How to add a mobile app to Infor SyteLine
Short answer
Use SyteLine's IDO REST service as the backend for a purpose-built mobile or rugged-handheld app: scanning, inventory moves, job labor and approvals. Decide first whether Infor's own mobile-friendly forms are enough, then build a thin app for the flows they do not cover, with a plan for weak Wi-Fi.
Warehouse and shop-floor staff do not want a desktop form. They want to scan a bin, scan a part, type a quantity and move on. SyteLine's rich-client and browser forms are built for desks, so many plants have a gap between where work happens and where it is recorded, usually filled by paper travelers and end-of-shift data entry.
Infor has offered mobile-oriented options over the years, including mobile-enabled forms and apps tied to Infor OS, and shop floor data collection features in SyteLine. What exists in your environment depends on version and licensing, so it is worth auditing before building. Where they fit, use them. Where they do not, a small custom app on the IDO REST service is a practical route.
This page covers the choices that decide whether a mobile project works: scanning hardware, connectivity, and which transactions to move first.
What teams use it for
Inventory moves and cycle counts
Scan from bin, item and to bin, confirm the quantity, and post a move or count adjustment through the inventory IDOs, with a reason code where required.
Purchase order receiving
Scan the PO and item on the dock, enter quantity and lot, and create the receipt, with warnings for overages beyond tolerance.
Job labor and quantity reporting
Operators clock on and off operations by scanning the job traveler, and report good and scrap quantities by operation.
Material issue to jobs
Kitters scan a job and lot to issue material, reducing shortages and mismatched lots at the machine.
Shipping and pick confirmation
Pickers confirm lines against the pick list by scanning item and location, with exceptions flagged back to the CSR.
Manager approvals and exception review
Supervisors approve overtime, scrap or PO releases from a phone, with the decision recorded against their SyteLine user.
Infor SyteLine (CloudSuite Industrial) integration surface
- IDO REST service: loads for lookups and method invocation for transactions, with token or session based authentication depending on whether you are on-prem or in CloudSuite Industrial.
- ION API Gateway and OAuth2 service accounts for cloud-hosted CloudSuite Industrial, which is the normal way for external apps to authenticate in that environment.
- SyteLine shop floor and job transaction functions, which the app should call through the same methods the standard forms use so costing and WIP rules are respected.
- Inventory transaction IDOs for moves, adjustments, receipts and issues, including lot and serial handling and warehouse or location validation.
- Single sign-on through Infor OS where configured, versus a dedicated app login mapped to SyteLine users on a classic on-prem install.
How it works
- 1
Audit what Infor already gives you
Check for mobile-enabled forms, shop floor data collection and any Infor OS mobile apps in your entitlements. Document the gaps by workflow rather than by feature.
- 2
Pick the device and scanning approach
Rugged Android handhelds with built-in scanners are common on docks and floors. Camera scanning on phones is fine for low volume and approvals.
- 3
Design a thin backend
Put a small API between the app and the IDO REST service to simplify payloads, enforce rules, and cache lookups. This also lets you swap SyteLine versions without changing the app.
- 4
Authenticate and authorize
Use SSO where available, otherwise tokens issued per user and mapped to SyteLine users, so transactions are recorded under the real operator.
- 5
Build the first three transactions
Start with receiving, inventory move and job labor. Each should validate against SyteLine before submitting and show clear errors in plain language.
- 6
Handle poor connectivity
Queue transactions locally with idempotency keys and retry. Decide which transactions are safe to defer and which must be online, like inventory issues against scarce stock.
- 7
Pilot on one line or dock
Run alongside paper for a few weeks, compare transactions, and refine screens with the operators before rolling out.
Example flows
Dock receiving against a PO
Trigger: A truck arrives and the receiver opens the app on a handheld.
- Receiver scans the PO barcode and the app loads open lines via the PO IDOs.
- They scan each item, enter quantity and lot, and the app checks the over-receipt tolerance.
- The app submits the receipt through the IDO method, with the operator's identity.
- The app prints or displays the put-away location, and the receipt is visible in SyteLine immediately.
Result: Receipts are posted at the dock, so AP matching and planning see accurate on-hand the same hour.
Operator labor reporting
Trigger: An operator starts a setup on a machine.
- They scan their badge and the job traveler barcode.
- The app shows the current operation and expected setup time from the job route.
- They start and later stop the operation, entering good and scrap quantities.
- Transactions post through job transaction methods, updating WIP and labor cost.
Result: Real-time job progress replaces end-of-shift paper entry, and supervisors can see where jobs stand.
Keeping data on-prem
On-prem SyteLine is reachable from handhelds only over your internal Wi-Fi or a VPN, which is usually what plants want. Host the thin backend on the plant network, let handhelds talk to it over HTTPS with certificates managed by your devices tooling, and keep the IDO REST service behind it. Offline capability matters here because Wi-Fi dead spots are common in large buildings, so queue transactions on the device and sync when back online. For AI features like voice commands or photo-based part recognition, use a local model on your servers, not a cloud service.
Security checklist
- Manage devices with MDM, enforce screen lock, and be able to wipe a lost handheld.
- Use per-user authentication so every transaction is traceable to an operator, not a shared device login.
- Encrypt local queues on the device and expire cached data that includes pricing or costs.
- Limit what each role can do in the app to what they can do in SyteLine, enforced on the server.
- Pin certificates or use an internal CA to prevent interception on shop Wi-Fi.
Ways to get it done
Use Infor mobile-enabled forms or licensed shop floor apps
Effort: Configuration and training, confirm availability for your version and hosting.
Standard transactions where the delivered screens fit your process.
Third-party warehouse or shop floor data collection product
Effort: Licensing plus connector work, compare how well it handles lots and serials.
Multi-site warehouses needing mature scanning, label printing and device management.
Custom app or partner build with Netray
Effort: Scoped per workflow, with a pilot on a single dock or line.
Specific flows not covered by delivered apps, or when you want AI help such as voice or photo capture on-prem.
Pitfalls
- !Posting transactions that bypass SyteLine business logic, which breaks costing and WIP reconciliation.
- !Using shared device logins so no one can tell who moved or issued material.
- !Designing for good Wi-Fi only, then having operators lose work in dead spots.
- !Copying the desktop forms onto a small screen instead of building around the scan-confirm rhythm.
- !Not testing lot and serial controlled items early, which is where mobile flows most often fail.
Frequently asked questions
Does Infor SyteLine have a mobile app?
Infor has offered mobile-oriented forms and Infor OS apps, and SyteLine includes shop floor data collection features, but what you can use depends on version, hosting and licensing. Audit your entitlements first, then fill gaps with a custom or third-party app.
Can a mobile app work offline with SyteLine?
Partially. The app can queue certain transactions and sync later with idempotency keys. Anything depending on live stock availability or strict validation should require a connection, so decide per transaction.
What hardware should we use for scanning?
Rugged Android handhelds with built-in scanners are typical for docks and floors. Phones with camera scanning work for approvals and light counting. Choose based on environment, drop resistance and battery life.
How do we authenticate mobile users?
Use single sign-on through Infor OS where available. Otherwise issue per-user tokens mapped to SyteLine users, so every transaction is posted under the actual operator and respects their permissions.
Can we add AI features to the app?
Yes, for example voice entry, photo capture of labels or documents, or a question box that reads SyteLine data. Keep the model on your own servers if data is sensitive, and keep writes behind the same validated transactions.
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