Mobile Device Management is entirely optional for Warehouse Insight deployments. There is no requirement to use it, and many customers run Warehouse Insight successfully on manually configured devices without ever purchasing MDM services. The decision to use MDM comes down to project size, location complexity, and how much the implementation team wants to streamline initial provisioning.
What MDM Does
Insight Works offers MDM services through its partnership with 42Gears, a mobile device management platform. When MDM is provisioned, each customer receives their own tenant with their own logins, meaning their device management environment is completely separate from other customers. The core benefit during deployment is that provisioning a device can be reduced to scanning a single barcode and waiting a few minutes for the device to configure itself automatically. Once provisioned, MDM also allows centralized management of the entire device fleet, including remote access to individual devices, device location tracking, and the ability to lock devices into kiosk mode to restrict what warehouse employees can access on the hardware.
For Small Projects
For projects with two or three devices, the general guidance is that MDM is unlikely to justify the additional cost. Once someone is familiar with the manual setup process for Warehouse Insight, provisioning a small number of devices takes very little time. The manual approach involves installing the APK, configuring the barcode scanning intent settings, entering the connection details, and logging in. For an experienced implementer, this is a straightforward process that does not take long per device. MDM adds the most value when the implementation involves a larger fleet, when devices are spread across multiple distributed locations, or when the implementing partner cannot be on-site to handle setup personally.
When MDM Becomes Worthwhile
As a general rule of thumb, MDM starts to make sense at around five or more concurrent devices. Beyond that threshold, the time saved during provisioning becomes more meaningful, and the ongoing management capabilities, such as remote access, device monitoring, and centralized software updates, provide real operational benefits. There is also a scenario where even a small deployment benefits from MDM: when the partner cannot be physically present and needs to hand provisioning off to the customer. In that situation, a customer scanning a single barcode to set up their own device is significantly simpler than walking them through a manual configuration over a phone call.
Pricing and Commitment
MDM is available at a per-device monthly rate for customers who do not purchase their hardware through Insight Works. Customers who do purchase hardware through Insight Works receive MDM at no additional cost. There is no long-term lock-in, and MDM can be cancelled at any time. This means that even for a short-term project, it may be worth considering if it removes friction from the go-live process, given the low monthly cost per device.
Relevant Tools
Warehouse Insight is the full-featured WMS solution from Insight Works that MDM is designed to support. WMS Express, the free entry-level solution, can also be managed through MDM, making it relevant for any Insight Works deployment regardless of license tier. In summary, MDM is optional and generally not necessary for very small projects, but it becomes a practical value-add as the device count grows or when remote provisioning is required.