Key Differences: Warehouse Execution vs. Warehouse Management Systems
While it may be true that the majority of warehouses aren’t automated today, the industry is on a fast path to change: By 2027, it’s predicted that more than one-quarter of them will be.
To profit from this increase in automation, warehouse operations will need to evolve in many ways—not only in terms of site layout and infrastructure but also the equipment and software required to support it. At the top of this list are warehouse execution systems. But what are these platforms, and how are they different from the warehouse management systems that many warehouses already use?
The short answer: Warehouse management systems help leaders plan work, while warehouse execution systems make that work happen. Learn more about their differences below.
Warehouse management systems defined
As inventory volume and variety increase, new technology and automation are deployed, and customer expectations change, warehouse management becomes a more challenging and cumbersome undertaking. The manual processes that supported operations for decades are more prone to errors and oversights. They can’t keep up with speed requirements or support synchronized workflows and real-time analysis.
To regain control over operations, some warehouses and distribution centers have attempted to use their organization’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. But these platforms come with limitations: They aren’t tailored to the needs of warehouse management, don’t support visibility and frequently lack the reporting and analytics that warehouse leaders need so they can assess and improve warehouse performance.
This is where a warehouse management system (WMS) enters the scene. This kind of platform exists in almost every warehouse environment—automated or not—to support and optimize daily operations by managing things like:
- Inventory planning and control
- Receiving and putaway
- Order processing, picking and packing
- Shipping and tracking
- Labor assignments
A warehouse management system tells leaders where operations stand, manages all the tasks and activities required to move orders out the door, and syncs with other critical areas of business, such as finance and HR.
Warehouse execution systems defined
As more automation makes its way into daily warehouse operations, warehouse leaders are often left with siloed control systems that govern the automated systems they’ve put in place: automated guided vehicles (AGVs), robotic picking systems, automatic packaging systems, palletizers, etc.
When warehouse control systems enter the mix, they create the need for a layer that sits between them and the warehouse management system. This layer is called a warehouse execution system (WES), and it handles the execution of tasks orchestrated by the WMS.
It acts as an intermediary between warehouse management and warehouse control systems to optimize workflows and make real-time decisions about things like routing, storing and picking.
Facilitating connections between warehouse execution and management systems
When a warehouse facility reaches the point of needing both a warehouse management system and a warehouse execution system, another operational complexity emerges: the two platforms must be able to communicate. Ensuring interoperability between them enables benefits like:
- Comprehensive, real-time views of all warehouse activities, from inventory control to outbound logistics
- Optimized equipment use across the warehouse to prevent bottlenecks and maintain smooth operations
- Accurate data about stock levels, fulfillment and more
- The ability to assign tasks to appropriate workers based on current demand
To facilitate this connection, system vendors must often develop specific code that enables communication between their equipment and others. This can be costly and time-consuming, and it still doesn’t create the connected environment warehouses need: it only establishes communication between two systems. As operations grow, and other control systems join the warehouse and need to communicate, the problem starts all over again.
How we help realize the full potential of warehouse systems
Belden’s in-house experts can help you realize the full potential of your warehouse execution and management systems by connecting a full spectrum of IT and OT applications, including:
- Sensors and devices at the field level
- Warehouse control systems to support equipment like robotic arms, conveyors, and automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) at the control level
- Warehouse execution systems at the supervisory level
- Warehouse management systems at the planning level
- ERP systems at the management level
Think of Belden as your automation enabler, creating complete connection solutions that work in the background to collect data from these systems and then bring it all together to make sense of it and prepare it for wherever it needs to go.
Whether you’ve already invested in warehouse management and warehouse execution platforms and need to work with what you have, or you’re getting ready to incorporate a warehouse execution system into your operations for the very first time, Belden’s complete connection solutions help you connect every facet of your warehouse to optimize performance.
See how we support material handling environments.
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About the Author
Mohammed Rubaye joined Belden in 2023 with more than a decade of professional experience in industrial automation, including power generation, process automation, and material handling and logistics. He has a history of leading successful high-profile projects for material handling and fulfillment centers nationwide. Today, at Belden, he focuses on developing and executing go-to-market strategies, crafting annual operating plans and aligning initiatives with company objectives. He’s also pursuing an MBA at Boston University. He also holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.