Compiere released "open" WMS

The Compiere company, the developer of business applications with the open code, announced an exit of the first full-fledged WMS system developed on the "open" platform. This WMS system integrated with Compiere ERP  is designed to increase transparency of warehouse transactions, to reduce costs and to raise customer satisfaction from automation of internal and external logistics in a warehouse. According to the statement of the developer,  in the solution  the complete functionality of a warehouse management system is implemented, it  can  be adapted for specific needs of users and business,  and thanks to close connection with the ERP system its implementation  will cost  cheaper installations of the traditional  specialized systems.

The product called Compiere Warehouse Management is implemented in the form of the separate module in composition of Compiere ERP. It is integrated with purchase management modules, stocks, orders, production and finance.  The solution allows to perform direct placement of goods on storage locations,  to manage transactions  of selection of orders  and replenishment actions. The core of a system is based  on use of the configured rules  that, according to the developer, is capable to provide  the high performance of execution of operations  and optimal use of the areas. Besides, the product supports algorithms of "wave planning" which allow to model the most effective processes  of selection and resuming of stocks.

According to Alexey Sorokin, the head of the Center of implementation of business applications of IT company [1] (file), the exclusive partner of Compiere in Russia,  the WMS system module of Compiere ERP  will be available only in the expanded version of the Professional Edition.

According to him, the IT company  received the code for localization of the WMS module approximately a month ago.  The interface of the module is at the moment already translated, works on its further localization are continued. However to do forecasts for demand of this component in Russia, it is necessary to study in detail this module, Alexey Sorokin considers, and so far this process is not finished yet.

Pavel Zhitnyuk, the area development director of open software solutions of CORUS Consulting company, considers that the output of the WMS module as a part of an open ERP system of Compiere - absolutely correct and natural course.  On the basis of the open free platform the developer began to offer additional functions,  already on a commercial basis.  According to Pavel Zhitnyuk, it is a classical method of business in Open Source-проектах: the basic functionality is offered freely and if the user needs something bigger, for example, WMS, then these additional opportunities are on sale.

"I am not quite confident that the WMS system from Compiere will be able to compete in the Russian market with the commercial WMS systems, from such, for example, producers as Manhattan Associates. The majority of the systems which grew on free platforms are expected the sector  of SMB and it is hard to say how warehouse solutions will be demanded in this market in Russia. Though, it is quite possible that in the conditions of crisis potential clients will look for inexpensive solutions - namely to it Compiere belongs", -  Mr. Zhitnyuk believes.

However, according to him,  "it seems that exclusive rights on Compiere in Russia at IT - no more than a marketing mix. As a rule, the western open-source developers do not practice work with partners as exclusivity as are interested in the most bigger distribution of the solutions, and the big partner network is for this purpose necessary. If the rights to implementation and distribution of a product are transferred exclusively, then usually the partner company communicates rather "enslaving" conditions - for example, need to perform a large number of implementations for a certain interval of time. And as it is represented doubtful that even with capacities of IT it will be possible "promote" seriously in the nearest future Compiere ERP and WMS in Russia, hardly their conditions are so exclusive. Any company meeting requirements of vendor for qualification can distribute open solutions of Compiere. Just so far, except IT, large integrators do not show interest in this free product", - Pavel Zhitnyuk considers.

Alexander Trotsky, the project manager of the Logistics direction  of CORUS Consulting company, considers that  insufficiently developed functionality of the solution is behind statements about simplicity and configurability of the WMS system. So, based on the materials provided on a developer's site, Compiere WMS seriously concedes to the systems of world leaders of the industry (Manhattan Associates, RedPrairie, HighJump Software), and even to the systems of the local players presented at the Russian market  (for example, Solvo.WMS or Logistic Vision Suite). According to him,  the lack of support of accounting of the dates of implementation and  serial accounting (which are not reflected in the available product description) actually excludes use of a similar system in Russia in warehouses of products and pharmaceuticals where accounting of dates of implementation, batches or series are obligatory.

Alexander Trotsky also considers that a system will hardly be able to compete with the leading players in the market of WMS in Russia, and  most likely,  can occupy a niche of small and medium warehouses, or simple technology processes warehouses for storage of the goods which are not requiring accounting of dates and batches (office, clothes, goods of household purpose, industrial output). For large warehouses this system, even when accounting the minimum cost of ownership, does not give particular advantages as in the total project cost of automation of a large warehouse taking into account the cost of services and the equipment the share of the software product does not exceed 20-25%, Mr. Trotsky claims.