A 3PL can choose warehouse mobile computers by testing actual WMS workflows on the devices employees will use. Screen design, form factor, the warehouse environment, accessories and support all matter alongside technical specifications.
“It’s not plug and play,” says Kim Ganoe, Senior Hardware Specialist and Business Development Representative at Datex.
Kim has spent 28 years helping warehouses evaluate and deploy mobile computers and barcode scanners. Before recommending a device, she looks at how employees will use it, how the WMS workflow will appear on the screen, where the device will operate and whether Datex can support it.
Her rule is clear: she does not recommend a device to a Footprint WMS customer unless Datex can test it and support it.
A device may technically run the software and still be a poor fit for the workflow.
Why Does Device Selection Begin With the Warehouse Workflow?
Device selection begins with the workflow because employees use warehouse hardware to receive instructions, capture information and confirm that work has been completed.
Writing information down or entering it manually later can create more opportunities for misspellings, incorrect fields and incomplete records. Mobile computers and barcode scanning can reduce manual entry by capturing inventory management information where the work occurs.
The device still needs to fit the task.
An employee receiving inventory at a dock may use a handheld computer differently from an employee wearing a wrist-mounted computer and ring scanner. A cold-storage operation may have requirements that do not apply in an ambient warehouse.
The starting question is not simply, “Which device has the best specifications?” It is, “Which device fits the work employees need to perform?”
What Factors Determine the Right Warehouse Mobile Computer?
The right mobile computer depends on the demands of your operation. Kim evaluates the following areas:
- The task: What must employees scan, enter, carry, and confirm as they complete the work?
- The operating environment: Will the device be used in cold storage, on a dock, at height, or across different warehouse areas?
- The form factor and input: Is a rugged mobile handheld, wrist-mounted computer, or ring-scanner setup the right fit? Are physical keys important?
- Software compatibility: Which Android and browser versions are supported, and how does Footprint WMS perform on the device?
- Deployment and support: What chargers, batteries, mounts, accessories, service coverage, testing, and repair process will the operation need?
These factors connect the equipment decision to the way employees actually work and to Datex’s ability to test and support the device.
Does Android Compatibility Mean a Device Will Work Well With the WMS?
Not necessarily. A mobile device may run Android and still provide a poor experience with a warehouse management system (WMS).
The Android version and browser version can make a significant difference, especially for browser-based WMS applications. They affect how the application renders, performs, and supports required security and functionality.
“Screen size makes a big difference,” Kim says. “The keys make a difference.”
Screen size, orientation, physical keys, and device configuration matter too. A workflow designed for a larger portrait display may be difficult to use on a small landscape screen. Buttons, fields, and instructions can appear differently, even when the application technically runs.
That is why Kim evaluates the actual WMS workflow on the device, not just whether it is Android-compatible.
Compatibility tells you the software can run. Testing confirms whether the device, Android version, browser, and configuration will work for employees in practice.
How Does the Warehouse Environment Affect Device Selection?
The warehouse environment can change the appropriate device, form factor and accessories.
Rack height is one of the factors Kim reviews. She also looks at how employees will carry and use the device throughout the shift.
Cold storage introduces additional requirements. In one evaluation, Kim encountered a customer that needed a device suitable for cold storage with a built-in camera. That combination narrowed the available options and changed her recommendation.
Form factor matters as well. Rugged Android handhelds, wrist-mounted computers and ring scanners create different interactions with the WMS workflow.
Kim often begins her evaluation with Zebra Technologies because she values its product range, technical support and repair process. She considers other manufacturers when the warehouse environment or required features point to a different device.
The manufacturer and model follow the operational requirements, not the other way around.
Can Lower-Cost Consumer Devices Cost More Over Time?
They can. Consumer phones and tablets may reduce the initial purchase price, but replacement, downtime and support can change the total cost over time.
Kim has seen warehouses consider consumer devices because they cost less upfront. The trade-off is that the operation may need to keep more spares available and spend additional employee time managing damaged or unavailable equipment.
“You’re saving a lot more money up front, but in the long run, you’re spending more money,” she says.
Consumer devices may still fit some warehouse applications. The point is that purchase price alone does not represent the full operational cost. Device life, employee downtime, replacement needs, accessories and repair options also belong in the evaluation.
Why Do Support and Repair Turnaround Matter?
Support and repair turnaround matter because an unavailable device can interrupt the warehouse workflow even when the WMS itself is working correctly.
Kim asks a direct question: “Who will support the software on devices they are not familiar with?”
She recalls a customer that purchased devices that had not been tested with its software. Datex worked through the software issues, but hardware repairs created another problem. Broken devices went to a local office before being shipped overseas, and Kim recalls the turnaround taking three to four months.
Hardware products and support networks have evolved since then, but the example shows why the repair model belongs in the buying decision.
Kim evaluates the manufacturer’s technical support, repair process and return merchandise authorization (RMA) process along with the device itself. A capable device can still create operational problems if support is difficult to access or repairs take too long.
Datex provides warehouse hardware solutions that can be evaluated and supported alongside Footprint WMS.
What Belongs in a Complete Mobile Computer Deployment?
A complete mobile-computer deployment includes the equipment required to charge, maintain and support the devices, not only the devices themselves.
Kim considers:
- Chargers sized for the device fleet
- Spare batteries and battery-charging capacity
- Ring scanners, handles, mounts or sleeves
- Protective accessories
- Repair and service coverage
These items affect whether the equipment is ready for daily use and how the warehouse responds when a battery, device or accessory becomes unavailable.
They are easier to address before a large device order than during deployment. That is why Kim prefers to join the WMS project before the warehouse commits to its hardware.
What Makes a Mobile Computer the Right Fit for a WMS?
The right mobile computer fits the work employees need to perform and the conditions in which they need to perform it. Technical compatibility alone does not establish operational fit.
A device evaluation becomes more useful when it answers five questions:
- What work will employees perform on the device?
- What will employees need to see, scan or enter?
- Where and how will they use the device?
- Which Android and browser versions are supported, and how does Footprint WMS perform on the device?
- What equipment, testing, service, and repair support will keep the device available?
Kim’s 28 years in warehouse hardware have taught her that the device decision cannot end with the specification sheet. The equipment has to work with the WMS, the employee, and the warehouse operation.
Warehouse Hardware and WMS Integration
Datex helps 3PLs select, test, and deploy rugged mobile computers, barcode scanners, printers, and supporting hardware that work with Footprint® WMS.
The team has experience with technology from Zebra, Honeywell, SOTI, Rice Lake, CipherLab, and 42Gears, evaluating the device, accessories, connectivity, WMS integration, and support requirements before deployment.
For operations also evaluating material handling, robotics, or automation, Datex can help assess how the selected hardware will fit into the broader warehouse technology environment.
Planning a hardware and WMS project? Talk with Kim and the Datex team about evaluating, testing and deploying mobile computers with Footprint WMS.
About the Expert
Kim Ganoe is a Senior Hardware Specialist and Business Development Representative at Datex. During her 28 years with the company, she has helped warehouses evaluate, deploy and support multiple generations of mobile computers, barcode scanners and related technology.
Frequently Asked Questions About Warehouse Mobile Computers
How do you choose mobile computers for a warehouse?
Start with the workflows employees will perform and the environment where they will use the devices. Then evaluate form factor, screen design, accessories, support, and WMS compatibility.
Do warehouse devices need to be tested with the WMS?
Testing reveals whether employees can use the WMS workflow effectively on a particular device. It also confirms WMS compatibility across the device’s Android version, browser, screen size, orientation, physical keys, and configuration.
Which types of mobile computers are used in warehouses?
Common categories include rugged Android handheld computers, wearable wrist-mounted computers, and ring scanners. The appropriate form factor depends on the task, warehouse environment, and how employees interact with the WMS during order fulfillment.
What belongs in a complete mobile-computer deployment?
A complete deployment may include chargers, spare batteries, sufficient battery capacity, mounts, sleeves, ring scanners, protective accessories, and service coverage. It also includes a defined process for testing, troubleshooting, repairs, and replacement devices.
