What Is an Order Management System (OMS) and Why Your Business Needs One

Running an online business today means managing countless moving parts: orders coming in from different channels, inventory changing by the minute, and customers expecting instant updates. In this chaos, an order management system brings order. It connects sales, stock, and fulfillment data in one place, helping enterprise businesses process purchases accurately, ship faster, and keep customers informed at every step. 

This article explores what an OMS is, how it works, the features that matter most, and how to choose the right platform that perfectly suits your business needs. For any retailer aiming to deliver reliably and scale with confidence, mastering order management is no longer optional — it’s fundamental. 

What Is an Order Management System? Understanding How Orders Are Managed in Enterprise Commerce

An order management system (OMS) is specialized software designed to manage, track, and coordinate every stage of the order process — from placement to delivery and, if necessary, return. It acts as the central hub where customer orders, inventory data, and fulfillment details converge, ensuring that all systems involved in selling and shipping products work in harmony.

At its foundation, an OMS captures every order from all connected sales channels and organizes them into a single, structured workflow. Usually, an order management system plays a crucial role in connecting various business tools that often operate independently. It typically integrates with ecommerce platforms, warehouse and inventory management systems, accounting software, customer relationship management tools, and shipping carriers. 

This integration enables accurate stock visibility, reduces duplicate data entry, and keeps order statuses consistent across departments. Instead of managing separate order lists or relying on manual updates, businesses maintain one synchronized view of what was sold, where it should be shipped from, and when it is expected to arrive.

Another key characteristic of modern order management software is its ability to handle multiple fulfillment methods within a single environment. Whether the order is shipped from a warehouse, picked up in a store, or delivered by a third-party logistics provider, the OMS coordinates every step of that process. It ensures that all participants — from warehouse staff to customer service — have real-time access to the same information.

Different Types of Order Management Solutions

Order management systems come in various forms to suit different business structures, technical needs, and growth stages. While their purpose remains the same — to manage and coordinate orders — the way they are deployed and integrated can differ significantly.

Standalone Systems for Small and Growing Businesses

A standalone or individual order management system focuses exclusively on processing and tracking orders without the deep integrations found in enterprise platforms. Its primary role is to receive, organize, and monitor orders — ensuring they are fulfilled accurately and on time. These systems are ideal for small and mid-sized businesses that sell through one or two channels and want better visibility without overhauling their tech stack.

For many small merchants, this functionality is provided directly via an order management system built into their ecommerce platform, offering essential OMS capabilities such as:

• Centralized order tracking for online and in-person sales.
• Automatic payment capture and invoicing.
• Order tagging, filtering, and editing tools.
• Basic fulfillment workflows, including label printing and shipping integrations.
• Refunds and return processing.

Shopify’s built-in OMS, for instance, suits merchants managing modest order volumes who don’t need complex orchestration or multi-warehouse routing. It covers most daily needs right out of the box. However, as a business grows — for example, when it begins selling through marketplaces like Amazon or needs to manage multiple fulfillment centers — merchants often add third-party solutions such as ShipStation, Cin7 Core, or Zoho Inventory to extend functionality.

Similarly, users on Wix Stores, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce rely on native order dashboards or simple extensions to perform these core OMS functions. These tools provide a balance of affordability and usability, allowing smaller sellers to automate key processes without the setup complexity of enterprise systems like IBM Sterling or Manhattan Active OMS.

Enterprise OMS for Large-Scale Operations

An enterprise order management system, in turn, is built for large organizations that process thousands of orders daily, operate across multiple regions, and manage complex fulfillment networks. Unlike basic or standalone tools that focus primarily on order capture and tracking, enterprise-grade platforms act as the central orchestration layer connecting all major business systems — from inventory and warehouse management to accounting, supply chain logistics, and customer relationship management.

These systems continuously analyze order data, forecast demand, optimize fulfillment routes, and ensure that every department, from finance to customer service, operates from the same source of truth. For instance, when an order is placed online, the OMS instantly checks inventory across global warehouses, selects the most efficient fulfillment center, synchronizes the update with the ERP system, and sends customers a personalized confirmation with a guaranteed delivery window.

Most modern enterprise OMS platforms are delivered as cloud-based software (SaaS). This model allows companies to benefit from automatic updates, continuous innovation, and scalability without heavy IT maintenance. Solutions like Manhattan Active OMS, IBM Sterling Order Management, and Oracle NetSuite use cloud architecture to handle high transaction volumes while maintaining reliability and speed. Cloud deployment also supports real-time collaboration — essential for organizations with distributed teams and international operations.

Also, enterprise OMS platforms are increasingly integrating AI and predictive analytics to enhance performance. These intelligent systems can forecast demand surges, recommend inventory reallocation, and even automate carrier selection based on cost and delivery probability.

Cloud vs. On-Premise Deployments: Finding the Right Balance

While most businesses now adopt cloud-based OMS solutions, some enterprises continue to use on-premises deployments, hosting software on their own servers. This model offers complete control over infrastructure, data storage, and security protocols — an important factor for organizations with strict compliance requirements or sensitive customer data, such as in finance or healthcare. However, on-premises setups require dedicated IT resources for updates, scalability, and server maintenance, which can limit agility and increase long-term costs.

In contrast, cloud-based OMS platforms have become the preferred standard across retail, ecommerce, and manufacturing. They offer lower upfront costs, fast implementation, and near-limitless scalability, allowing businesses to add new locations, products, or sales channels with minimal disruption. Cloud systems also provide better disaster recovery and remote accessibility — a vital advantage for globally distributed teams and hybrid work models.

Essential Features That Power Modern OMS

A modern order management system brings together all the tools and capabilities a business needs to manage complex sales and fulfillment operations from a single platform. While specific features vary across providers, the best systems share a common foundation built around visibility, automation, and ecommerce integration. Below are the core order management system features that define a robust, scalable solution:

1. Order Management Dashboard. A centralized interface where teams can view, filter, search, and tag orders; track fulfillment status; and add internal notes or updates. The dashboard serves as the control center for daily operations, giving every department access to real-time order data.
2. Multi-Channel Order Capture. Consolidates incoming orders from web stores, marketplaces, and physical retail into a single stream, ensuring that no order is missed and fulfillment priorities remain clear.
3. Smart Order Routing. Automatically directs each order to the most efficient fulfillment location — based on inventory availability, proximity to the customer, cost, and delivery speed. This ensures faster shipping and optimized resource use across warehouses and stores.
4. Unified Inventory Control. Synchronizes inventory data across all sales channels and fulfillment points. The OMS tracks stock levels, SKU performance, and transfer activity between locations to prevent overselling, backorders, or stock discrepancies.
5. Bulk Operations. Designed for scale, an OMS allows teams to handle multiple orders at once — printing labels, generating packing slips, processing refunds, or managing cancellations in batches to save time and reduce bottlenecks.
6. Automation Workflows. Built-in automation reduces repetitive manual work across fulfillment, returns, and customer communication. Rules can automatically trigger tasks like label creation, order confirmation emails, or stock adjustments, improving accuracy and turnaround time.
7. Order Editing and Draft Orders. Enables modification of existing orders before fulfillment — for example, updating quantities, adding items, or correcting shipping details. Draft orders can be created manually and invoiced directly, supporting flexible customer interactions and B2B workflows.
8. Real-Time Order Analytics. Provides instant visibility into key performance metrics — including order volume, fulfillment speed, returns, and cancellation rates — empowering managers to make data-driven decisions and optimize operations.
9. Third-Paparty Integrations. Connects seamlessly with external logistics and fulfillment providers. The OMS automatically shares order data, shipping updates, and tracking numbers with partners to maintain end-to-end visibility. Links order data with accounting, procurement, and supply chain management systems. This integration ensures accurate financial reporting, inventory valuation, and order-to-cash synchronization.
10. Custom APIs. Supports the creation of custom workflows and integrations for unique business processes. APIs allow developers to extend OMS capabilities, connect proprietary systems, or build advanced automation scenarios tailored to specific needs.
11. Customer and Agent Visibility. Offers both customers and support agents access to real-time order status, tracking links, and delivery estimates — reducing inquiry volume and improving communication transparency.
12. Returns and Reverse Logistics Management. Simplifies the handling of returns, replacements, and refunds by automating return labels, restocking items, and syncing updates across inventory and accounting systems.

Together, these capabilities make an ecommerce order management system a cornerstone of operational efficiency. They transform scattered sales and fulfillment processes into one cohesive, automated workflow — helping businesses deliver faster, minimize errors, and scale confidently across channels. Want to know how exactly? We explore in the next chapter. 

From Checkout to Delivery: The Complete Ecommerce Order Management Workflow

Rather than treating inventory control, fulfillment, returns, and finance as separate workflows, the OMS unifies them into a seamless sequence that inherits the following traits:

1. Real-Time Inventory Synchronization and Availability Checks

The process begins with a complete, real-time overview of available inventory across all locations — warehouses, stores, and third-party fulfillment centers. The OMS maintains available-to-promise (ATP) data, ensuring that what customers see online reflects actual stock levels. It updates quantities automatically after each sale, transfer, or return to prevent overselling and stock discrepancies.

2. Order Capture, Validation, and Payment Processing

Once an order is placed through any channel — a website, mobile app, marketplace, or in-store system — the order management system immediately captures it and validates the details. This step includes confirming customer information, verifying payment, calculating taxes, and applying any discounts or promotions. Once approved, the system sends an order confirmation to the customer and prepares it for fulfillment.

3. Automation in Picking, Packing, and Shipping

The OMS determines the most efficient fulfillment source using pre-defined rules that weigh cost, proximity, and delivery speed. It then triggers warehouse or store teams to begin picking, packing, and labeling. Integrated carrier systems automatically generate shipping labels and tracking numbers, while customers receive real-time status updates. Throughout this process, the OMS monitors progress and ensures all steps are logged accurately.

4. Shipment Tracking and Proactive Customer Notifications

After dispatch, the order management system continues to track the shipment until final delivery. It updates order statuses across sales channels and notifies both the customer and internal teams of key milestones. If delays or exceptions occur, the system can alert customer service automatically, allowing for proactive communication and issue resolution.

5. Handling Returns, Refunds, and Reverse Logistics

Modern order management systems simplify returns by providing self-service return options, automated label generation, and centralized tracking. Returned items are automatically reconciled with inventory, and refunds or exchanges are processed within the same workflow. This ensures visibility for both customers and operations teams while reducing manual effort.

6. Connecting Orders with Accounting and Financial Data

Every completed order feeds directly into the company’s financial and customer databases. The OMS merges order details with accounting software to create accurate invoices, update revenue records, and synchronize purchase orders. It also stores customer histories and buying behavior, helping businesses personalize future offers and strengthen retention strategies.

Why Businesses Invest in Advanced Order and Fulfillment Software: Benefits of a Good Order Management System

Through this unified workflow, the order management system transforms fragmented operational steps into a single, orchestrated process that offers a bunch of advantages:

1. Improved Order Accuracy. Automation minimizes manual input and eliminates common errors in order entry, inventory allocation, and shipment processing. Every order follows a standardized digital workflow, ensuring customers receive the correct products, quantities, and delivery details.
2. Faster Fulfillment and Delivery. By automatically routing orders to the most efficient fulfillment centers and optimizing pick, pack, and ship processes, an OMS dramatically reduces turnaround time. Orders move seamlessly from placement to delivery with fewer touchpoints and delays.
3. Lower Operational and Shipping Costs. Carrier integrations and intelligent routing help select cost-effective delivery methods while reducing excess handling. Efficient inventory placement also cuts transportation expenses and lowers the overall cost per order.
4. Centralized Multi-Channel Management. A single platform manages orders from all sales channels — web stores, marketplaces, physical shops, and social commerce. This unified approach prevents duplication, reduces oversight complexity, and allows teams to track performance across the entire business.
5. Enhanced Inventory Visibility and Forecasting. Real-time stock updates across all locations prevent overselling, backorders, and inventory imbalances. Analytics tools within the OMS forecast demand more accurately, helping businesses plan replenishment and reduce overstocking.
6. Better Customer Experience. Accurate delivery estimates, real-time order tracking, and clear communication create transparency that customers can trust. When issues arise, support teams have complete visibility, allowing them to resolve problems quickly and proactively.
7. Streamlined Customer Service Operations. With all order data consolidated in one interface, service teams can instantly access customer histories, order statuses, and return details. This centralized visibility shortens response times and improves service consistency.
8. Automated Accounting and Financial Sync. An OMS connects directly with financial systems, ensuring that invoices, payments, and purchase orders are automatically updated. This reduces double entry, simplifies reconciliation, and maintains clean accounting records.
9. Global and Flexible Fulfillment Options. Businesses can leverage global inventory networks, including warehouses, suppliers, and 3PL partners, to fulfill orders closer to customers. The OMS automatically chooses the optimal source based on stock, region, or cost conditions.
10. Self-Service Transparency for Customers. Customers can access up-to-date order status, shipment tracking, and return options without contacting support. This autonomy builds trust, reduces inquiry volumes, and strengthens brand loyalty.

Challenges of Scaling Order Operations Across Channels: Common OMS Limitations

While an OMS can significantly enhance operational efficiency, implementing and maintaining one is not without challenges. Many businesses, especially those migrating from legacy systems or managing complex multi-channel operations, encounter technical and structural limitations that affect performance and scalability. Below are the most common issues organizations face when adopting or expanding an OMS.

1. Integration Complexity. Connecting a new OMS to an existing ecommerce stack can be technically demanding. Especially in the case of legacy software that often uses outdated data formats or APIs. Even when integration is technically possible, aligning data between multiple systems can be inconsistent. Issues such as mismatched customer records, duplicate SKUs, or conflicting order statuses can reduce visibility and create operational inefficiencies.
2. Siloed and Outdated Inventory Data. Older or poorly configured OMS platforms may struggle to maintain real-time inventory visibility. When stock updates lag behind actual sales or transfers, businesses risk overselling, backorders, or inaccurate order commitments. Maintaining synchronized, live inventory data across all channels remains one of the most persistent challenges in omnichannel retail.
3. Inaccurate Order Promising. When an OMS operates on incomplete or delayed data, it may provide customers with delivery windows that cannot realistically be met. Inaccurate order promising damages to trust, increases support inquiries, and often results in higher cancellation or return rates.
4. Limited Scalability. Some entry-level or legacy systems are not built to handle large order volumes, international operations, or multiple fulfillment nodes. As order complexity grows, performance can degrade, leading to slower processing times and higher maintenance demands.
5. Customization and Flexibility Constraints. Businesses with unique workflows — such as custom product assembly, specialized pricing rules, or complex approval chains — may find that their OMS cannot accommodate every scenario. Rigid systems require extensive manual workarounds or costly custom development to align with specific business models.
6. Complexity of Returns and Reverse Logistics. Managing returns across multiple sales channels remains one of the toughest aspects of omnichannel operations. An OMS must reconcile returned items, update inventory, process refunds, and track replacement shipments. Without automation, this process can become labor-intensive and error-prone.
7. Rigid Architecture of Legacy Systems. Older OMS solutions are often monolithic, requiring significant time and cost to reconfigure. Adding new features — like ship-from-store fulfillment or new marketplace integrations — may require major redevelopment instead of simple configuration changes.

While a good order management system can unify and optimize operations, its success depends heavily on how well it integrates with the broader technology ecosystem. Businesses must plan for data standardization, system scalability, and process flexibility from the start to avoid these pitfalls and realize the full value of order management automation.

The Strategic Role of Order Management Systems in Enterprise Commerce

With all this complexity under the hood, an order management system is considered a core strategic platform that empowers companies to operate efficiently and scale confidently. Its role in modern enterprise commerce and retail is usually associated with the following tasks:

Coordinating Complex Omnichannel Operations

Today’s retail environment is more intricate than ever before. Businesses operate across multiple fulfillment sources, each with its own inventory, timelines, and constraints. 

At the same time, customers expect seamless experiences across every touchpoint: they might discover a product on social media, buy it online, pick it up in-store, and return it through a courier. 

Without a centralized system to coordinate all these interactions, errors, and inefficiencies multiply. An order management system serves as the foundation that unifies this fragmented ecosystem, ensuring that data flows freely between sales channels, inventory points, and fulfillment networks.

Balancing Accurate Promises with Profit-Driven Fulfillment

In ecommerce, making and keeping delivery promises defines brand reliability. An OMS enables retailers to promise accurately by displaying only what is truly available to sell and by offering realistic delivery or pickup windows based on inventory and logistics data. It calculates what can be fulfilled, from where, and by when, allowing businesses to meet expectations without overextending resources. 

Furthermore, it helps companies fulfill profitably by automatically selecting cost-effective routes, consolidating shipments, and minimizing redundant handling. 

This balance between customer satisfaction and operational efficiency is what allows modern retailers to scale sustainably.

Earning Customer Trust Through Reliable Transparency

Speed and reliability are now essential to customer loyalty. Studies show that more than half of shoppers consider delivery timelines and fulfillment options as major factors influencing their purchasing decisions. When promised delivery dates are missed or stock visibility is inaccurate, trust quickly erodes. 

An OMS mitigates this risk by maintaining real-time visibility over order status and stock levels, enabling proactive updates and reliable tracking. Transparency at each step — from confirmation emails to delivery notifications — strengthens the relationship between brand and buyer.

Scaling with Data-Driven Decisions and Agility

As businesses expand into new channels and markets, operational demands increase exponentially. Without automation and unified oversight, scaling fulfillment networks or entering new regions can easily lead to logistical breakdowns. 

Under these circumstances, an OMS provides the agility needed to grow without losing control. It manages higher order volumes, additional warehouses, and new sales platforms while maintaining consistent service levels. With built-in flexibility, retailers can test new fulfillment models — such as same-day delivery or ship-from-store — without rebuilding their infrastructure.

Enabling Data-Driven Decision Making

An effective OMS does more than move orders; it generates valuable operational intelligence. Every transaction adds to a pool of real-time data on customer behavior, product performance, and fulfillment efficiency. 

As a result, retailers can analyze this information to predict demand, optimize inventory placement, and identify inefficiencies. Thus, the OMS becomes a strategic tool for continuous improvement — guiding smarter investments in logistics, technology, and customer experience.

Building the Foundation for Future Innovation

As technologies like AI, automation, and predictive analytics reshape commerce, the OMS serves as the anchor that connects them all. Its structured data and unified workflows provide the framework for implementing advanced capabilities such as dynamic routing, real-time demand forecasting, and autonomous fulfillment. 

In essence, an order management system doesn’t just support current operations. It prepares businesses for what comes next. Now, let’s see how to choose an OMS that best suits your needs.

How to Choose the Right Software for Your Business Needs

The importance of selecting the right order management platform is hard to overestimate. It is a strategic decision that shapes how efficiently a business can operate, scale, and serve its customers. With dozens of platforms offering overlapping features, the challenge lies not in finding an OMS that works, but one that fits.

Step 1: Assess Business Needs and Pain Points

Before exploring vendors, identify the core challenges your business needs to solve with the help of an OMS. Are fulfillment delays leading to customer complaints? Is inventory data inconsistent across channels? Are manual processes slowing down order turnaround? 

Pinpointing specific issues — such as order errors, high operational costs, or lack of visibility — helps define the requirements that truly matter.

Step 2: Define Goals and Priorities

Once the pain points are clear, translate them into measurable goals. These may include faster shipping times, reduced costs per order, improved accuracy, or more efficient returns management. 

Next, distinguish between must-have features (such as real-time inventory tracking, automation, or API integrations) and nice-to-have capabilities (like advanced analytics or predictive demand forecasting). 

Planning for scalability is equally important — your OMS should grow with your business rather than limit it.

Step 3: Draft a Detailed RFP

A Request for Proposal (RFP) helps structure the vendor evaluation process. It should outline your business size, order volumes, SKU count, sales channels, and system integrations (such as ERP, CRM, and warehouse management). 

Include expected implementation timelines, budgets, and performance KPIs. A well-defined RFP allows vendors to respond with precise, comparable proposals and prevents surprises later in deployment.

Step 4: Evaluate and Compare Vendors

Once proposals are in, go beyond feature checklists. Evaluate how each solution performs in critical areas such as:

• Ability to eliminate manual workflows and streamline operations.
• Support for multichannel and multi-region fulfillment.
• Real-time data synchronization and reporting accuracy.
• Flexibility to manage multiple fulfillment nodes or partner networks.
• Quality of analytics, forecasting, and automation tools.
• API accessibility and integration with your existing systems.
• Ongoing product development, support quality, and vendor responsiveness.

Consider scheduling live demos and asking for case studies relevant to your business model. The right vendor should not only offer a technically sound product but also demonstrate a commitment to collaboration and long-term success.

Step 5: Look Beyond Features

Even the most advanced platform will fail if the partnership behind it is weak. Evaluate each vendor’s roadmap, update frequency, and approach to customer support. An OMS isn’t a one-time purchase — it’s a long-term partnership that evolves alongside your business. 

Choose a vendor that invests in innovation, listens to user feedback, and provides responsive assistance throughout the implementation and scaling process. By taking this structured, strategic approach to selection, you can ensure an OMS investment delivers lasting value and keeps operations synchronized in an ever-changing ecommerce landscape.

Best Order Management Software: From Simple Tools to Enterprise Systems

As you can see, choosing the best order management system depends largely on the size of your business, order volume, and operational complexity. A small online retailer doesn’t need the same level of orchestration or integration as a multinational brand managing hundreds of thousands of orders daily. And the OMS landscape reflects this diversity, ranging from lightweight, plug-and-play tools to advanced enterprise platforms.

Below is a tiered overview of 15 order management software solutions, organized from the most straightforward yet reliable tools to the most advanced and feature-rich enterprise systems. This progression illustrates how functionality, customization, and scalability evolve as business needs grow.

1. inFlow Inventory

A simple and intuitive solution for small ecommerce and wholesale operations. It helps manage sales orders, inventory, and basic fulfillment across online stores and marketplaces.

Best for: Small businesses wanting order visibility without complex setup.

Complexity level: ★☆☆☆☆ — entry-level; minimal configuration required.

2. Zoho Inventory

A lightweight cloud-based system that manages stock, purchase orders, and fulfillment across multiple sales channels. It integrates seamlessly with Zoho Books, Shopify, and Amazon.

Best for: Growing retailers looking to automate basic workflows.

Complexity level: ★★☆☆☆ — easy to use, limited deep customization.

3. ShipStation

Originally designed for shipping, ShipStation now includes solid order management capabilities such as importing orders, batch processing, and automated label creation.

Best for: Small to mid-sized merchants focused on fast, accurate shipping.

Complexity level: ★★☆☆☆ — straightforward setup; ideal for logistics-heavy sellers.

4. Cin7 Core

Combines order, inventory, and warehouse management in a single system. It supports multi-location stock control and integrates with popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.

Best for: Mid-sized omnichannel retailers needing centralized operations.

Complexity level: ★★★☆☆ — moderate learning curve; balanced between usability and power.

5. Acctivate

Tailored for distributors and wholesalers, Acctivate blends inventory, purchasing, and order processing with QuickBooks integration.

Best for: B2B businesses managing complex purchase orders and reorders.

Complexity level: ★★★☆☆ — suitable for larger mid-market operations.

6. Fishbowl Inventory

Bridges the gap between small business tools and enterprise systems. It automates order routing and integrates with accounting platforms like QuickBooks and Xero.

Best for: Businesses outgrowing basic OMS tools but not yet ready for enterprise software.

Complexity level: ★★★☆☆ — intermediate; requires some setup and configuration.

7. Brightpearl

Built specifically for retail and wholesale, Brightpearl offers advanced automation, built-in accounting, and robust reporting. Its strength lies in unifying ecommerce and back-office workflows.

Best for: Mid-sized retailers needing automation and real-time financial insights.

Complexity level: ★★★★☆ — more advanced automation; ideal for scaling retailers.

8. Extensiv Order Management (formerly Skubana)

Designed for fast-growth ecommerce brands and marketplace sellers. It centralizes multichannel orders and automates fulfillment across warehouses and 3PL partners.

Best for: D2C brands managing high order volumes.

Complexity level: ★★★★☆ — advanced integrations; suited for digital-first operations.

9. Kibo Order Management

Offers strong omnichannel features, including real-time inventory visibility, intelligent routing, and flexible fulfillment orchestration.

Best for: Retailers with multiple stores or fulfillment points.

Complexity level: ★★★★☆ — enterprise-grade capabilities in a modular format.

10. Flowspace

A hybrid OMS and fulfillment network, Flowspace combines software control with physical logistics infrastructure. Businesses can outsource fulfillment while maintaining visibility and routing control.

Best for: Brands seeking flexible fulfillment without owning warehouses.

Complexity level: ★★★★☆ — mid-enterprise; combines software and logistics management.

11. NetSuite Order Management

Part of Oracle NetSuite’s ERP suite, this system unifies order, finance, and inventory management. Ideal for companies already using NetSuite for accounting or CRM.

Best for: Medium-to-large businesses needing ERP-level integration.

Complexity level: ★★★★★ — enterprise-class; requires expert implementation.

12. SAP Order Management

Built for global retail and B2B operations, SAP’s OMS integrates tightly with its supply chain and commerce platforms. It handles high-volume orders and multi-region fulfillment.

Best for: Enterprises with complex supply chains and international reach.

Complexity level: ★★★★★ — complex but extremely powerful when fully integrated.

13. IBM Sterling Order Management

A leading enterprise solution offering distributed order orchestration, inventory visibility, and AI-driven routing. Used by many global retail and manufacturing brands.

Best for: Enterprises requiring scalability, resilience, and multi-network fulfillment.

Complexity level: ★★★★★ — highly configurable; suited for large omnichannel networks.

14. Manhattan Active Order Management

An advanced system built for large retailers managing thousands of daily transactions across global networks. It supports real-time visibility, predictive inventory, and configurable fulfillment logic.

Best for: Global retailers with complex omnichannel operations.

Complexity level: ★★★★★ — full enterprise platform with high customization potential.

15. SAP Commerce Cloud + OMS Suite

At the top of the complexity spectrum, this combined suite enables end-to-end control of digital commerce — from storefront personalization to global inventory orchestration.

Best for: Multinational enterprises integrating OMS, CRM, ERP, and commerce into one ecosystem.

Complexity level: ★★★★★+ — maximum functionality and configurability, but heavy infrastructure requirements.

As complexity increases, OMS platforms shift from execution tools to strategic systems. Simple solutions automate core tasks like order tracking and labeling, while advanced systems orchestrate entire supply chains, merge real-time financials, and predict fulfillment efficiency on a global scale. However, the best choice depends not on the number of features, but on how precisely the software aligns with your current operations and future growth goals. Speaking of the future perspective, we need to highlight the core trends that will reshape the OMS landscape in the upcoming years. 

The Future of Order Management Systems and Fulfillment Automation

The next generation of order management systems is being shaped by emerging technologies that go far beyond order tracking and routing. Artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, and the rise of FDE are transforming how businesses handle fulfillment, inventory, and customer experience. The OMS of the future will not just be a management tool, but an intelligent orchestration layer that learns, adapts, and optimizes in real time.

AI-Driven Decision Making

AI in ecommerce is already redefining how modern OMS platforms operate. Instead of relying solely on static rules, AI-powered systems can analyze real-time data — including order volumes, traffic patterns, and customer behavior — to make predictive decisions. Machine learning models forecast demand surges, predict stockouts, and optimize inventory placement across fulfillment centers.

AI also enhances order routing, using predictive algorithms to determine which warehouse, store, or 3PL partner can fulfill an order fastest and at the lowest cost. 

Over time, these models refine themselves, learning from historical performance to improve future accuracy. The result is a system that evolves continuously, minimizing inefficiencies while adapting to changing market conditions.

Automation and Workflow Orchestration

Automation will remain a defining force in the evolution of OMS technology. Future systems will orchestrate complex workflows with little to no manual intervention — from order capture and payment validation to fulfillment, carrier assignment, and returns processing.

Automated exception handling will become a key differentiator. Instead of requiring human oversight for delays, payment errors, or mispicks, next-generation OMS platforms will detect anomalies in real time and automatically trigger corrective workflows, such as rerouting shipments or replenishing stock from alternative locations.

This level of orchestration not only improves speed and accuracy but also enables scalability, allowing businesses to handle surges in demand without proportionally increasing labor or infrastructure.

Robotics and Autonomous Fulfillment

As robotics technology matures, the boundary between the OMS and physical fulfillment will blur. In automated warehouses, OMS platforms will communicate directly with robotic pickers, conveyors, and automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), transforming digital commands into physical movement.

This integration will make real-time order updates truly real: as soon as a robot retrieves an item, the OMS updates the order status, inventory count, and expected delivery time. 

Combined with AI-based routing, robotics will allow businesses to achieve near-zero latency between order placement and dispatch — the ultimate goal of modern fulfillment.

Forward-Deployed Engineering and Customization

The increasing complexity of commerce will demand greater flexibility and faster iteration. Forward-Deployed Engineers (FDEs) — specialists embedded within OMS vendors or enterprise clients — will become essential for tailoring systems to unique business needs.

Rather than waiting for centralized software updates, FDE teams will continuously optimize OMS configurations, build custom integrations, and deploy new features on the fly. This approach accelerates innovation cycles, reduces downtime, and ensures that each OMS evolves alongside the business it serves.

FDE-driven development will turn OMS platforms into living systems that are constantly tuned for performance, cost-efficiency, and user experience.

Data Unification and Predictive Insights

The OMS of the future will act as a real-time intelligence hub, not just an execution engine. It will unify data from commerce platforms, CRMs, warehouses, and logistics partners into a single analytics layer. Predictive insights will identify trends such as rising return rates, regional demand spikes, or supplier delays — giving businesses the ability to react before problems occur.

Combined with AI, this continuous feedback loop will power self-optimizing supply chains capable of balancing profitability and customer satisfaction in real time.

Sustainable and Resilient Order Management

Sustainability will also influence how OMS platforms evolve. Future systems will factor in carbon impact, route optimization for fuel efficiency, and sustainable packaging choices. They will also support operational resilience — rerouting orders automatically during disruptions such as natural disasters, strikes, or supply chain breakdowns.

This shift will redefine success metrics from speed and cost alone to include sustainability, risk management, and long-term customer trust.

Final Words: Building Connected Enterprise Commerce on Top of OMS

The evolution of commerce has made efficiency, transparency, and adaptability non-negotiable. And order management systems sit at the heart of that transformation, linking every sales channel, fulfillment center, and customer interaction into one cohesive network. What once required dozens of disconnected tools can now be managed from a single, intelligent platform capable of routing orders, forecasting demand, and maintaining trust with every purchase.

The key takeaway is that choosing and implementing an order management system isn’t just about streamlining operations; it’s about future-proofing your business. As AI, automation, and robotics reshape fulfillment, retailers and brands that invest early in modern order management technology will gain a measurable competitive edge. They’ll be able to adapt faster to new sales models, manage growing complexity with less friction, and deliver on customer promises at scale.

In the end, success in modern ecommerce doesn’t come from the number of channels you sell through. It comes from how seamlessly they work together. A strong OMS ensures that every product, process, and promise stays in sync, giving businesses the foundation to grow confidently in an era where speed, precision, and customer trust define long-term success.

To learn more about related concepts, explore our Glossary of Ecommerce Terms.

FAQ about Order Management System (OMS)

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