Warehouse software that works with the ERP you already run.
Endpoint runs receiving, storage, picking and counts by barcode scan, then sends clean data back to Sage, Acumatica, NetSuite or QuickBooks Online.
Endpoint runs receiving, storage, picking and counts by barcode scan, then sends clean data back to Sage, Acumatica, NetSuite or QuickBooks Online.
Warehouse software is the system that runs the physical work in a warehouse: receiving, putaway, moving stock, counting, picking, packing and shipping. It tells each operator what to do next and confirms the step with a barcode scan, which keeps inventory current by location. Most people searching for warehouse software mean a warehouse management system, or WMS.
Your ERP or accounting system is built for the financial side of inventory, such as cost and quantity on hand. Warehouse software is built for the physical side: which bin an item sits in and who last moved it. A good share of what separates one warehouse software solution from another is how it connects those two records.
For more on how these systems work day to day, browse our posts on warehouse management systems.
Four kinds of software come up when you search for a warehouse system, and each does a different job.
Keeps the financial record of stock by item and location. Some ERPs sell warehouse features as a separate module: Acumatica, for example, licenses warehouse management on top of its editions.
Tracks stock levels and reorder points for smaller operations, often alongside accounting software such as QuickBooks. See how Endpoint compares with Fishbowl.
Directs and checks the floor work: receiving, putaway, picking, counts and shipping. It runs inside the ERP or connects to it.
Control automated equipment such as conveyors, sorters and robots, and coordinate that equipment with the people on the floor.
SAP is an ERP that also sells a warehouse management system, SAP Extended Warehouse Management, which can run inside SAP S/4HANA or as a separate system. Acumatica is similar, as the first row shows: warehouse management is a separately licensed module, not part of the base edition.
Your ERP already has an inventory screen, and maybe a barcode option. So why add software?
Many ERP inventory modules now store bins, lots, serial numbers and barcodes, and some ERPs sell a warehouse module on top. Even so, an inventory module is built around the record, scanner or not. Warehouse software is built around the work. It tells a person what to do next and checks each scan against what was expected. If your ERP offers its own warehouse module, compare how much of the work that module directs.
You have probably seen some of this on your own floor:
The system shows 200 on hand and the shelf is empty, because the stock is still on the dock waiting to be put away.
Counts are done on paper and keyed in a day or two later.
A picker grabs lot B instead of lot A, and nobody notices until the lot counts stop matching.
The ERP's own scanning was tried and then dropped.
A warehouse stock management system follows each item from the dock to the truck. Here is how that works in Endpoint Cloud.
Receipts are checked against the purchase order and the advance ship notice as they are scanned. The system then tells the operator where to put each item, and license plates move a whole pallet with one scan.
You define zones, aisles, racks and bins once. Cycle counts run continuously, so the warehouse doesn't shut down for a full physical count. Our guide to cycle counting with barcode scanners covers how to set one up.
Orders can be picked in waves, in batches or by zone. Every item is scanned at the pack station before the shipment leaves.
Lot and serial numbers are captured at receipt and traced through to shipment. FIFO (first in, first out) and FEFO (first expired, first out) rules are enforced automatically. If you label with GS1 barcodes, read our post on lot and serial tracking with GS1 barcodes.
Manufacturers can run work orders, material issue and work in progress the same way, with lot traceability from raw material to finished goods. Production support depends on which ERP you connect, so ask about yours.
Warehouse software meets the ERP in one of two ways.
The warehouse software runs inside the ERP and posts to it directly. Endpoint for Sage covers Sage 100, Sage 300, Sage 500 and Sage Intacct, and Endpoint for Acumatica runs inside Acumatica.
The warehouse software is its own system and sends transactions to the ERP. Endpoint Cloud connects to NetSuite, QuickBooks Online and Sage 100.
Embedded keeps everything in one place. A connected system can stay in place if you move to a different ERP later, as long as it connects to the new one.
Whichever you look at, ask how often data moves between the two. Some connections post each transaction as it happens and others sync on a schedule. The answer decides how current your ERP is.
The best warehouse management software for your operation depends on a few questions you can answer before any demo.
Does it run inside your ERP or connect to it? Then ask how often data moves between them.
Will your crew use it on the devices they carry? Rugged handhelds, tablets and label printers all play a part. Our page on devices and rollout support shows what a typical setup includes.
What does rollout involve? Ask for the scope in writing: configuration, training, go-live support, and how many weeks each phase takes.
Is it sized for your operation? Software built for very large distribution centers often comes with a long project and a team to run it. Ask what a typical customer looks like, and whether running more than one warehouse needs extra work.
Do you need lot, serial or expiry control? If you sell food, medical or other regulated products, make traceability a requirement from the start.
Who will own the change on the floor? Plan who trains the crew and who checks that every step gets scanned.
Endpoint is warehouse software for distributors and manufacturers who are keeping their ERP. It runs inside Sage 100, Sage 300, Sage 500, Sage Intacct and Acumatica, and Endpoint Cloud connects to NetSuite, QuickBooks Online and Sage 100.
Endpoint Cloud brings five connected workflows onto one operating layer, from receiving through reporting: inbound, storage, outbound, production and perform, its reporting workflow. Each one captures the work as it happens and sends clean data back to your financial system. Which workflows sync to your ERP, production included, depends on the ERP you connect.
If you are weighing whether your ERP's own inventory module is enough, a demo on your own workflows is the quickest way to find out.
What buyers ask before they choose warehouse software.
A warehouse that has outgrown paper typically runs an ERP or accounting system for the financial record, a warehouse management system for the floor work, and barcode scanners and label printers to capture each step. Automated sites add a warehouse control system to run their equipment. Smaller operations often get by with spreadsheets and paper next to the ERP until volume makes that unworkable.
ERP stands for enterprise resource planning. In a warehouse, the ERP holds the financial view of inventory: items, quantities, costs, purchase orders and sales orders. It records what should be on hand. A WMS records what was actually received, moved, picked and shipped, and keeps the ERP up to date.
Endpoint does with QuickBooks Online. Endpoint Cloud connects to QuickBooks Online, so scanned receipts, picks and counts flow into your accounting without anyone retyping them.
Send us the model numbers of your scanners, tablets or printers and how you plan to use them. We will confirm whether they fit the job or recommend a better option.
It depends on the product. Endpoint Cloud is hosted in Microsoft Azure. Endpoint for Sage and Endpoint for Acumatica run inside the ERP, so they live wherever your ERP is installed, on your own server or in the cloud. When Endpoint Cloud connects to a Sage 100 system on your own server, a small agent installed on that server handles the data exchange.
Less scrambling, fewer surprises, and more confidence that your ERP matches your operations.
Or give us a call: (855) 350-7850