"Warehouse logistics" is a know-how platform for the functional comparison of WMS. At warehouse-logistics.com, over 70 WMS providers currently present their products on the platform and have a total of 90 systems validated by the manufacturer-independent "Team warehouse logistics". After successful validation, the system receives the validation signet, an industry seal of quality. Based on this, WMS customers can use a questionnaire in the "WMS Online Selection" to find out which system best suits their requirements.

Questionnaire at the heart of the WMS database
When the platform was founded in February 2000, the first version of the validation questionnaire and thus the core of the WMS database was developed. Based on its system-specific and company-specific aspects, the questionnaire provides information about the system functionality and the project experience of the WMS provider. Since the first version of the questionnaire, the scope has grown to almost 3,700 aspects.

The annual revision of the questionnaire and the vendor-neutral validation of the provider information is based on the market expertise and project experience of over 100 completed WMS projects of the "warehouse logistics team". Another milestone achieved by "warehouse logistics" is its own seal of quality, as the underlying process has been certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001 since 2010. For eight years now, the validation of WMS provider projects using a questionnaire by "Team warehouse logistics" has supplemented the results from the "WMS Online Selection" and, with over 110 validated WMS reference projects, offers interested parties a further source of information in their search for a suitable WMS.

Trends and developments
As the development of the validation questionnaire shows, WMS are continuously gaining new functionalities and areas. With the aim of presenting the complexity of the WMS market more transparently, the "warehouse logistics team" published the WMS market report for the first time in 2007. Based on the long-term study that has been running since then, Fraunhofer IML regularly presents an overview of current developments and trends on the WMS market. In addition, the range of SAP EWM implementation partners was also scrutinized in a publication in 2018. To mark the anniversary, the team is also preparing an up-to-date WMS market overview in 2020.

Industry meeting of the warehouse logistics community
The idea of exchanging ideas on the subject of WMS was taken up early on after the platform was initiated. Since 2002, the "warehouse logistics" community meeting has been held once a year, which is being offered in an online format for the first time this year. Presentations and exchanges within the community provide impetus.

For eleven years, the "warehouse logistics" advisory board, consisting of participants in the WMS database, has been supporting and promoting future developments of the portal in a critical and constructive manner. In its advisory role, the advisory board takes on the perspective of the community. 2015 saw another milestone in the history of the platform: The publication of VDI Guideline 3601, with more than 90 experts from two VDI technical committees and the "warehouse logistics" advisory board involved in the development process. Further publications on the platform serve to assist both WMS providers and WMS customers in the implementation of projects. The most recently initiated project is the development of the WMS glossary.