2/16/2000 Press Release

New version of Warehouse Management System (WMS) Request for Information (RFI) is now available to speed up the search for a new WMS.

Industrial Data & Information, Inc. announces release 2 of the standard WMS RFI product to help retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, 3PL, and warehousing operations with their search for a new WMS. This is a tool to speed up the process of searching for a new WMS, by enabling the selection team to fast track the development of questions in a RFI or RFP.

This electronic RFI has approximately 300+ specific questions about WMS functionality and the software vendors themselves. Added in this update are questions about web enablement and modules available from the vendor, as well as warehousing functionality such as picking, packing, shipping, receiving, putaway, cycle counting, interleaving, advanced warehouse functionality, bin locator systems, EDI, host interface, and more. Questions are well thought out and have a pop-up window explaining what is being asked for in greater detail. This RFI is designed to be e-mailed to applicable WMS software vendors. The software vendor answers the questions for their current production release, which are then validated. Negative responses are highlighted with a yellow background, while positive responses have a green background. This coloring technique assists both the software vendor and the selection team in quickly seeing where the product is strong and weak. On each question, the software vendors may also make notes in a separate area for future releases or any comments needing to be made.

Multiple companies have utilized this RFI already. Both the company looking for the software and the software vendors love the format, the clarity, and the ease of use. Lori from Uniteq says that it is "Excellent ... most professional RFI". Marc from Tecsys says, "I used to develop WMS RFIs when I was a consultant and I have to say that the RFI work you have done is by far and away the best in the business."

The RFI is delivered as an unlocked Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. One may add questions to the standard 300+ questions for company-specific requirements. In addition, one may drop or modify any questions that do not pertain to your operations. When finished, e-mail the final WMS RFI to software vendors. They will e-mail the results to you in return. Since responses are in computer media, it makes the cost analysis and functional analysis quicker. See a screen shot of these questions at www.idii.com.

Philip Obal, President of Industrial Data & Information, says, "A company can save significant time and money in the selection of a WMS product by doing two things. First, educate yourself in the common differences and deficiencies in the WMS market today. These are found in our "What To Look For In WMS Software" research report. Second, have a precise RFI (request for information) or RFP (request for proposal) that really represents the company's requirements. By doing both of these things early on in the search process, you will avoid unnecessary exploratory trips for learning at both the company and vendors' expense. In addition, you will end up with a WMS solution meeting your needs."

IDII is providing the tools to educate buyers on what WMS functions to look for and what is involved in a proper software selection process. Our tools are designed to save time and money for you.

Single copies of the WMS RFI on computer media are $195 US. The publisher is Industrial Data & Information, Inc. A more advanced version containing 700 question is also available. See www.idii.com for more information.

Single copies of the research report "What To Look For In Warehouse Management System Software" are $395 US. That price also includes the WMS RFI on computer media and a valuable software directory... ISBN 0-9669345-0-4. The publisher is Industrial Data & Information, Inc.

About Industrial Data & Information, Inc. (IDII)

Industrial Data & Information, Inc. is a consulting company that assists companies in selecting and implementing software solutions. IDII is focused on the supply-chain and has expertise in software evaluation, selection, and implementation. They produce research reports on software related to the supply chain, which enables companies & consultants to spend less time searching for & researching solutions, as well as professional-quality customizable RFIs. For more information on IDII, visit our web site at www.idii.com or contact IDII at 918-464-2222 or e-mail at philobal@idii.com.