General

Below you will find the system requirements for E-WMS and Intercompany Logistics.

Note: WMS+ can only be used in combination with Exact Globe+. 

E-WMS system requirements

1. IIS server
2. Android devices
3. Windows CE hand terminals (scanners)
4. Wireless infrastructure
5. E-WMS services
6. Exact Globe Next workstation
7. General configuration requirements
8. Label printing
9. Supported barcode types

Intercompany Logistics (ICL) system requirements

1. ICL services
2. Exact Globe Next workstation

 

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Requirements

 

IIS server

The E-WMS ASP website runs on Microsoft Windows IIS, you need a (PC acting as) server to host this process. IIS is included in the Windows operating system and is not included with E-WMS.

Please note that from product update 411, using E-WMS for demo purposes does no longer require a web server.

• Web server requirements for product update 411 and later
• Web server requirements for product update 410
• Web server requirements for product update 409
• Web server requirements for product update 408
• Web server requirements for product update 407 and earlier

Android devices

These are the requirements for  Android devices when using E-WMS ASP.

Android devices are supported from product update 417SP2 onwards.

• Android release 5.1 to Android release 11
• Minimum RAM: 1GB, recommended: 2GB or higher
• Minimum Processor: 1GHZ
  
• The following screen resolutions (pixel dimensions) are supported:
  • 320 x 240
  • 320 x 320
  • 480 x 640
  • 640 x 480
  • 640 x 240
  • 800 x 480
  • 480 X 800
  • 600 X 800
  • 800 x 600
  • 768 x 1024
  • 1024 x 768

You can fine tune the pixel dimensions resolution on the x and y axis and font size to support different pixel densities (ppi or dpi) on different devices or to make the application fit better on resolutions that differ slightly from the supported resolutions. Results may vary on high resolution devices or big screens.

• The following Android devices have been tested. Other models may work as well when meeting the other requirements in this document but cannot be guaranteed
  • Zebra MC3300 with the app datawedge installed
  • Newland MT6550

The manufacturers device software should allow to configure following scanner settings on the device:

• Convert barcode input via scan head or camera to text
• Possibility to give an automatic ENTER after a scan
• When using GS1-128/EAN128 barcodes in the warehouse:
  • scan prefix and suffix
  • usage of Code Identifier (required when using different types of barcodes in the warehouse)
  • Group separator

Consult the device or manufacturer information for more information how to set this up. For Zebra (Motorola/Symbol) devices, these options may require the installation of the app 'Datawedge'.

For generic Android devices you may need to install a barcode keyboard from the Google play store.

When selecting a device for E-WMS ASP for your warehouse, following arguments may be considered:

• environmental demands (temperature, dust, humidity)
• scan range
• support of the bar code types used in the warehouse (the scan head determines what barcode types are supported)
• screen size and keyboard layout
• mounting/usage: hand scanner, wrist mounted, mounted on fork lift truck, fixed scanning station

 

Windows CE Hand terminals

From April 13, 2021 onwards the support for Windows Embedded Compact 7 is discontinued by Microsoft. Exact follows the Microsoft support lifecycle policy and since we cannot guarantee the working for updates of the operating system after this date, we no longer support this operating system. It is advised to migrate to Android scanners to secure proper working of the scanners.

Windows Embedded Compact 7 is the last supported framework for CE scanners by Microsoft so that after this date we cannot guarantee the working of the software when there are changes in the operating system.

RF (wireless) infrastructure

Requirements for wireless scanning:

• Reliable and stable wireless network (access points) available in the warehouse, with sufficient range. A site survey performed by a certified partner is highly recommended.
• E-WMS license including 'RF' (E-WMS I, E-WMS Lite or older license SE5760 Pick-IT RF)

It is possible to use E-WMS wireless in an external warehouse, or in a 'hosted' scenario, where the server (including the web server) are located at a hosting provider. In that case, you do need a stable internet connection to access the E-WMS web server, with sufficient bandwidth for the number of scanners in use, combined with any other network traffic. See document E-WMS ASP and remote warehouse for more information.

 

Services

The E-WMS services can be used to automatically send orders picking, or to automatically read back and process picked orders and other warehouse transactions.

The ICL services can be used to automatically create new orders in the central warehouse database, and to automatically export changes and fulfilments from the central warehouse database.

The E-WMS RF services or the ICL services require a dedicated server or PC.  Specific requirements are listed in document WMS and ICL (Intercompany Logistics) Services requirements.

You can find more general information about the services in: WMS and ICL Services: purpose and specifics.

Exact Globe Next workstation

• The standard Exact Globe Next system requirements apply

General configuration requirements

• The SQL Server advanced setting 'Allow triggers to fire others' must be enabled for E-WMS
• The Exact Globe Next database optimization (release 370) must have been performed
   
  

Label printing

If you want to print labels in E-WMS processes, you need to purchase BarTender, by Seagull Scientific.

The following two BarTender editions are supported by E-WMS:

• BarTender Enterprise: supports all methods required for E-WMS, including labels printed from scanner processes (SKU, Serial/batch generation, Generated SSCC). BarTender can be installed on a server, client-side installation is not necessary.
• BarTender Automation: only supports labels printed from processes in E-WMS control centers or E-WMS RF services. BarTender is installed on the workstation where the control center is used or where the E-WMS services are running.

The following Bartender releases are supported by E-WMS:

• BarTender 2016
• Bartender 2019 (as of Product update 418)
• BarTender 2021 R6 (as of Product update 421)

You can implement E-WMS/BarTender integration in a number of ways:

• 'Server' level integration; BarTender and BarTender Integration Builder are installed on a server, labels are printed from that server, based on trigger files created by processes in E-WMS control centers, E-WMS RF services or E-WMS scanners. This method requires BarTender Enterprise and the installation and configuration of BarTender Integration Builder. 
  
  This method can again be implemented in two ways:
  
  
  • Using embedded text data as data source for the labels: labels are database independent, the SQL-server is not used by BarTender for label printing
  
  
  • Using SQL-server as data source for the labels: labels are database specific and the SQL-server must be reachable for BarTender
        
• 'Client' level integration; BarTender is installed on the PC or WMS RF services machine, BarTender labels are printed directly from that workstation using ActiveX integration and SQL data (requires BarTender Automation, and BarTender installed on workstation). This method does not support label printing from the scanners (SKU receipts, Serial/Batch generation or generated SSCC).

Requirements and points of attention: 

• Supported label printers are decided by Seagull Scientific, not by E-WMS. Please check the Seagull Scientific printer driver list
  
  
• When you already have BarTender Automation (lighter version) because you were already printing labels from E-WMS Control Centers or services, and you now intend to use ASP hand terminal label printing (SKU Management, Serial/Batch Generation or Generated SSCC), you need to upgrade your BarTender license and also configure usage of BarTender Integration Builder.
  
  
• The Seagull License Server needs to be installed and running, all BarTender clients need to be able to connect to this service in the network.
  
  
• Both the Seagull License Server and BarTender must be registered (activated) versions. Using the 'demo mode' is not supported in E-WMS, due to popup messages generated by BarTender
  
  
• Some sample BarTender layouts are provided, but you will probably need consultancy to create your specific labels
   
• You may need specific labels (paper quality), depending the environmental conditions in your warehouse (cold storage or humidity)
   
• In case you use the E-WMS label configuration 'Save' option, the user logged in to Exact Globe Next or the account used for the RF services or for BarTender Integration Builder, must have 'modify' rights in the (shared) folder where the BarTender layouts are stored.

 

Supported bar code types

This document describes what bar code types are supported by E-WMS.

Summarized this means:

• the bar code type must be recognized by the hardware (hand terminal)
• the content of the bar code must be supported by E-WMS
• 2D barcodes like QR or datamatrix are supported, as long as the hand terminal can read that bar code, and when the content of the bar code is supported by E-WMS.
  However when the usage of WMS Code Identifier is required (because of GS1-128 bar codes), the number of supported bar code types is more limited.

 

Related documents

• Change history of E-WMS system requirements
   
• Advantages of using E-WMS RF versus 'batch' communication
• E-WMS ASP and remote warehouse
• E-WMS communication methods
• Exact Globe Next system requirements
• Samples of supported hand terminals
• WMS and ICL (Intercompany Logistics) services requirements
   
• E-WMS start page