Introducing IWS 6: The biggest evolution of IWS in years

For over two decades, Inteq Warehousing Software (IWS) has helped businesses optimise warehouse operations with powerful, reliable warehouse management technology. Founded by Tim and Matthew Wright in 2005, the platform has continually evolved to meet changing customer requirements and advances in technology.

Today, we’re proud to introduce IWS 6 – our most significant software release in several years.

Released as part of our annual major release cycle, IWS 6 delivers substantial improvements across the platform, from a refreshed user experience to enhanced operational workflows, stronger security, and a modern technology foundation. It represents another major step in our commitment to continuous innovation, while providing customers with the performance, flexibility and visibility they need to run efficient warehouse operations.

A fresh new look

The first thing users will notice when logging into IWS 6 is a refreshed interface. The rebrand is now complete, with every remaining legacy Invar reference removed to provide a consistent IWS identity throughout the application. From the login screen to the smallest dialogue box, every element has been modernised to create a cleaner, more intuitive experience.

The interface also introduces:

• Site-specific themes and branding, allowing each warehouse to customise colours, accents and system labels.
• Improved colour coding throughout operational workflows.
• Live route-map visualisations.
• Calendar-based scheduling views.
• Cleaner grids and simplified layouts for improved usability.

The result is an interface that’s easier to navigate while giving users clearer operational visibility.

A modern Portable Data Terminal

One of the most significant changes in IWS 6 is the complete redevelopment of the Portable Data Terminal (PDT).

Previously available only on Android devices, the PDT has been rebuilt using .NET MAUI, allowing a single application to run across Android, iOS and Windows.

This gives customers complete freedom when selecting handheld hardware, whether that’s rugged warehouse terminals, tablets or Windows-based mobile devices.

Alongside this, device registration has also been modernised, with secure HTTPS registration providing improved protection when enrolling new terminals.

Simplified enterprise login with Microsoft Entra ID

Managing user credentials has become much simpler.

IWS 6 now supports authentication through Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory), allowing organisations to use their existing corporate identities.

Instead of maintaining separate warehouse management passwords, employees simply sign in using the same company account they already use across Microsoft 365 and other business applications.

For IT teams this means:

• Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Centralised identity management
• Existing security policies apply automatically
• Reduced password administration
• Improved user experience

Smarter warehouse operations

IWS 6 introduces several enhancements that streamline order processing from allocation through to picking and despatch.

Automated Pick Group Builder

The new Pick Group Builder automatically creates and distributes picking groups according to scheduled rules.

Rather than manually managing picking workloads, the service intelligently:

• Splits work across available resources
• Respects warehouse zones
• Balances picking activity
• Reduces manual planning

The result is a more efficient picking operation with less administrative overhead.

Order hold reasons

Warehouse teams now have greater visibility whenever an order is placed on hold.

Managers can record a reason whenever an order is held, and that information is visible throughout the system, including order status, monitor dispatch, stock enquiry and other operational screens.

This provides better communication between departments while creating a clearer audit trail.

Improved stock allocation

Stock allocation has also received significant improvements.

A new “Awaiting Replenishment” stage prevents allocation and replenishment processes from competing with each other, reducing unnecessary processing loops and improving efficiency.

In addition, allocation performance has been optimised, while enhanced trace logging allows administrators to understand exactly why stock was – or wasn’t – allocated to an order.

These improvements make troubleshooting considerably easier while helping operations run more smoothly.

Security strengthened throughout

Security has been a major focus throughout the IWS 6 development cycle.

Enhancements include:

• Updated third-party packages to address known vulnerabilities.
• Resolution of high-severity cryptography library issues.
• Support for environment variables and secure tokens instead of storing passwords in configuration files.
• HTTPS-secured PDT registration.
• Clear identification of system-generated accounts.
• Fully reliable Elasticsearch 8 indexing for search, events and audit data.

Together, these improvements strengthen the platform while ensuring operational data remains accurate and trustworthy.

Powered by .NET 10

Behind the scenes, one of the biggest upgrades is the migration of the entire platform to Microsoft’s .NET 10 Long-Term Support (LTS) runtime.

Although largely invisible to end users, this provides significant long-term benefits, including:

• Improved overall performance
• Enhanced memory management
• Better threading across core services
• Modern security standards
• Long-term Microsoft support

This modern technology foundation ensures IWS is well positioned for continued development in the years ahead.

Over 60 additional enhancements

Alongside the headline features, IWS 6 includes more than 60 additional enhancements across the platform.

These smaller improvements touch every area of the system, delivering faster workflows, improved stability, greater usability and a smoother experience for both warehouse operators and administrators.

Looking ahead: IWS 7

The launch of IWS 6 is another important milestone in the evolution of Inteq Warehousing Software—but it’s only the beginning.

During Customer Day, we also shared an early preview of IWS 7, which is already under development. Building on the strong foundation established by IWS 6, the next major release will introduce further advances in automation, data-driven decision making, system integration and operational intelligence.

As always, our roadmap continues to be shaped by customer feedback, industry innovation and our commitment to delivering warehouse management software that grows alongside our customers’ businesses.

Continuing to evolve

For more than twenty years, IWS has continually adapted to meet the changing demands of modern warehousing. IWS 6 represents our most ambitious release in recent years—bringing together a modern user experience, enterprise-grade security, smarter warehouse operations and a future-ready technology platform.

Whether it’s giving operators greater flexibility, simplifying IT administration or improving warehouse efficiency, IWS 6 provides a stronger foundation for the future of warehouse management.