WMS vs spreadsheets for warehouse inventory
A spreadsheet is enough when one or two people manage a few hundred SKUs in fixed spots and regular counts find few errors. A WMS pays off once several people move stock at the same time, items sit in many locations, or you need lot traceability, because it records each move as it happens and checks it with a scan.
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| Topic | Spreadsheets | A WMS like Waresify |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to start | Low. Most companies already own a spreadsheet tool. | A monthly subscription, plus time to set up locations and items. |
| How stock changes are recorded | Someone edits a cell, often at the end of the shift. | Each receipt, move and pick is recorded when the worker scans it. |
| Proof stock is where the record says | The sheet holds whatever was typed. | The worker scans the location and LP, and the server refuses a mismatch. |
| History of changes | Overwritten cells lose the old value unless version history is kept. | An immutable ledger of every movement, with the user and time. |
| Several people working at once | Conflicting edits and stray copies of the file are common. | Each worker gets tasks on a scanner or browser terminal against one live record. |
| Lots and expiry dates | Possible with extra columns. Choosing the right lot to pick is manual. | Lot tracking with expiry dates, and picks allocated earliest expiry first. |
| Picking | Pickers work from memory or a printed list in order-line sequence. | Pick tasks sorted by a walk sequence through the warehouse. |
| Counts and corrections | A full stocktake, with differences typed over the old figures. | Cycle counts with tolerances, and adjustments that can require supervisor approval. |
| Hardware | A computer. | A computer to start. A USB scanner or the iOS and Android scanner app speeds up work. |
When a spreadsheet is enough
A spreadsheet works when the person updating it can see the shelves. If one or two people handle all the stock, each SKU lives in one known place, and your counts rarely turn up surprises, a WMS adds cost without much return.
Keep the sheet simple. One row per item and location, a date column for each count, and a rule that only one person edits it at a time will take a small warehouse a long way.
Signs you have outgrown the spreadsheet
Most teams move to a WMS after several of these show up at once.
- Pickers find empty shelves the sheet says are full.
- Year-end counts end in write-offs nobody can explain.
- More than one person edits the file during the day.
- The same item is stored in several locations.
- A customer asks which orders received a lot, and the answer takes days.
What changes with a WMS like Waresify
Work moves from editing cells to scanning. Every receipt, putaway and pick writes a movement to a ledger that is never overwritten, so current stock always traces back to who moved what and when.
You can start on the PC you already have. The Waresify browser terminal takes typed codes or input from a USB keyboard wedge scanner, and the native scanner app runs on iOS and Android. Optional modules, such as lot tracking, replenishment and cycle counting, are switched on per company.
Questions
Can I move my spreadsheet data into a WMS?
Usually, yes. Items and locations transfer as CSV files. In Waresify, locations can be uploaded by CSV during setup, then stock is received or counted in.
How many SKUs is too many for a spreadsheet?
There is no fixed number. The number of people and locations matters more. One person managing 2,000 SKUs in fixed slots can cope, while ten people moving 300 SKUs between locations often cannot.
Do I need handheld scanners to move off spreadsheets?
No. Workers can type codes into the Waresify browser terminal. A USB scanner makes it faster, and the scanner app runs on iOS and Android devices.