Custom software for 3PL operations
Your team should not need another spreadsheet to explain a bill or answer a shipment question. Ekyon builds focused 3PL client portals, billing workflows and integrations around the systems you already use.
Start with the work you want off your team's plate. Keep the WMS if it still does its job.
The work worth improving
These are possible scopes, not a bundle you must buy. We confirm the existing platform, the people doing the work and the result before recommending a build.
Your account team keeps answering the same stock, shipment or report questions.
An agreed view of inventory, orders, shipments and reports, with each client restricted to its own records. Start with the information clients need most, then scope requests or approvals separately.
Can two clients with similar SKUs see only their own records? Is the status current, and can the client recognise a delayed update?
Activity is recorded, but turning it into a checked invoice still takes spreadsheets and follow-ups.
A rate-card review, reconciliation report or exception queue connecting recorded warehouse activity to the agreed charges. Add invoice or accounting handoffs only after confirming the source records and rules.
Can finance trace receiving, storage, handling, minimums and adjustments back to the activity for one representative client?
Orders, stock or financial records need retyping, or nobody knows which updates failed.
A defined handoff between the WMS and the store, carrier, accounting system or internal tool. Agree the records, direction, timing, duplicate handling and person responsible when an update needs attention.
What happens to a changed order, a cancellation, a duplicate message or an unavailable service during the busiest period?
For example, an illustrative billing pilot could check one client's receiving and storage charges before finance approves the invoice. It is a scope to investigate, not a claimed customer result.
Choose the smallest useful change
A custom build needs a reason beyond disliking the subscription. Compare it with the supported options and include the cost of keeping either approach working.
| Starting point | When it fits | What to establish |
|---|---|---|
| Configure or buy | A supported product already handles the task. | Test the native feature with a real client and price the required plan, setup and support. |
| Add a focused tool | Warehouse execution works, but one handoff or client workflow does not. | Confirm access, define the missing step and budget both the build and the systems you retain. |
| Replace the WMS | Core receiving, stock or shipping workflows cannot meet the operation's needs. | Investigate the full operating scope, migration, floor testing, cutover and long-term support before quoting. |
ShipHero documents a branded client portal. Extensiv Billing Manager documents rate building, invoicing and client access. Their existence does not establish fit for every account, but it is a reason to test configuration before adding another application.
For integrations, confirm the records and actions available to your account, update timing and failure handling. ShipHero documents API request and complexity limits; those limits do not establish a fee for every API call. External charges and access still need checking.
Compare ShipHero, Extensiv and other WMS optionsBudget before a quote
Suitable focused custom projects start at US$5,000. Six to ten months of subscription spend the project could actually replace is a scope-dependent planning reference, with the minimum still applying. Retained subscriptions, hosting, external tools, support and future changes are separate. Full WMS replacement requires its own discovery and quote.
For example, US$1,000 per month of replaceable spend gives a US$6,000 to US$10,000 planning reference. This is an illustration, not a quote or promised payback. A portal added to a WMS does not remove that WMS subscription.
Inspect the delivery
For this document automation product, Ekyon built document collection, structured extraction, editable review, rules and accounting-export workflows. The case study shows the screens and handoffs, including how users inspect records and track export status.
This is evidence of that product delivery in another context. It is not a completed 3PL WMS replacement or a ShipHero or Extensiv migration case study.
See the document automation case study
One plan for the agreed work
You should know who handles the integration, who checks the records and who responds when something needs attention. We can scope ongoing maintenance and monitoring alongside the build, with named responsibilities and response expectations.
Walk through one client's receipt, order, shipment and bill. Identify the repeated work, check native options and agree what would count as a useful improvement.
Test access and sample records. Define the screens, rules, integrations and acceptance checks, with costs, exclusions and responsibilities in the proposal.
Use copied records or a separated client scope. Check permissions, corrections, missed updates and reconciliation with warehouse, account and finance users.
Agree the release window, one owner of each live process, rollback conditions, training and support. Document access, monitoring and the next priorities.
The agreed software work, integration checks, delivery plan, documentation and handover. Maintenance coverage, monitoring and change capacity are recorded in the proposal.
An operations contact, approved client rules, secure access and representative records. Warehouse and finance users validate the pilot and authorise changes to live processes.
If migration is needed, test export and import coverage before scheduling it. Reconcile stock, open orders and billing records. One system controls live stock, order processing and shipping labels at each stage. Cutover timing and rollback depend on your operation; zero downtime is not promised.
Explore our broader workflow and integration serviceBefore you decide
No. First check the current system's configuration, supported portal and billing options. If warehouse execution works, a focused report, portal or integration may address the remaining gap. We confirm access, record coverage and operating responsibilities before proposing custom work. The WMS subscription stays in the budget if you keep it.
Suitable focused custom projects start at US$5,000. Six to ten months of subscription spend the project could actually replace is a scope-dependent planning reference, with the minimum still applying. Retained subscriptions, hosting, external tools, support and future changes are separate. Full WMS replacement requires its own discovery and quote. For example, US$1,000 per month of genuinely replaceable spend gives a US$6,000 to US$10,000 planning reference, subject to scope. This is not a full-WMS price or a payback promise.
We can investigate a defined integration or workflow around those platforms. Feasibility depends on your account access, supported records and actions, API limits and any commercial terms. First test the native options. Ekyon is an independent software development provider; this page does not claim vendor partnership, certification or a completed ShipHero or Extensiv migration.
Confirm export and import coverage, client ownership, stock, open orders, returns and billing records first. Test a separated pilot or copied records, reconcile the results, and agree the cutover owner and rollback conditions. One system must control live stock, order processing and shipping labels at each stage. Timing and disruption depend on the operation; we do not promise zero downtime.
The proposal records source-code ownership, repository and hosting access, third-party licences, handover and support responsibilities. We can scope ongoing maintenance and integration monitoring with a named contact and response expectations. Running costs and external platform charges remain part of the budget; custom software is not automatically free to operate.
Your current WMS and connected tools, the repeated manual task, affected roles, normal and peak volumes, and the result you want. A budget range and renewal deadline are useful. You do not need a technical specification. Share credentials and sensitive client or shipment records only through an agreed secure process.
Vendor references checked October 11, 2026. Ekyon is an independent development provider. Confirm current product access and terms with your vendor.
Bring the task, not a specification
Tell us the current WMS, the portal, billing or integration problem, and the result you want. Normal and peak volumes, a budget range and any renewal deadline help us discuss the right starting scope.
Share credentials and sensitive client or shipment records only through an agreed secure process.