Blog Post: The 20% of Work That Delivers 80% of Results in a WMS Driven Warehouse

When it comes to warehouse management systems (WMS), there’s an overwhelming list of potential features, integrations, and process improvements you could focus on. But not all of them deliver the same return on effort.

In almost every warehouse we’ve worked with, there’s a consistent pattern: about 20% of the WMS functionality and configuration work delivers around 80% of the measurable results — higher throughput, better accuracy, and lower labour costs.

So where should you focus your attention if you want the best ROI from your WMS project?

1. Accurate, Real-Time Stock Control

Your WMS is only as strong as its stock accuracy. Ensuring every movement, from receiving to despatch, is tracked in real time forms the foundation of warehouse performance.
That means:

• Barcoding every location and product

• Automating stock movements via scanners or AMRs

• Removing paper-based pick notes

The benefit? Operators stop wasting time searching for products, cycle counts become painless, and customer confidence skyrockets.

2. Optimised Picking Strategies

Order picking is where most warehouses spend the majority of their labour. A WMS that supports zone, wave, or batch picking can transform productivity.
It’s worth taking the time to analyse your order profiles and design picking rules that fit your operation. Even a simple change like grouping similar SKUs or minimising travel distance can cut pick times by 30–50%.

3. Smart Putaway Rules

Inbound is often the forgotten 20% that drives most outbound performance.
By using smart putaway logic: e.g., placing fast-movers near dispatch or grouping items frequently ordered together — you can massively reduce picker travel and congestion later.
It’s one of those areas where a few hours of WMS setup pays back for years.

4. Performance Visibility and Reporting

Dashboards and live data are what make a WMS valuable day-to-day.
If your supervisors can instantly see:

• What’s picked and waiting to ship

• Who’s on target for the shift

• Where bottlenecks are forming

…they can make faster decisions and keep productivity steady all day.
This is one of the most powerful (and underused) areas of WMS configuration — and it’s often achievable with simple KPI dashboards rather than full analytics suites.

5. Integration and Automation

Finally, connecting your WMS to other systems — ERP, carrier portals, AMRs, or conveyors — can remove the repetitive admin work that eats into your day.
Automating label printing, ASN uploads, or goods-in confirmations can save hours every shift and eliminate manual data entry errors.

The 80/20 Rule in Action

When introducing or improving a WMS, success rarely comes from adding more complexity. It comes from identifying the small number of actions that create the biggest operational shift.

At Keymas, we often help customers focus on these high-impact areas first — ensuring the basics are rock solid before layering on more automation. The result?

• Rapid improvements in accuracy

• Higher operator efficiency

• Measurable ROI within months

If your warehouse WMS feels over-complicated or under-delivering, it might be time to refocus on the 20% that matters most.