What is Corax
Corax is a warehouse management system that is strong in complex 3PL: multiple clients in one warehouse, differentiated pricing per client, and multi-location storage. The system is solid and configurable, exactly what you need when your warehouse serves twelve clients with twelve different agreements.
But Corax also has weak sides. The UI has a steep learning curve. The configuration options are extensive, which also means: many choices you can get wrong. And projects get stuck when the underlying process is not in order before configuration starts. That is not a Corax problem. That is an implementation problem. We help prevent it.
Our role in a Corax project
We do not implement Corax ourselves. Centric does. What we do is stand next to you during that project.
Representing your interest. We translate your processes into requirements, test what is delivered and train your people so they understand the system.
Independent second opinion. “This is not possible in standard Corax” is something we can test without political conflict.
The knowledge stays. After go-live we remain available, and your team is trained by us to operate the system and to understand it.
Read more about this role on our WMS implementation page. For optimisation of existing Corax environments, see WMS optimisation. For integration projects, see WMS integration.
Our experience with Corax
We have guided Corax implementations in various logistics environments: cold chain 3PL, fulfilment for e-commerce-style clients, and general cargo logistics providers. The common factor was complexity: multiple clients, multiple locations, varying process flows per client.
We know the system inside out: the data model, the per-client security settings, EDI links, batch jobs and reporting structures. That means we do not start with “let’s explore the system”. We start with your process.
No client names. No logos. But real experience with the edge cases that can hit a configuration project hard.
Typical implementation projects
A Corax implementation we sit alongside always runs through the same phases, although the lead time varies strongly with scope.
Kick-off (1-2 days): we walk along on the warehouse floor, on every relevant shift. We watch, listen and ask questions. Only then do we put anything on paper.
Data model and configuration choices (1 week): together we decide which client-specific settings are needed, which process flows are supported, and which exceptions become standard. Those are the decisions that determine the rest of the project.
Configuration phase (3-6 weeks): this is where the real work happens. Location structure, client profiles, pick strategies, receiving flows, labels, EDI links. Centric builds, we test and you validate from the operation.
Parallel run (2 weeks): the new system runs next to the old one. Anything that deviates is tracked and resolved before we go live.
Go-live and aftercare (2-4 weeks): go-live is not the end point. We remain available for questions, escalations and adjustments based on the first weeks.
Indicative lead time: 3-6 months, depending on scope, number of clients and integrations. Indicative cost: tens of thousands of euros. We do not give an indicative price without asking first. Only then a proposal.
Common mistakes and how we prevent them
Standardising against the grain. Many implementations fail because someone decided that “everyone does it the same”. We ask first: where does standardisation help and where does it break your client relationships? Only then do we decide what becomes standard.
Parametrising too early. When the process is still moving, every configuration choice is temporary. We make sure the process is stable before configuration starts. That saves iterations.
Involving the warehouse floor too late. The operator who works with the system every day knows things the project lead does not. We make sure operators take part from week 1, not as end users who get “trained”, but as experts who provide input.
The expectation that Corax fixes process problems. A WMS amplifies the process that is there. It does not clean up a mess. If your receiving process is chaotic now, with Corax it becomes chaotic-but-digital. We address that before we start.
When we advise against a Corax implementation
We advise against Corax implementations in these situations:
- The process is not yet stable. Then first process mapping, then WMS.
- The volume does not justify the licence cost. Corax fits warehouses with real complexity, not every warehouse environment.
- The team has less than 8-16 hours per week available during the implementation. A WMS project needs commitment from your side. Without that, it fails.
We do not recommend an implementation that does not help. If Corax does not fit, we say so.
How we work
We start on the warehouse floor. Always. Only when we understand how the work really flows do we advise on how the system supports it.
Read more about our approach on our approach page. Our rate is €110 per hour, transparent and without hidden costs. No project budgets that shift halfway through.
FAQ
How long does a typical Corax implementation take? Three to six months, depending on scope, number of client profiles and integrations.
Can we migrate from another WMS? Yes. Migration requires a solid data mapping plan (inventory, clients, locations, historical orders) and a parallel run of at least two weeks. We guide that project from start to finish.
What is the difference between Corax and Boltrics? Both are WMS platforms for 3PL, but they sit differently in the ecosystem. Corax stands on its own. Boltrics is built on Microsoft Dynamics 365. Read more on Boltrics consultant.
“Corax is strong when your process is already tight. Then it acts as a catalyst. But Corax does not fix a messy process. It amplifies it.”