Distribution centre openings get detailed plans for racking, the warehouse management system (WMS), and staffing. Mobile devices often get a line item and a purchase order, which is why they’re so often the thing holding up go-live.
If you have a DC opening on the calendar, the device workstream deserves its own plan and owner. Every picker, receiver, and forklift driver needs a working device on the first shift, and the building has to support those devices in every corner where work happens.
This post covers what devices a new DC needs, what gets missed, how early planning should start, and how to make sure the devices work on day one.
What devices a new distribution centre needs
A DC needs devices matched to each role and environment, not one model for everyone. The right mix comes from the workflows, not from a catalogue.
Pickers and packers typically need rugged handhelds or wearable scanners. Forklifts and reach trucks need vehicle-mounted computers. Receiving and shipping need scanners that read labels at distance and printers for labels and documents.
Supervisors and inventory staff often need tablets. Then there are spares, batteries, chargers, mounts, and holsters for all of it.
The warehouse and distribution device overview covers the common device types by role.
What gets missed in DC technology planning
The devices themselves are rarely forgotten. The things around them are, and those are what stop a device from working on day one.
- The environment. Cold storage and freezer areas need devices rated for the temperature and condensation, and batteries behave differently in the cold.
- Vehicle mounts and power. Forklift-mounted computers need mounts, power, and installation time that has to be scheduled with the equipment delivery.
- Wi-Fi coverage. Racking, metal, and dense stock create dead spots, so coverage needs testing where devices are used, not just at the network closet.
- Charging and storage. Charging stations need space, power, and a place in the shift-change workflow.
- Printers and labels. Label printers and stock are easy to leave off the device list and are needed from the first shipment.
- Spares and support. A new building with new staff will have early failures, and someone has to fix them on site or swap them fast.
Receiving is a good example of how much detail matters. The post on modernizing your receiving dock covers the devices and workflow decisions at the point where stock enters the building.
How early device planning should start
Start the device workstream when the DC is approved, alongside the WMS and racking plans. By the time the building is ready, devices should already be ordered and in staging.
Work backward from the opening date. Confirm devices by role, then allow for manufacturer lead times, staging and testing, shipping, installation of vehicle mounts, on-site Wi-Fi testing, and training before the first shift. Sourcing is usually the longest step, and specialized devices such as freezer-rated or vehicle-mounted units can take longer than standard handhelds.
The strategic sourcing service page covers how device selection and procurement can be planned around those lead times.
Who should own the device workstream
The device workstream needs one owner who sits between IT, operations, and the facilities team. Without that, each group assumes another is handling the parts that fall between them.
IT usually owns device selection, configuration, and security. Operations owns the workflows, the roles, and the opening schedule. Facilities owns power, mounting points, and network cabling.
The workstream owner keeps a single list of every device, accessory, and dependency, with a date and a responsible person against each one.
Review that list in the same meetings as the rest of the opening plan. When the device workstream is visible alongside racking and the WMS, delays get spotted in time to fix them.
Plan the devices with the WMS, not after it
The WMS and the devices have to work together from day one, so plan them together. Device choices affect how the WMS screens are built, and WMS requirements affect which devices will work.
Agree early on which device models the WMS screens will be designed for. Screen size, keyboard or touch input, and scanner type all change how a workflow is built, and changing devices late often means rebuilding screens.
Test the WMS on the actual devices, in the actual building, before go-live. Scanning a label at a desk is not the same as scanning one at height from a forklift, or in a freezer with gloves on. Anything that fails in that test is much easier to fix before the first shipment arrives.
What it looks like when devices are planned properly
Done well, the device workstream is invisible on opening day. Workers pick up working devices, scan, and get on with the job.
One national tire retailer we work with needed devices for two very different environments, tablets for in-store service and ultra-rugged devices for warehouse pick-and-pack. Matching hardware to each role, with one partner handling sourcing, staging, and ongoing support, gave the warehouse faster scanning and stronger connectivity. The warehouse and retail case study covers how that came together.
That’s the kind of work we do from our own Canadian facility, sourcing, staging, kitting, and shipping devices so they’re ready when the building is. Just know that it fits best when the opening is large, the timeline is tight, or several sites open in the same year. For a small warehouse with a few devices, a careful internal plan may be enough.
Plan support for the first weeks after opening
A new DC will have its busiest support period in its first weeks, with new staff, new equipment, and a building nobody knows yet. Plan for it rather than reacting to it.
Keep extra spares on site, make sure the help desk knows the building is live, and agree who supervisors call when a device fails. Track early failures by device type and area, since a cluster in one zone often points to a coverage, mounting, or charging problem rather than faulty hardware.
For Canadian DCs, factor in the season. An opening in January means devices travelling and working in the cold from the start, and Quebec sites need French-language interfaces and instructions for staff.
The related post on scaling your device process for new locations covers how to turn one opening’s lessons into a repeatable process.
Questions we hear about devices for new distribution centres
What devices does a new distribution centre need?
Typically rugged handhelds or wearable scanners for picking and packing, vehicle-mounted computers for forklifts, long-range scanners and label printers for receiving and shipping, and tablets for supervisors. Cold storage areas need devices rated for low temperatures. Add spares, batteries, chargers, mounts, and holsters for every role.
How long before a DC opens should device planning start?
Start when the DC is approved, alongside the WMS and racking plans. Work backward from opening day through training, Wi-Fi testing, mount installation, shipping, staging, and manufacturer lead times. Specialized devices such as freezer-rated or vehicle-mounted units often take longer to source than standard handhelds.
What gets missed most often in warehouse device planning?
The environment and infrastructure around the devices. Cold storage requirements, vehicle mounts and power, Wi-Fi dead spots in racking, charging space, label printers, and early-stage support are the items most often left out. Each one can stop otherwise working devices from being usable on day one.
Where to start
Give the device workstream an owner and a line in the DC project plan, with dates counted back from opening day. Then walk the building plans role by role and list every device, mount, printer, and charger each area needs. That list is the start of a device plan that’s ready when the building is.