How to build a mobile app for Acumatica
Short answer
Start with Acumatica's own mobile app and mobile site map, which can be customized to expose chosen screens and fields. For barcode scanning, labor entry and offline needs beyond that, build a custom app over the contract-based REST API or use the warehouse scanning screens if you license them.
Acumatica ships an official mobile app for iOS and Android that mirrors a selection of ERP screens in a phone-friendly layout, and the Mobile Site Map lets administrators choose what appears. For approvals, expense entry and quick lookups, that is often enough.
The shop floor is where it stops being enough. Operators want to scan a bin and a part, report a quantity against a production order, clock labor against an operation, and do it with a rugged handheld with a gun trigger and a flaky wifi pocket.
This page separates what the stock mobile app and warehouse scanning can do from what needs a purpose-built app, and how that app should talk to Acumatica without becoming a security hole.
What teams use it for
Inventory moves and cycle counts
Scan a location barcode, scan an item, enter a quantity and post a transfer or count line.
Production labor and material reporting
An operator selects a production order and operation, starts and stops time and reports completed quantity and scrap.
Receiving against purchase orders
Scan the PO, receive lines, capture lot or serial numbers and photograph the packing slip.
Field service and delivery
Technicians and drivers see assigned work, capture signatures and photos and update status on site.
Manager approvals on the go
Approve purchase orders and expense claims from the standard mobile app with the existing approval maps.
Acumatica integration surface
- Acumatica mobile app and Mobile Site Map: screens and fields are published through the mobile framework and can be customized in a customization project.
- Warehouse management scanning screens: where licensed, they provide RF-style flows for receive, pick, pack and move, usable in a browser on a handheld.
- Contract-based REST API: the basis for any custom app, with entities for inventory, transfers, production orders and attachments, plus custom endpoints for extra fields.
- OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect sign in: use short-lived tokens and the person's own identity on the device.
- Customization platform: add custom fields or actions the mobile flow needs, for example a scan-ready lookup by barcode cross reference.
How it works
- 1
Inventory the tasks
List each shop floor task, who does it, what hardware they use and whether wifi is reliable at the spot. Many tasks fit the stock app; mark the ones that do not.
- 2
Use the stock tools first
Publish approvals and lookups through the Mobile Site Map and test the official app. Try warehouse scan screens for receiving and moves if you have them.
- 3
Pick the build style
A progressive web app is easiest to deploy; a native or cross-platform app is better when you need background scanning, camera control or robust offline storage.
- 4
Design the API layer
Create a custom web service endpoint with only the entities and fields the app needs. Add barcode lookup and reduce round trips with composite calls where possible.
- 5
Add offline handling
Queue transactions with a unique client key, replay when the connection returns, and show clear states for pending and failed items.
- 6
Pilot on one line
Roll out to a single work centre or warehouse zone, measure scan error rate and time per transaction, and fix the flow before expanding.
Example flows
Scan to receive against PO
Trigger: A receiver scans the PO barcode on the dock.
- The app loads open lines through the API.
- The receiver scans each item and enters the quantity.
- Lot numbers are scanned where required and a packing slip photo is taken.
- The purchase receipt is created and the file is attached.
Result: Receipts post at the dock with traceability data instead of at a desk later.
Report production quantity
Trigger: An operator finishes a batch at a work centre.
- They scan the production order traveller barcode.
- The app shows the open operation and expected quantity.
- They enter the good and scrap quantities and a reason code.
- The transaction is queued with a client key and posted when connected.
Result: WIP is current within minutes and duplicates are prevented by the key.
Keeping data on-prem
On-premises Acumatica typically sits on a plant network that handhelds can reach over wifi, which makes a local-first app practical. Expose the API through your reverse proxy or a VPN rather than directly, use certificates that devices trust, and use device management to control which handhelds can connect. A natural-language layer, such as voice entry or an assistant that explains a shortage, can use an open-weight model on a local server so shop floor questions never leave the facility.
Security checklist
- Sign operators in with their own identity or badge-backed token, not a shared kiosk login, so labor and moves are attributable.
- Enforce device lock, encryption and remote wipe through device management.
- Limit the API surface to the app's endpoint and reject writes outside defined transaction types.
- Use idempotency keys so retries after a dropped connection do not double-post inventory.
Ways to get it done
Stock Acumatica mobile app
Effort: Configuration through the Mobile Site Map.
Approvals, expenses, lookups, simple data entry.
Warehouse scanning screens or marketplace scanning app
Effort: Weeks, plus hardware.
Receiving, picking, moves and counts, if your licence supports it.
Custom app or Netray build
Effort: Typically one to three months for a pilot to production.
Shop floor labor, production reporting, offline use, or bespoke flows for your processes.
Pitfalls
- !Putting a desktop screen on a phone and expecting operators to use it with gloves.
- !Not testing on the actual handheld scanners, whose keyboard wedge behaviour differs from phones.
- !Treating offline as an afterthought; plant wifi dead zones are common.
- !Posting transactions without a client key, causing duplicates after a retry.
- !Ignoring licence limits on API calls or users when many handhelds poll frequently.
Frequently asked questions
Does Acumatica have a mobile app?
Yes, Acumatica provides a mobile app for iOS and Android, with a configurable set of screens through the Mobile Site Map. It suits approvals, lookups and some entry tasks. Heavy shop floor use usually calls for scanning screens or a custom app.
Can we scan barcodes in Acumatica?
Yes. Handhelds that act as a keyboard wedge work with many fields, and warehouse management offers purpose-built scanning screens where licensed. Check what your edition includes before choosing hardware.
Can the app work offline?
A custom app can, by queueing transactions and syncing later. The stock mobile app expects connectivity for most operations. Decide your offline rules per transaction, because some, like inventory moves, are riskier to replay.
Should we use the REST API or build a customization?
Use the REST API and a custom endpoint for the app's data. Use a customization project for new fields, screens or actions the app needs on the server side. Keep logic in Acumatica where it benefits every channel.
Is a progressive web app good enough?
For many plants yes: it deploys without an app store and works with scanner wedges. Choose native when you need deep camera control, background sync or robust local storage.
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