it is often not robust enough to help manufacturers and may leave you open to greater liability and risks.

Here’s a list (in alphabetical order) to get your thought process started:

Fishbowl Advanced: Designed to boost productivity and efficient material use, key KPIs for manufacturing profitability. Its mobile support and order management features also benefit manufacturers.
Infios (formerly HighJump): A Smart WMS for small to mid-sized manufacturers, ideal for optimizing inventory in one or two locations with strict role-based controls.
IntelliTrack: We’ve included IntelliTrack because of its focus on regulation and government compliance. The system is designed for both manufacturers and government partners, so there are ingrained tools to help you meet regulations as well as your distribution needs.
Made4net: Microsoft-focused brands should consider Made4net, which uses Microsoft’s SOA tech for high customization and seamless integration with various OEMs and systems.
Manhattan Distribution Management: Manhattan Associates offers powerful manufacturing logistics tools, from compliance and customer satisfaction to inventory optimization and cost control. Its warehousing product stands out for reducing errors in inventory processing and compliance.
NetSuite WMS. Part of a larger set of tools, the NetSuite WMS service from Oracle places emphasis on real-time data usage across leading WMS needs. You’ll get access to a wide range of metrics too, both inbound and outbound, allowing you to adjust as soon as you need.
Snapfulfil. Snapfulfil is a cloud-based WMS that makes our list because it can scale easily between large and small operations. Its growth doesn’t require a lot of modifications if you want to stay hands-off, but also supports plenty of customization when needed. Implementation is also a strong suit because of its speed and reliability.
Wireless Warehouse in a Box: The Systems Logic platform is more than a 3PL tool. Itt also supports manufacturing. We love its visual warehousing, real-time data, and advanced packing and distribution features, including reverse logistics. Its intuitive design simplifies implementation and prompts key questions for setup.
Khaos Control: This WMS centralizes all inventory data, eliminating the need for multiple systems and reducing errors. It's a scalable solution for manufacturers of any size.