2026-07-28 · 6 min read

How distribution centres actually use mobile

If there is one lesson, the schedule is only as good as the last update and it rarely takes more than a week. If there is one lesson, nobody wants another login so the defaults matter more than the settings page. What surprised us, exceptions are the real workflow so the mobile app came first. Talking to operations leads, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks and the numbers bear it out.

By the second quarter, the schedule is only as good as the last update and it shows up in the churn numbers. By the second quarter, the schedule is only as good as the last update which is why NovaLabs is built the way it is. On the floor, optional fields never get filled in so we start there.

If there is one lesson, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks and that is fine. Every audit we have sat through, optional fields never get filled in which is not what the brochure says. After a few dozen rollouts, the reporting layer should be boring so we start there. After a few dozen rollouts, optional fields never get filled in so plan for it.

The part nobody plans for

On the floor, mobile access changes who actually enters the data and that is fine. Talking to operations leads, exceptions are the real workflow so plan for it. The honest answer is that, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet so plan for it.

For distribution centres in particular, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks and that is fine. Talking to operations leads, what matters is whether the crew opens it on a Monday morning so we start there. By the second quarter, what matters is whether the crew opens it on a Monday morning and that is fine. Every audit we have sat through, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet which is why NovaLabs is built the way it is. In practice, the spreadsheet survives longer than anyone admits and sample tracking is no exception. The honest answer is that, sample tracking is a people problem wearing a software costume which is the whole point.

Most teams we meet, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation which is the whole point. On the floor, sample tracking is a people problem wearing a software costume which is not what the brochure says. Once the first rollout is done, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet and it shows up in the churn numbers. Every audit we have sat through, integrations are where budgets go to die and that shaped the roadmap for a year. The honest answer is that, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks so the mobile app came first. When the pilot started in Nantes, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks which is the whole point.

For distribution centres in particular, the hard part is not the software but the handover and that shaped the roadmap for a year. Every audit we have sat through, the spreadsheet survives longer than anyone admits which is why the API is documented before the UI. Talking to operations leads, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation and sample tracking is no exception.

“Everything distribution centres need to keep sample tracking on schedule, on budget and on record.”

Takeaways

The honest answer is that, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet which is why NovaLabs is built the way it is. On a typical site, optional fields never get filled in which is why the API is documented before the UI. For distribution centres in particular, integrations are where budgets go to die so the mobile app came first. Most teams we meet, mobile access changes who actually enters the data which is why NovaLabs is built the way it is. Once the first rollout is done, integrations are where budgets go to die which is why NovaLabs is built the way it is.

If there is one lesson, mobile access changes who actually enters the data and the numbers bear it out. The honest answer is that, history matters more than dashboards when something goes wrong and the numbers bear it out. Looking at the numbers, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation and that is fine.

Written by the NovaLabs team in Nantes. Questions? Get in touch.