How to add a mobile app to Global Shop Solutions
Short answer
Start with the mobile and shop floor data collection options Global Shop itself offers for your version, then add a custom app only for gaps such as specialised scanning, approvals or offline use. A custom app talks to a thin API in front of the ERP, never to the database from the device.
A job shop floor runs on movement: material to the machine, job to inspection, parts to shipping. If every transaction needs a walk to a terminal, the ERP is always a few minutes behind reality and people stop trusting it.
Global Shop Solutions has historically supported shop floor data collection and mobile options, and the names and feature sets vary by version, so confirm what your licence covers before building. Customers still hit gaps: a cycle counting flow the way their auditors want, a quality check form, an approvals app for executives, a driver delivery capture, or a mobile view for service technicians.
A custom app is mostly an exercise in good boundaries: a small API service you own, strict permissions, and screens that do one job each.
What teams use it for
Barcode material moves
Scan a part or lot barcode and a location label to move inventory, with checks for valid location and quantity.
Labor and job reporting
Start, stop and complete operations on a tablet at the machine, with a record of setup and run time.
Cycle counting
Assign count lists to a user, scan locations and parts, record counts and flag variances for supervisor review.
Mobile approvals
Show pending purchase orders or time-off style approvals to a manager with the context to decide in one screen.
Quality inspection forms
Capture measurements, pass or fail, photos and nonconformance flags at the inspection point, tied to job and operation.
Shipping and receiving scans
Confirm pick, pack and receipt by scanning against open orders or POs.
Global Shop Solutions integration surface
- Vendor shop floor data collection and mobile tools included with some versions; verify exactly which are licensed and supported for yours.
- ODBC read access for lookups, with a middleware API in front so devices never hold database credentials.
- Supported import or interface routes for posting labor, inventory moves and receipts. Direct SQL writes to transactional tables should be avoided.
- Barcode label printing from the ERP to define the formats your scanners will read.
- Wi-Fi coverage and the plant network layout, which matter as much as the API for device reliability.
How it works
- 1
Inventory what the vendor already provides
List the vendor's mobile and data collection capabilities for your version and map each shop floor task to covered or not covered.
- 2
Pick the device strategy
Rugged Android handhelds with scanners, tablets at machines, or personal phones. Decide on managed devices and a mobile device management tool.
- 3
Build a thin API
An internal service exposes a few endpoints, such as get job, report labor, move stock. It authenticates users, validates input and calls the ERP read and write paths.
- 4
Authenticate sensibly
Badge scan plus PIN on shared devices, or SSO with Entra ID on personal devices. Map to an ERP employee for labor and an ERP user for approvals.
- 5
Design for the floor
Large targets, scan-first inputs, minimal typing, and clear error messages. Test with gloves and bad lighting.
- 6
Handle offline and retries
Queue transactions locally with an idempotency key so a poor signal does not create duplicates when the device reconnects.
- 7
Pilot on one cell
Run one work center for a few weeks, compare transactions to paper, then roll out.
Example flows
Operator reports a completed operation
Trigger: An operator finishes a run and scans the job traveler barcode.
- App fetches the job and operation, and confirms the operator is clocked in.
- Operator enters good and scrap quantities.
- API posts the labor and quantity through the supported path.
- Next operation and work center are shown on screen.
Result: The job status is current within seconds, and supervisors see it on the schedule.
Cycle count from a handheld
Trigger: A counter opens an assigned list.
- Counter scans a location and a part.
- Counter enters the quantity.
- Variances beyond tolerance require a recount.
- Supervisor approves, and the adjustment is posted.
Result: Counts are faster and variances are controlled with a record.
Keeping data on-prem
A mobile app for a plant-based ERP can stay entirely on the local network. Host the API on a server in the plant, reach it over plant Wi-Fi, and use no cloud at all if you prefer. Remote access for managers can come through a VPN or a zero-trust gateway rather than opening the ERP to the internet. If you add AI features, such as asking questions about a job by voice or text, serve an open-weight model from a local GPU host and keep the prompts and answers on the LAN. Devices should be managed, with remote wipe and screen lock, since they hold session tokens even if they hold no ERP data.
Security checklist
- Never put database credentials in the app; all access goes through your API.
- Use per-user authentication and map transactions to the correct employee or user.
- Apply least privilege: operators post labor, not purchase orders.
- Encrypt traffic with TLS, pin certificates where practical, and manage devices with MDM.
- Log every transaction with device ID, user, time and payload hash.
Ways to get it done
Use the vendor's mobile and data collection tools
Effort: Configuration and training, within the licence.
Standard labor, inventory and scanning needs that they cover.
Low-code mobile platform over your own API
Effort: Weeks, plus platform licences.
Custom forms and approvals without full app development.
Custom build with a partner such as Netray
Effort: Scoped pilot on one cell, then roll out.
Unique flows, offline needs or AI features on the floor.
Pitfalls
- !Building before checking what your current licence already provides.
- !Direct database writes from the app, which bypass ERP business rules.
- !Poor Wi-Fi in the plant, which makes any app look broken.
- !Duplicate transactions after reconnect with no idempotency key.
- !Overloading screens, so operators go back to paper.
Frequently asked questions
Does Global Shop Solutions have a mobile app?
The vendor has offered mobile and shop floor data collection options, but names and capabilities depend on version and licence. Ask your account team what is included before you plan a custom app.
Can a custom app write to Global Shop directly?
It should write only through a supported interface or import path, not by direct SQL into transactional tables. Direct writes can bypass validation and cause costing or inventory errors that are hard to unwind.
Does the app need internet access?
No. For plant use, it can run entirely on the local network with an API hosted on-site. Remote users can connect through VPN or a secure gateway.
How do we handle offline use?
Queue transactions on the device with idempotency keys and sync when connectivity returns. Limit offline mode to simple transactions like scans and labor, and warn users about conflicts.
Can we add AI to the mobile app?
Yes, for example voice or text questions about a job, or photo-based defect logging. For sensitive data, run the model on-prem so prompts and answers never leave your network.
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