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.
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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 | Setup hrs | Qty done | Operator | Date | 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
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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Keep exploring
Free tools
- Sheet Metal Job Traveler TemplateA printable job traveler for laser, punch, brake, weld and finish routings with material heat lot, program names and operator sign-offs.
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- Job Shop First Piece Inspection Sign-Off TemplateA simple first piece sign-off sheet for the traveler: measured values against requirements, gauges used and approval to run the lot.
ERP fixes and how-tos
- How to replace paper travelers with a digital travelerHow to replace paper travelers with a digital traveler: ERP routing as source, step data capture, signoffs, revision control, offline use and audit records.
- Infor VISUAL report builder: build a custom work order reportHow to build and customise reports for Infor VISUAL using Crystal Reports and SQL, with a worked work order report example and the common tables involved.
- How to Create a Quote in E2 Shop SystemHow to build a quote in E2 Shop System, from header setup through routing, material, and outside processing, to converting an accepted quote into a job.
Guides
- ERP for Aerospace Build-to-Print Machine Shops: What to RequireWhat an AS9100 build-to-print machine shop needs from ERP: revision control, traveler, lot traceability, outside processing, FAI and certs.
- ERP for Job Shops and Custom FabricatorsERP for job shops and custom fabricators: fast quoting, estimating accuracy, shop floor data collection, nesting and real-time job costing that protects margin.
- How to Manage Shop Floor Transactions in Infor SyteLineStep-by-step guide to managing shop floor transactions in Infor SyteLine, including material issues, labor posting, job completions, and data collection integration.
AI on your ERP
- AI shop floor assistant for operators working inside your ERPAn on-prem AI copilot answers operator questions against your ERP work instructions, travelers, and routings in plain language, at the machine, without a screen full of menus.
- AI for JobBOSS2 in Precision Machining: Quotes, Routings and Job Cost Answers from Your Own DataPrivate AI for JobBOSS2 precision machine shops: quote history, routing actuals, job cost variance and on-time delivery answers, kept on your own network.
Integrations
- How to add AI agents to Global Shop SolutionsHow to add AI agents to Global Shop Solutions: a read-first tool layer over its data and APIs, approval before any write, and on-prem model options for job shops.
- How to add an AI chatbot to Global Shop SolutionsAdd an AI chatbot to Global Shop Solutions for employees or customers: grounded in job, PO and inventory data, with role limits and a fully on-prem option.