When a small-footprint distribution center went live on SAP EWM, execution broke down fast.

Backlogs grew, staging space disappeared, and teams struggled to explain what wasn’t working—only that it wasn’t. Longstanding warehouse practices that once relied on experience and tribal knowledge were suddenly exposed by the system. Picking wasn’t the issue. Flow was.

Deliver Logistics Solutions embedded on site to help the operation regain control. By redesigning wave release, restoring order management discipline, correcting master data gaps, and re-establishing ownership beyond the pick, DLS helped the site reduce backlog and rebuild a shared understanding of how work should flow in SAP EWM—despite tight space and high SKU complexity.

This case study walks through:

• What SAP EWM exposed that was previously hidden

• Why backlog grew even with strong effort on the floor

• How dock constraints and freight ownership were quietly driving congestion

• What it takes to stabilize execution after go-live without adding labor