MES & Shop FloorFree templatePDF, Excel, Word exportJob Shop Machining

Shop Traveler Template for Job Shops

A shop traveler follows the job through the floor and records who did what, when and how many. This template builds a clean traveler from your job details and prints or exports it as PDF, Word or Excel.

Fill in

Company name

Job number

Customer

Customer PO

Part number

Revision

Part description

Order quantity

Material and spec

Due date

Special instructions

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Shop Traveler Template

Job Traveler

Northfield Precision Machining Job: 24-1204 Customer: Delta Pump Co PO: DP-77310 Due date: 2026-11-20

Part

Part number: DP-4418-B Revision: C Description: Pump housing, 6061-T6 Quantity: 100 Material: 6061-T6 aluminum plate, 2.00 in, certs required

Special Instructions

First piece inspection before running the lot. Deburr all edges. Anodize per customer drawing note 4. Include cert package with shipment.

Routing

Op	Work center	Description	Inspect
10	Saw	Cut blanks to size
20	CNC Mill	Mill first side and drill	FAI
30	CNC Mill	Mill second side and bore
40	Deburr	Deburr and clean
50	Outside	Anodize per drawing
60	Inspection	Final inspection and cert pack	100%
70	Shipping	Pack and ship

Material Traceability

Heat or lot	Supplier	Cert on file	Qty issued	Issued by

Sign-off

Production supervisor / Date

Quality inspector / Date

Shipping / Date

Edit the routing rows to match your own work centers. Most ERPs print a traveler from the released routing; use this template for quick jobs, prototype runs, shops without a traveler form, or to design the layout you want your ERP to print.

Digitize your travelers and routings

Optional: ask us how to move paper traveler data into your ERP or a private searchable archive.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the traveler template

Fill in the job header, part, quantity, material and any special instructions, then export. The routing table gives you operation numbers, work centers, setup hours, quantity completed, operator, date and an inspection column. Print it and clip it to the first lot of material. Operators initial each step as work finishes, and the supervisor reconciles the sheet against the ERP when the job closes. Change the routing rows in the exported Word or Excel file for jobs with different steps.

What belongs on a traveler

A good traveler answers four questions at a glance: what are we making and for whom, what material and which cert, what steps in which order, and where do inspection and sign-off happen. Keep it to one or two pages. Put the part number, revision and due date at the top, because wrong revision work is one of the most expensive travel mistakes. Add a short instruction box for anything unusual such as customer notes or special packaging.

Job, customer PO, part number and revision
Material spec and heat or lot traceability
Operation sequence with work center
Inspection points, first article and final
Sign-off by supervisor, quality and shipping

Paper traveler versus ERP shop floor entry

Many shops still print travelers even when the ERP collects time at floor terminals, because a physical sheet helps operators and carries notes. Systems such as JobBOSS, E2, Global Shop Solutions, ProShop and Fulcrum can print routings, and ProShop and some others push toward paperless work instructions. If your ERP prints the traveler, use this template as a design reference for what to include.

Common mistakes

Travelers fail when they are out of date, when operators fill them in at the end of the shift from memory, or when revisions change mid job. Reprint the traveler if the drawing revision changes and pull the old one back. Record real quantities at each step so scrap and shortages show up early.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a traveler the same as a router?

In most shops they mean the same thing: a document that follows the job and lists operations in order. Some shops use router for the routing document and traveler for the package that includes material certs and drawings.

Can I add my own operations and columns?

Yes. Export to Word or Excel and edit the routing table freely. The template is a starting layout, so add columns for tool numbers, program numbers or gauge IDs if your process uses them.

What should be on a traveler for aerospace work?

Add revision control, special process approvals, first article requirements, material cert and lot traceability, and customer flow-down notes. Keep the shop's quality system procedures as the authority for exact required content.

Do I still need a traveler if my ERP tracks everything?

Not always. If operators use floor terminals and drawings are on screen, paper may be optional. Many shops keep the traveler for notes, signatures and customers that audit paper records, so decide based on your quality system.

If you want travelers, inspection data and job history searchable by question instead of by file folder, we can discuss connecting your ERP data to a private assistant.

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