WMS software: what it is, what it must do and how to test it in a demo before you buy

November 13, 2026 · 7 min read

Anyone searching for “WMS software” is usually at one of two moments: either they have just heard the acronym and want to know what it is, or they already know they need it and are comparing. This article serves both: what it is, what it has to do, how to ask for a demo that really tells you something and what to ask before buying.

What WMS software is

A warehouse management system (WMS; SGA in Spanish) is the software that directs the work inside the warehouse. It knows what is in each bin, hands out the tasks to the operators and checks with a scan that everything is taken from and left in the right place. It differs from invoicing software or an ERP in that those know how many units you have, but not where they are or who has moved them. The long explanation is in what a WMS is.

What WMS software must do

At a minimum, the full cycle of the goods:

→Inbound: receiving against what was expected (purchase order or notice from the supplier) and noting the differences.
→Put-away: proposing a bin and recording where each thing ends up.
→Stock by bin, with lot, expiry date or serial number if your product carries one.
→Order picking guided by PDA, along a sorted route and with a check by scan.
→Packing and dispatch: verifying the order, producing the carrier label and keeping a record of what the driver takes.
→Returns: identifying which order they come from and deciding whether they go back into stock.
→Inventory: counts by bin without closing the warehouse, with approval of the adjustments.
→History: who moved what, when and from where to where.

From there, whatever you need for your case: connection to online stores and marketplaces, billing to clients if you store other people's goods, automatic replenishment or several warehouses.

How to ask for a demo of WMS software

A demo with the supplier's sample warehouse always goes well: it is set up for that. For it to tell you something, it has to look like your building. Before asking for it, have to hand:

→How many orders you pick a day and how many lines a normal order has.
→Where your orders come from: online store, marketplaces, email, ERP.
→Which carriers you ship with.
→A file with your items (SKU, barcode, description) and, if you have it, your list of bins.
→The odd parts of your operation: lots, expiry dates, kits, items with no barcode, mixed boxes, pallets.
→Which software you use for invoicing today.

Ask for the demo to be done with that data and for you to be able to try it hands-on yourself, not just watch the salesperson drive it.

What to test in the demo

Test	What to watch for
Receiving an inbound delivery one box short	Whether the difference is noted and who finds out
Putting away what was received	Whether the software proposes a bin and whether it lets you get the bin wrong
Picking an order with several lines	The order of the bins and how many screen taps it takes
Scanning the wrong item on purpose	Whether it warns and blocks, or lets you continue
Reporting that product is missing from a bin	What happens to the order and to that bin afterwards
Packing and producing the label	That it is your carrier's real label, not a sample one
Counting a bin	Whether the operator sees the expected quantity and who approves the adjustment
Recording a return	Whether it links it to the order and where the item goes
Getting your data out	Whether you can export stock and movements without asking anyone

Also watch how long it takes someone who has never seen it to understand it. If you can, have a warehouse operator try it and not only the person deciding the purchase.

What to ask before buying WMS software

→How is it charged? Per user, per terminal, per order, per warehouse or per client. Ask for the price with your volume today and with double that.
→What hardware does it require? Will any Android or a phone do, or do you have to buy a specific terminal?
→Are the connections to my store and my carriers included or paid for separately?
→How much does setup cost and what does it include?
→Is there a lock-in period? How much notice do I have to give to leave?
→Can I export my data at any time, and in what format?
→Where is the data stored and who makes the backups?
→Who answers when something fails at seven in the evening with the truck waiting?
→If I need something the software does not do, is it developed, how much does it cost and how long does it take?

The pieces of the price are explained at more length in how much a WMS costs. And if you are torn between a WMS, an ERP with stock or a shipping platform, see how to choose warehouse software for a small business.

Buying a license or paying monthly

With a purchased license you pay an amount up front, install it on your servers and usually take out annual maintenance for the updates. With a subscription you pay a monthly fee, access it over the internet and the supplier takes care of servers, backups and updates. The first makes sense if you have your own IT team and want everything in-house; the second, if you prefer not to maintain servers and to be able to drop it if it does not work for you. In both cases, ask what happens to your data the day you leave.

How we do it at Ubika

Ubika is subscription WMS software for non-automated warehouses: online stores that pick their own orders and third-party logistics providers. The demo is not a sample warehouse: you tell us about your warehouse in a form, we write to you by email with two or three questions and we send it to you set up with your buildings, your items and your carriers, without your having to create any account. The PDA is a web page that works on a phone or on any Android with a scanner. The price is published: Start €199/month up to 1,000 shipments a month, Pro €499 up to 3,500 and Max €799 up to 8,000, VAT not included, with the store and carrier integrations included and no lock-in. And your data can be exported whenever you want.

You can ask for the demo with your data or first see what it does in warehouse management software.

Frequently asked questions

What is WMS software?

WMS stands for warehouse management system (in Spanish, SGA). It is the software that runs the inside of the warehouse: what comes in, which bin it is stored in, what has to be picked, what leaves and how much stock is left in each place, with every movement confirmed by a scan.

Is SGA software the same as a WMS?

Yes. SGA is the Spanish acronym and WMS (Warehouse Management System) the English one. They are used for the same kind of software.

How do you ask for a demo of WMS software?

The normal way is to fill in a form on the supplier's website. For the demo to be useful, have ready how many orders you do, which stores and carriers you work with and a file with your items, and ask to be shown it with that data and not with the sample data.

What should you test in a WMS demo?

The whole cycle with a case of your own: receiving an inbound delivery with differences, putting it away, picking an order with several lines, scanning the wrong item on purpose, packing with your carrier's label, doing a count and recording a return.

Is a WMS bought or rented?

Both ways exist. The purchased license is installed on your servers and usually carries annual maintenance. The subscription is paid monthly, is used over the internet and updates are included. For a small business the usual choice today is the subscription.

How long does it take to get a WMS up and running?

It depends on how tidy the warehouse is: bins numbered and labeled, items with a barcode and opening stock counted. With that done, what is left is loading the data, connecting stores and carriers and training the team. Ask the supplier for a step-by-step plan with dates.

Keep reading

What Ubika does: warehouse management software · software for 3PLs · WMS for e-commerce