Excel in the warehouse works - up to a point. That point rarely announces itself loudly; you recognise it by a growing number of mistakes, selling goods you don't have, and evenings spent "reconciling stock". We've gathered the signs that you've outgrown the spreadsheet, and show you where the break-even point for a WMS lies.
Signs you've outgrown Excel
The spreadsheet doesn't break with a bang - it simply gets things wrong more and more often. Here are the signs we hear most:
- You sell goods you don't have - the stock level in the store can't keep up with what's actually on the shelf.
- Picking from memory - the warehouse worker knows "where everything is", and that knowledge goes on holiday with them.
- Stocktaking is an event - it takes a day, blocks work and still doesn't reconcile to the last unit.
- Returns and serial numbers get lost in emails and notes instead of living in a system.
What stock discrepancies really cost
A stock discrepancy isn't just a cancelled order. It's the cost of handling the complaint, lost customer trust, excess "just in case" inventory and the team's time on manual reconciliation. These costs are scattered, so they're easy to overlook - until you add them up for a quarter.
What a WMS really gives you
A WMS joins the warehouse and the store into a single flow: receipts, dispatches, transfers and stocktakes on scanners, stock levels updated in real time, serial numbers under control. The knowledge of "where everything is" moves from an employee's head into the system.
Picking with a scanner instead of from memory cuts time and reduces dispatch errors, and stock levels that match reality eliminate the sale of unavailable goods - the two most common sources of complaints in e-commerce.
Where the break-even point lies
It's not the number of SKUs that decides, but the pace of turnover and the number of mistakes. If you ship dozens to hundreds of orders a day, have several warehouse staff, or handle products with serial or batch numbers - Excel is costing you more than the spreadsheet shows.
A practical test: count how many hours a month your team loses reconciling stock and dealing with mistakes. If it's more than a few working days - a WMS pays for itself faster than you think.
FAQ
Do I have to change my store to implement a WMS?
No - our WMS integrates with your existing store, and with the E20 Platform it works natively. It doesn't require rebuilding your e-commerce.
Does the WMS work on ordinary scanners?
Yes, operation is based on scanners/handheld terminals - picking, receipts and stocktakes are done "at the shelf", not at a desk.
How long does implementation take?
It depends on the size of the warehouse and the number of integrations, but it's typically measured in weeks, including a location-mapping stage and team training.