How Low-Code Development Lowers the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of a Supply Chain Software Solution

For supply chain organizations, total cost of ownership (TCO) for warehouse software can extend far beyond initial expectations. Without built-in flexibility, software often requires third-party integrations, bolt-on applications and external development work that can exceed the expected investment. 

Low-code development fundamentally changes this equation. By enabling warehouse teams to customize and extend their systems without traditional programming, it transforms software from a static tool into a dynamic platform that evolves with your operations. Here we explore how low-code development directly impacts four major components of supply chain software TCO. 

1. Reduced development costs

Traditional software development requires skilled developers, lengthy coding processes and extensive testing phases. Low-code platforms streamline this dynamic by empowering supply chain teams to build solutions themselves, which reduces the need for specialized programming expertise and boosts warehouse management system ROI. 

Instead of submitting IT tickets and waiting in development queues, a warehouse supervisor can modify picking workflows, create custom dashboards or automate exception handling — a direct approach that cuts development costs. 

2. Faster time to market

Traditional development cycles mean missing critical windows where operational improvements directly impact revenue and customer satisfaction. Low-code development accelerates application deployment, significantly reducing time to market. With traditional development, delays can arise due to resource bottlenecks or lengthy coding phases. By contrast, low-code platforms allow business users to rapidly create and deploy applications, ensuring that solutions are ready when needed. This speed advantage translates into competitive wins and captured efficiency gains. 

3. Investment protection through seamless upgrades

With traditional software customizations, each system upgrade can create problems: custom code breaks, integrations fail and you're forced to choose between staying current or preserving your operational improvements. Many organizations stick with outdated versions for years, missing security updates and new features just to avoid losing their customizations. 

Low-code platforms built into your WMS architecture solve this problem by preserving your customizations through system upgrades. When the vendor releases new features or security patches, your custom workflows, dashboards and integrations automatically carry forward without breaking. You get the latest system capabilities while maintaining all the operational improvements your team has built. 

This means warehouse teams can continuously improve their processes without fear of losing their work during the next upgrade cycle. Your investment in customization compounds over time rather than becoming a barrier to staying current with evolving technology. 

4. Adaptability to changing business requirements

As supply chain operations evolve, traditional software solutions become costly as each change requires custom development and complex implementations. Low-code capabilities transform your WMS from a fixed system into an adaptive platform.  

This adaptability protects your technology investment by ensuring it remains relevant and valuable as your business changes. Instead of facing expensive system overhauls every few years, you have a platform that grows alongside your operational needs. 

Low-code development fundamentally changes the TCO equation for warehouse software. By eliminating expensive customization projects, accelerating operational improvements, preserving investments through upgrades and adapting to changing requirements without system overhauls, organizations can see substantially lower total ownership costs while gaining operational agility. 

Download our e-book Maximize Low-Code Development: Bridge the Gap Between IT and Warehouse Operations to learn how embedded low-code platforms reduce TCO and boost ROI.