Services
Software Selection
With so many options out there, finding the right software can seem like a daunting task. The experts at Veridian are here to help you identify the best fit for your business.
Overwhelmed by the number of choices?
Whether you're considering if a cloud or an on-premise solution is a better fit, or if you only need one or both, Veridian has the expertise to provide guidance based on your unique circumstances.
Stay in control
Data is a company's most valuable asset. If you don't select your software correctly, you can lose control of that data.
Avoid hidden costs
The true cost associated with a software won't show up in a contract. Veridian understands the system's complex capabilities and requirements to provide you with clarity on what the true cost will be.
Select with confidence
Veridian provides you with the most information available, so you’re empowered to select with confidence.
What is supply chain software selection?
Software selection is the structured process of choosing the warehouse management, order management or other supply chain system that best fits your operation, your data and your budget, and then negotiating it on terms you can live with. With so many options, finding the right software can feel like a daunting task. The experts at Veridian have implemented and supported these systems for years, and we use that experience to help you identify the best fit for your business and select with confidence.
Why is selecting a WMS or OMS so hard?
Three things make it harder than it looks. First, the choices are not just between vendors: cloud or on-premise, a WMS alone or a WMS and an OMS together, a single platform or best-of-breed. Second, data is a company's most valuable asset, and a poor selection can mean losing control of it in a system you cannot get it back out of. Third, the true cost of a system does not show up in the contract. Implementation effort, integration, customization, testing, training and ongoing support are where budgets are won or lost, and only someone who understands the system's complex capabilities and requirements can tell you what that cost will really be.
How does Veridian run a selection?
- Requirements first. We document what the operation needs the system to do today and in the next several years, drawn from the people who run the warehouse, not from a vendor's feature list.
- Shortlist. We narrow the market to the systems that genuinely fit your volume, complexity and industry, and are honest about which ones do not.
- Scripted demonstrations. Vendors demonstrate your scenarios, in your order, so every option is compared on the same work.
- Total cost of ownership. Licenses or subscription, implementation services, integration, infrastructure, upgrades and support over the life of the system, side by side.
- Reference checks and risk review. We talk to companies like yours that run each system and ask what went wrong, not only what went right.
- Recommendation and negotiation. A written recommendation with the reasoning, followed by support through contract negotiation so scope, pricing and terms match what you were shown.
Cloud or on-premise? WMS, OMS or both?
These are the two questions clients most often bring to us, and there is no universal answer. Veridian provides guidance based on your unique circumstances. The table below shows the kind of trade-offs we work through.
| Decision | Points in favor | Points to weigh carefully |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud WMS or OMS | Continuous vendor updates, elastic capacity, less infrastructure to run. | Subscription cost over the long term, data ownership and portability, dependence on vendor release cycles. |
| On-premise WMS or OMS | Full control over environments, upgrade timing and data. | Infrastructure and staff to run it, upgrades become your project. |
| WMS only | Solves warehouse execution: receiving, putaway, picking, packing, shipping, inventory. | Order promising, allocation across nodes and omnichannel fulfillment still need a home. |
| WMS and OMS together | One view of inventory and orders across stores, DCs and channels. | Larger scope and integration effort; sequencing the two projects matters. |
What does the client provide?
An executive sponsor, a small cross-functional team (operations, IT, finance) for requirements sessions and demos, and access to volumes, order profiles and current-system pain points. Veridian handles vendor management, demo scripting, scoring and cost modelling so your team can stay focused on the operation.
What do you receive?
- A prioritized requirements document you own and can reuse.
- Shortlist rationale and scripted demo scorecards.
- A total-cost-of-ownership comparison across finalists.
- A written recommendation and an implementation-ready scope.
- Contract review and negotiation support.
How long does a selection take?
Selections are typically measured in weeks to a few months depending on how many systems are evaluated and how quickly vendors can be scheduled. Veridian's team is small and senior; most of the calendar time is the vendors', not ours.
How does this relate to Manhattan Associates and AutoMate?
Veridian is a preferred implementation partner of Manhattan Associates and knows Manhattan WMS and OMS in depth, which lets us give a precise account of what those systems will and will not do for you. Selection engagements are nonetheless run against your requirements: if a different system is the better fit, that is what we recommend. When Manhattan is chosen, the selection flows straight into implementation, where our AutoMate tools shorten configuration and testing.
When does a company need this service?
- Your current system cannot support capabilities the business is asking for.
- You are weighing a cloud migration or a vendor's end-of-life notice.
- Growth, acquisition or a new channel has outgrown the tools you have.
- You have a vendor quote in hand and are not sure it is the right system or the right price.
Frequently asked questions
Is Veridian vendor-neutral during software selection?
Yes. Selections are run against the client's documented requirements and total cost of ownership. Veridian is a preferred implementation partner of Manhattan Associates and will say so, but it recommends the system that fits, and clients own the requirements and scorecards.
How long does a WMS or OMS selection take?
Typically weeks to a few months, depending on the number of systems evaluated and vendor scheduling. Requirements work at the start is the most important step and should not be rushed.
What is the biggest hidden cost in a software purchase?
Implementation and integration effort, followed by customization, testing and ongoing support. These rarely appear in a license or subscription quote, and they are where Veridian's implementation experience gives clients a realistic total-cost picture.
Should we choose a cloud or an on-premise system?
It depends on your control requirements, infrastructure and staffing, data ownership needs and long-term cost. Veridian works through these trade-offs with each client rather than recommending one model for everyone.
Do we need both a WMS and an OMS?
A WMS runs the warehouse; an OMS manages orders, inventory availability and fulfillment across channels and locations. Operations selling through multiple channels or fulfilling from stores and DCs often need both, and Veridian helps decide whether and in what order.
Preferred implementation partner of:
Meet customer demands and improve efficiency
Ensuring a successful implementation has never been easier with the help of Veridian’s modern approach to supply chain technology, expert staff, and automation tools.
Meet customer demands and improve efficiency
Ensuring a successful implementation has never been easier with the help of Veridian’s modern approach to supply chain technology, expert staff, and automation tools.