How to add a mobile app to Fishbowl
Short answer
Start with Fishbowl's own mobile app (Fishbowl Go, with licensing and features depending on your plan) for scanning, picking and counting. Where it does not fit, build a thin custom app over the Fishbowl API for specific jobs such as approvals, labor reporting or customer-site delivery, and plan for connectivity from the warehouse floor to your server.
Warehouse and field staff at Fishbowl sites want a handheld that scans a barcode and does the right thing: receive against a PO, move stock, pick an order, count a bin. Fishbowl offers its own mobile app for much of this, and for many users that is the right answer.
The mobile question gets harder when the workflow is unusual. A job shop wants labor reporting by work order, a distributor wants delivery drivers to capture signatures, a buyer wants to approve POs from a phone, or a site has dead zones in the racking. Those needs lead to custom apps or hybrids.
Because most Fishbowl servers are on-premises, mobile is as much a network design problem as an app problem. Devices need a safe path to the server, whether over warehouse Wi-Fi, a VPN or a reverse proxy, and they must handle the moments the connection drops.
What teams use it for
Scan-based receiving
Scan the PO and item barcodes at the dock, enter quantities and lot or serial data, and post the receipt immediately.
Pick, pack and ship on a handheld
Guide a picker through bin locations with scan confirmation, then hand off to packing and carrier labels.
Cycle counts and transfers
Count by location, review variances, and move stock between locations or locations in a multi-site setup.
Approvals on the go
A custom screen lets a manager review and approve POs or time entries from a phone after rights are checked.
Proof of delivery
Drivers capture a signature and photo against a shipment, which uploads and attaches to the order when connected.
Production floor reporting
For sites using Fishbowl manufacturing, report work order progress or component consumption from a tablet at the line.
Fishbowl integration surface
- Fishbowl Go, the vendor's mobile offering for tasks like receiving, picking and counting; its availability, device support and licensing vary by version and plan, so confirm with Fishbowl.
- Fishbowl REST API for custom apps, authenticated with an approved integration app and a token session; confirm which objects and actions your version exposes.
- Legacy JSON API over TCP, which is rarely a good fit for direct mobile use and is better kept behind a backend.
- Barcode and label features in Fishbowl, including printing barcodes for parts and locations, which custom scanning workflows depend on.
- Fishbowl tracking settings for lot, serial and expiry, which determine what a scan screen must collect.
How it works
- 1
Pin down the jobs to be done
List each mobile task with who does it, where, and what must be scanned. Compare to what Fishbowl Go already covers before building anything.
- 2
Decide the network path
Options are on-site Wi-Fi only, a VPN profile on managed devices, or a hardened reverse proxy. Do not expose the Fishbowl port directly to the internet.
- 3
Build a thin backend
For custom apps, put a small API between the device and Fishbowl. It holds the Fishbowl credentials, enforces per-user rules and reduces chatty calls.
- 4
Choose the client
A progressive web app on rugged Android scanners with keyboard-wedge scanning is the quickest. Native apps help for background upload and camera-heavy flows.
- 5
Design for dropouts
Queue transactions locally with idempotency keys, show clear sync state, and resolve conflicts such as stock changing while offline.
- 6
Pilot with real devices
Walk the racking with the intended handheld, test scan speed in poor light and glove use, then roll out by task.
Example flows
Offline-tolerant cycle count
Trigger: A counter starts a count in a low-signal aisle.
- The app downloads the location's expected quantities.
- The counter scans bins and enters counts; entries queue on the device.
- When Wi-Fi returns, the queue syncs with keys that prevent doubles.
- Variances above a threshold go to a supervisor before adjustment.
Result: Counts happen without waiting for signal, and large adjustments still get a second look.
Driver delivery capture
Trigger: A driver completes a delivery.
- The app shows the day's shipments assigned to the driver.
- The driver takes a signature and photo.
- The backend uploads files and links them to the shipment or order.
Result: Customer service can send proof of delivery the same day.
Keeping data on-prem
With Fishbowl on your own server, put the mobile backend on the same network and let devices reach it over site Wi-Fi or a VPN. For off-site users, publish only the backend behind a reverse proxy with authentication, never the Fishbowl API or MySQL directly. If you add voice or natural-language features, such as asking the handheld what is in a bin, serve an open-weight model locally so inventory data stays inside the network.
Security checklist
- Authenticate each user individually and map them to a Fishbowl user; avoid shared device logins.
- Use managed devices with screen lock, remote wipe and certificate-based access where possible.
- Keep Fishbowl credentials on the backend only, never in the mobile app bundle.
- Encrypt traffic end to end and limit what is cached on the device.
- Log scans and posts with user, device and time for traceability.
Ways to get it done
Use Fishbowl Go as provided
Effort: Days to configure, subject to licensing.
Standard receiving, picking, counting and moves with supported devices.
Custom PWA or native app over the Fishbowl API
Effort: Six to twelve weeks depending on offline needs and device management.
Specific workflows Fishbowl Go does not cover, or branded customer-facing apps.
Partner build with Netray
Effort: Scoped per workflow; a single job pilot first.
You want a custom app with AI features such as photo-based part lookup, on-prem hosting and integration with your other systems.
Pitfalls
- !Building a custom app before testing whether Fishbowl Go already fits the workflow.
- !Assuming warehouse Wi-Fi covers every aisle, cold room and trailer.
- !Letting devices talk straight to the Fishbowl API port, creating a wide attack surface.
- !No idempotency, so a retry after a timeout posts the same receipt twice.
- !Ignoring lot, serial and expiry rules in scan screens for tracked parts.
Frequently asked questions
Does Fishbowl have its own mobile app?
Yes, Fishbowl offers a mobile app called Fishbowl Go for warehouse tasks. What it includes, which devices it supports and how it is licensed depend on your version and plan, so check with Fishbowl before planning around it. It is usually the first thing to evaluate.
When do I need a custom app?
When the workflow is outside the standard app: custom approvals, driver proof of delivery, labor capture by shift, integration with other systems, or a branded customer portal. If the task is receive, pick, move and count, test the standard app first.
Can the app work offline?
A custom app can queue actions locally and sync later, but offline inventory is never free. You must handle stock that changed in the meantime and prevent duplicates. Limit offline to tasks like counts and receiving drafts, and require a connection for allocation-critical steps.
How do remote users connect to an on-prem Fishbowl?
Use a VPN, a zero-trust access tool or a reverse proxy in front of a custom backend. Avoid port-forwarding the Fishbowl server itself. Whichever route you choose, require per-user authentication and keep the database off the public internet.
Can AI be added to a mobile app?
Yes for narrow tasks like reading a label with the camera, finding a part by description, or answering a stock question by voice. Keep the model advisory, confirm with a scan, and consider local hosting if the images or questions reveal sensitive inventory.
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