A requirements package.
Workflow-grounded requirements vendors can actually respond to and you can hold them to, with the volume profile and integration footprint attached.
Workflow → volume profile → integration footprintAll services
Service 01 WMS selection & requirements
Choose the WMS that fits how the floor works.
Requirements. Demos. Integration fit.
Test every vendor against the real operation.
Where this service fits
Test the fit
before the contract.
Choosing a WMS is an operating-model decision, not just a software decision. Optichain helps teams pressure-test workflows, evaluate vendor fit honestly, and identify implementation risks before contracts are signed. Alex Gibbs has led or supported 55+ WMS migrations and selections, with especially deep experience in Logiwa-led migrations, plus exposure across Blue Yonder, Deposco, HighJump, Infor, Manhattan, ShipHero, and custom WMS environments.
Explore the evaluationHover or select a lens
Best workflow fit74Enterprise suite · +11 vs. next
Largest gap−36Mid-market cloud vs. demo
Criteria scored184 weighted groups
Open risks21 high severity
Vendor comparison
Score out of 100 · select a vendor| Vendor | Demo | Workflow fit | Gap | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 | 52 | −36 | At risk | |
| 82 | 74 | −8 | Strong fit | |
| 78 | 63 | −15 | Review |
Workflow fitGap to demoDemo score
Criteria breakdown
Mid-market cloud- Receiving & putaway30%48
- Pick & pack workflows30%55
- Exception handling20%40
- Volume profile20%66
Weighted fit52
Flagged risks
2 open- High
Cross-dock and kitting flows need customization
Mid-market cloud · Requirements - Medium
Wave planning assumes a single pick zone
ERP-native · Requirements
Every demo looks good. Fit shows up in your workflows.Illustrative scorecard
What we examine
Workflow-by-workflow requirements · Volume and order profile · Exception paths
01Requirements
Write requirements from the floor.
Problems it solves
Requirements from a template
Requirements defined from RFP templates instead of how the warehouse really works.
Who this is for
Evaluating or replatforming
3PLs and brand-owned fulfillment teams evaluating a new WMS or replatform.
02Demos
Make the demo answer your questions.
Problems it solves
Scorecards built on marketing
Vendor scorecards built around marketing pages, not actual operational fit.
Who this is for
Burned by a demo before
Teams that have seen vendor demos look great and post-launch reality look very different.
03Integration
Find the integration work early.
Problems it solves
Integration surprises after signing
Integration complexity surfacing weeks after contract signing.
Who this is for
Owners of the decision
Operations and IT leaders responsible for the selection decision and the launch outcome.
04Build vs. buy
Decide what the WMS should own.
Problems it solves
Build vs. buy without the options
Build vs. buy decisions made without understanding side-car options.
No operational sign-off
No clear operational sign-off criteria separate from system sign-off.
Who this is for
Weighing build vs. buy
Companies weighing build vs. buy or considering side-car tooling around a WMS.
What Optichain does
Define the need.
Pressure-test the vendor.
Vendor-agnostic selection support. Requirements definition. Workflow fit. Integration readiness. Operational sign-off criteria.
Requirements Definition
Define functional, operational, and integration requirements that reflect how your warehouse actually works. Workflow-by-workflow, not just feature checklists.
Vendor-Agnostic Selection
Evaluate WMS vendors against your real workflow profile, volume profile, and integration constraints. No referral fees. No vendor preferences.
RFP & Demo Scorecards
Structure RFP criteria and demo evaluation frameworks so vendor presentations have to address the operational questions that matter.
Workflow Fit Assessment
Pressure-test vendor workflows against your current operation. Identify the gaps, the required customizations, and the implementation complexity before contracting.
Integration Readiness Review
Review integration requirements across WMS, WCS, ASRS, sorters, OMS, ERP, and MHE. Identify complexity and risk before selection narrows.
Build vs. Buy Considerations
Assess where off-the-shelf WMS functionality fits, where customization is needed, and where side-car tooling closes gaps more efficiently.
Operational Sign-Off Criteria
Define what operational readiness looks like before go-live, so the team has clear criteria for launch approval, not just system sign-off.
Implementation Risk Review
Identify operational, technical, and organizational risks in the proposed implementation approach before the contract is signed.
What you receive
A decision your
team can defend.
Everything the selection produces is built to hold up in the room with vendors, and to carry straight into implementation.
A scorecard vendors have to answer.
RFP criteria and a demo evaluation framework keyed to your operation, with weighted scoring across functional, operational, and risk dimensions.
Weighted criteria → demo question bank → side-by-side scoringA risk register before signing.
Operational, technical, and organizational risks identified before the contract is signed, with mitigation owners and trigger points.
Risk → owner → trigger → mitigationSystems & workflows
Where this
work lives.
Optichain is vendor-agnostic. The work fits inside the systems and workflows your warehouse already runs on.
- Logiwa
- Manhattan
- HighJump / Körber
- Deposco
- Blue Yonder
- SAP EWM
- Custom WMS
- OMS Integrations
- WCS / ASRS
- ERP Connectors
- MHE & Sorters
- Side-Car Tooling