E-WMS

The history of Pick-IT or E-WMS

WMS documentation

Introduction

This document describes the history of Pick-IT or E-WMS.

Description

1998-2000 The early years

Pick-IT was first developed by Modulair (later Modulair Easy Access or Modea) in 1998 based on Microsoft Access and offered order picking and inventory. Not much later, in 1999, Pick-IT was already fully integrated in Exact DOS, and functionality was expanded with receipts and transfers, followed by production receipts and issues at the end of 1999. In those days, hand terminals had a LCD display and used a serial port to communicate with a PC. There were several Pick-IT client versions (MCL1, MCL2) keeping up with new developments.

Over the years, the hardware suppliers replaced this type of display and operating system with Windows CE and Windows Mobile.

In 2000, Pick-IT was available for Exact for Windows and was programmed directly (as in Exact DOS) in standard Exact source code. A version for Globe 2000 followed in 2002 and was now based on the Globe SDK. This offered only order picking, receipts, inventory and transfers (no production anymore), but was still made for DOS based hand terminals.

2004-2008 CAB client

In 2004 Pick-IT supported Globe 2003, still based on SDK, but now made for the Windows CE mobile platform. The CAB version of Pick-IT was introduced. 'CAB' refers to the installation method on a hand terminal, where a CAB file is a standard for installation files, like MSI files for a Windows PC. The CAB client software contains all Pick-IT business logic and stores transactions local on the device until communicating with a PC. Later, support was added for 'RF' and Pick-IT could communicate directly to a SQL server. The CAB file could only be installed on Windows CE and Windows Mobile devices, which is the standard for warehouse hand terminals.

Around this time, Modulair Easy Access was now renamed Exact Easy Access (Exea). In 2005 and 2006 extra functionality was added: Replenishment, Production, Sales order transactions and also: Central Warehouse.

2006-2007 Globe integration

Until 2006, Pick-IT had to be installed as an add-on, but over the years the technical level of integration with Globe changed. End of 2006, Pick-IT was redesigned as 'integrated' instead of showing as an 'Add-on'. Pick-IT moved from the Globe 'add-on' menu to integrated menu's in Globe menu's like Order, Inventory and Purchase, and now also used Globe 'terming'. SSCC support was added (including EDI support), and also BarTender integration, Cross docking, Pick&Pack and Purchase transactions.

2009 Pick-IT ASP

Early 2009 (Globe release 393) Pick-IT offered a new platform for mobile use: ASP. The business logic moved to the IIS server and a thin client (like Internet Explorer) was used on the device. Pick-IT ASP was introduced to be less dependent on specific hardware and platforms, and to get rid of the complex installation method required for the CAB client software.

The installation set for Pick-IT ASP was a different software set than the Pick-IT CAB software set - resulting in a 'maintenance mode' for the CAB software set. All Pick-IT software was available through the public Exact FTP server.

Unfortunately, Pocket Internet Explorer or Internet Explorer Mobile do not offer much support for creating forms and GUI objects on a device. Therefore, a specific thin client was created which did not have those disadvantages: Exact Remote Forms or ERF, introduced in release 397. ERF was also made available for Windows PCs, which was not (easily) possible for CAB. Since the introduction of ASP, CAB was placed in maintenance mode.

2009 Rebranding

In 2009, Exact Easy Access ceased to exist and Exact became full owner of the Pick-IT software. With release 398, Pick-IT was rebranded to E-WMS (including the CAB file) and the software became part of the standard Globe product updater. WMS was made available in a separate Globe menu tab: WMS. 'Pick-IT' did not exist anymore.

2010-2012 License

In 2010 it was decided to change the license model for WMS. Instead of having separate modules per functionality, in 2011 first 3 different licenses were offered: E-WMS, E-WMS Replenishment and E-WMS Stock Keeping Units. In 2012 this was changed again to 2 basic modules: E-WMS I and E-WMS II. The license structure details are in this document.