Warehouse Management System (WMS) Support

Item master and location data are not warehouse-ready

• UOM conversions are inconsistent or missing, breaking picks and replenishment
• Dimensions and weights are wrong, causing slotting and cartonization failures
• Pack hierarchies don't reflect how product actually moves
• Location types and attributes don't match physical constraints
• ABC classifications and velocity codes are outdated or nonexistent

Process design doesn't match floor reality

• Wave strategies and pick paths assume ideal conditions that don't exist
• Replenishment logic doesn't account for equipment constraints or labor availability
• Exception workflows (shorts, damages, returns) aren't engineered
• Slotting rules are theoretical and don't consider actual item velocity or handling
• Receiving and putaway processes don't align to dock schedules and inbound variability

Integrations work technically but fail operationally

• ERP-WMS order sync doesn't handle cancellations, edits, or partials cleanly
• Inventory status definitions differ between systems, creating trust issues
• ASN and shipping integrations don't support carrier compliance rules
• EDI mappings don't reflect how retailers actually want to receive data
• Automation interfaces (WCS, conveyors, AS/RS) aren't tested under real volume

Inventory accuracy isn't achieved before go-live

• Cycle counting discipline doesn't exist, so accuracy degrades immediately
• Physical inventory is rushed and incomplete, seeding bad data into the new WMS
• Location verification isn't enforced, so product ends up in unmapped places
• Receiving discrepancies aren't resolved before putaway, compounding errors
• WIP and in-transit inventory aren't accounted for during cutover

Testing proves screens, not workflows

• UAT scenarios are scripted and clean, missing the chaos of real operations
• Volume testing doesn't happen, so wave timing and labor capacity are untested
• Exception handling (shorts, subs, damages, returns) isn't validated
• Automation and RF device performance under load is assumed, not proven
• Integration failure modes and retry logic aren't rehearsed

Cutover is under-planned and over-optimistic

• Open orders and in-process work aren't governed, creating inventory limbo
• Day 1 rules (what freezes, what moves, who escalates) aren't clear
• Dress rehearsals don't happen, so nobody knows what Day 1 actually looks like
• Rollback plan doesn't exist or isn't realistic given the data conversion
• Parallel operations are attempted without clear reconciliation rules

Users work around the system instead of with it

• Supervisors override picks and replenishment because they don't trust the logic
• Exception processes require manual workarounds that weren't designed
• Tribal knowledge fills gaps where the system should be guiding behavior
• Training was generic and didn't cover how to handle real floor scenarios

Reports and dashboards don't match operational needs

• KPIs are system-generated but not operationally meaningful
• Real-time visibility is promised but not delivered, so teams fall back to spreadsheets
• Exception management requires manual queries instead of proactive alerts
• Executive reporting doesn't align to the questions leadership actually asks

Advanced features are configured but not used

• Slotting optimization is turned on but never maintained
• Labor management exists but isn't trusted or enforced
• Wave planning features are ignored because manual control feels safer
• Automation features degrade because exception handling wasn't engineered

Legacy data is migrated as-is without cleansing

• Duplicate items, obsolete SKUs, and inactive locations come over unchecked
• UOM conversions are assumed to be correct but aren't validated
• Item attributes are incomplete or inconsistent across the dataset
• Location hierarchies and zones don't map cleanly to the new structure

Inventory conversion is rushed and inaccurate

• Physical counts happen too far in advance of go-live, so drift occurs
• Lot, serial, and expiration data aren't captured or validated
• WIP and in-transit inventory are lost or double-counted during cutover
• Location assignments in the new WMS don't reflect physical reality

Open transactions and work-in-process aren't governed

• Open orders in the old system create confusion about what to ship from where
• Partially completed picks and putaways are lost during the transition
• Returns and RTV workflows in flight have no clear path forward
• Cycle count and adjustment transactions aren't reconciled before cutover

Legacy system holds undocumented processes and integrations

• Customizations and workarounds are embedded but not mapped
• Integration touchpoints are discovered late, creating go-live risk
• Reports and queries that operations depends on aren't replicated
• Exception handling that "just works" in legacy isn't designed in the new WMS

Parallel operations are attempted without clear rules

• Both systems run simultaneously but reconciliation doesn't happen
• Users default to the old system because it's familiar and trusted
• Inventory becomes fragmented across systems with no single source of truth
• Cutover decision criteria aren't defined, so teams stay in limbo

Decommissioning is rushed or incomplete

• Historical data and audit trail access aren't preserved properly
• Legacy reports are turned off before replacements are validated
• Users still need legacy for edge cases but access is cut prematurely
• Vendor support and licensing end before operational dependency does

Pre-Go-Live Implementation Advisory

Process design, data readiness, testing strategy, integration validation, cutover planning, and risk control. For teams that want a disciplined rollout.

Go-Live Command Center + Stabilization

Hands-on execution support during the most fragile window. Triage, daily cadence, floor support, integration monitoring, and backlog burn-down.

Program Recovery and Remediation

For implementations that are slipping, stuck, or painful after go-live. Root-cause assessment, rescue plan, data corrections, retesting, and stabilization execution.

Legacy Replacement and System Sunset

Controlled migration from legacy WMS to new platform. Coexistence planning, data conversion, parallel operations governance, and clean decommissioning.