Warehouse Management Systems x Virto Commerce
B2B enterprises with warehouse operations need orders placed in Virto to reach the WMS quickly and accurately, and fulfillment status, inventory levels, and shipping confirmations to flow back. Virto Commerce connects to WMS platforms through APIs and events, keeping the commerce layer and warehouse operations synchronized without manual handoffs between systems.
About Warehouse Management Systems
A warehouse management system controls what happens inside a warehouse from the moment goods arrive to the moment orders ship. It manages receiving, storage location, picking, packing, shipping, and returns, using real-time inventory data to optimize how the warehouse operates.
Where an OMS handles order routing and lifecycle decisions, a WMS handles execution inside the warehouse itself. For B2B enterprises with complex warehouse operations, multiple locations, or third-party logistics partners, a dedicated WMS is the operational system that ensures orders are fulfilled accurately and efficiently.
How Virto Integrates with WMS Platforms
Virto Commerce sends order data to the WMS when an order is confirmed, providing the line item detail, quantities, shipping addresses, and any special handling requirements the warehouse needs to fulfill the order. The WMS processes that order through its picking, packing, and shipping workflows, then returns fulfillment confirmations, tracking information, and inventory updates to Virto.
The integration approach generally covers:
- Order data sent from Virto to the WMS at the point of order confirmation
- Picking, packing, and shipping status returned from the WMS to Virto as fulfillment progresses
- Real-time or scheduled inventory level updates from the WMS to Virto’s fulfillment center inventory
- Tracking information and shipping confirmations surfaced to buyers through the Virto storefront
- Returns and cancellation coordination between Virto’s order record and the WMS’s operational workflows
Note: The right integration approach depends on which WMS platform is in use and what integration surface it exposes. Speak with a solution partner to scope the right approach for your implementation.
Implementation Approach
Virto Commerce integrates with enterprise systems through a combination of APIs, middleware, and integration accelerators — designed to reduce implementation effort while preserving the flexibility that enterprise-specific workflows require.
Key considerations: how order data needs to be formatted for the specific WMS, how frequently inventory updates should sync from the WMS to Virto, whether real-time or batch-based integration fits operational requirements, and how tracking and fulfillment status should surface to buyers in the Virto storefront.
Use Cases
Sending confirmed orders to the warehouse without manual handoffs
When a buyer confirms an order in Virto, the warehouse needs that order immediately to begin fulfillment. An API-based integration sends order data from Virto to the WMS at the point of confirmation, eliminating the manual data entry or file transfers that slow down warehouse operations.
Warehouse teams receive orders automatically as they are confirmed in Virto, reducing the delay between order placement and fulfillment initiation.
Keeping storefront inventory accurate based on what the warehouse actually holds
Buyers making purchasing decisions need to see accurate inventory availability in the Virto storefront. When the WMS sends real-time or scheduled inventory updates to Virto’s fulfillment center inventory, the storefront reflects what the warehouse actually holds rather than a stale estimate.
Buyers see accurate stock availability when browsing and ordering, reducing the risk of confirming orders the warehouse cannot fulfill.
Surfacing shipment tracking to buyers through the Virto storefront
B2B buyers expect to track their orders after purchase. When the WMS sends tracking information and shipment confirmations back to Virto, buyers can access that information through their account in the storefront without contacting support.
Buyers track orders through the Virto storefront directly, reducing inbound support volume from buyers asking where their order is.