Production counted by hand
Output is logged on paper and keyed in later, so the plan and the floor never quite match.
Put your shop floor live inside ERPNext
Connect IoT machines, PLC systems, barcode scanners and RFID to ERPNext and see production, downtime, quality and stock as they happen — not at the end of the shift. Turn a factory that runs on end-of-day registers into one that runs on live data.
Production tracking
Live plan vs actual
Machine downtime
OEE & reason codes
Quality control
Catch defects at source
Real-time inventory
Stock that matches the floor
The factory problems live data solves
If your ERP only learns what happened after the shift ends, you are always managing yesterday.
Four ways the floor talks to ERPNext
Machines and scanners report as they run, and ERPNext turns the signals into live production, downtime, quality and stock.
Production tracking
Machines and job card scans report output against the Work Order in real time, so the plan versus actual is always current.
Outcome: live plan vs actual, always.
Machine downtime
A stop is captured the moment it happens, with a reason code, feeding OEE and alerting the team while the line is still down.
Outcome: act on the floor, not tomorrow.
Quality control
Inspections and sensor readings are logged at the station, so a failed check holds the batch before it moves on.
Outcome: defects caught at source.
Real-time inventory
As output is reported and material is scanned, stock and WIP update on their own, so the system matches the floor.
Outcome: stock figures you can trust.
The shop floor hardware you can connect
ERPNext needs a signal it can read: a count, a status, a reading or a scan. Almost any modern machine or device can provide one. Each is tagged by how it connects and the effort involved.
Machines and controllersTable 1 of 3
| Device | What it reports / captures | How it connects | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLC systems | Cycle counts, machine state, faults | Edge gateway (OPC UA, Modbus) to the API | Medium |
| IoT enabled machines | Output, status, sensor telemetry | MQTT or REST to the API | Low |
| CNC and SCADA systems | Production and process data | Edge gateway or middleware | Medium |
| Legacy machines (no comms) | Counts via a retrofit sensor | Add-on IoT sensor to the gateway | Higher |
The pattern is always the same - an edge gateway or middleware (MQTT, OPC UA, Modbus or Node-RED) collects the signal and posts it to the ERPNext REST API, where it lands against the Work Order, Job Card, machine or stock record. If your machine can output a count or a status, it can feed ERPNext.
See it in action
Representative views of production tracking, machine downtime and OEE, quality control and real-time inventory. These are illustrative mockups, not live ERPNext screenshots.
Production tracking: every unit, counted as it is made
Machines and job card scans report output against each Work Order, so the shop floor board shows real progress against the plan, not an estimate.
Real-time output posted against Work Orders and Job Cards
Plan versus actual visible to supervisors as the shift runs
Production Tracking Dashboard
Illustrative dashboard mockup, not a live ERPNext screenshot.
From a machine signal to a live ERPNext record
ERPNext Manufacturing is native. The integration adds a thin, reliable layer between the floor and the ERP.
Source
Shop floor
PLC, IoT machine, sensor, barcode or RFID produces a count, status or reading.
Step 1
Edge gateway
MQTT, OPC UA or Modbus collects the signal and buffers through network blips.
Native
ERPNext API
REST API or webhook receives the event securely.
Step 2
Mapped
Lands on the Work Order, Job Card, machine or stock entry.
Outcome
Live view
Production
OEE
Quality
Inventory
Resilient: the edge gateway buffers events locally and posts them when the link returns, so a brief network outage never loses production data.
What a connected floor gives you
The exact gains depend on your lines and current process. These are the outcomes a smart factory rollout targets.
Live plan versus actual
Production is visible as it happens, so supervisors correct the shift, not the post-mortem.
Less unplanned downtime
Reason-coded stops and instant alerts turn lost hours into a problem you can actually manage.
Fewer quality escapes
Defects are held at the station, stopping a bad batch reaching dispatch and the customer.
Accurate inventory, always
Stock and WIP that match the floor make planning and costing trustworthy.
The questions plant heads ask
Honest answers about legacy machines, MES replacement, network resilience, plant size and security.
Often yes. A retrofit IoT sensor can count cycles on a legacy machine and send that to the gateway, so even machines with no native comms can report output. We assess each machine and tell you honestly which are plug-in, which need a sensor, and which are not worth wiring up.
No. ERPNext Manufacturing already covers BOMs, Work Orders, Job Cards, routing and quality. The integration adds the live floor layer on top, so you get MES-style visibility without a second system to license and maintain.
The edge gateway buffers events locally and posts them when the link returns, so a brief outage does not lose production data. This resilience is designed in from the start.
No. You can start with one line or one bottleneck machine, prove the value, and expand. A focused first phase keeps the cost and risk low while the benefit is clear.
The gateway posts over encrypted links using a scoped API user; the floor network can stay isolated behind the gateway, and ERPNext access is role-based. We design the security model with your IT and OT teams.
Start with one line, prove it, scale
A typical first phase on a single line or cell. Full plant rollouts are phased after the pilot proves out.
| Phase | What happens |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 · Assess | We survey your machines, controllers and network and pick the first line and signals. |
| Phase 2 · Connect | The edge gateway is set up and the first machines and scanners start reporting into ERPNext. |
| Phase 3 · Go live | Live dashboards for production, downtime, quality and inventory, with the team trained. |
| Phase 4 · Scale | Roll the proven pattern out across more lines, machines and plants. |
Why Hybrowlabs
Scale your ERPNext manufacturing integration with a trusted, certified platform engineering partner.
Deep ERPNext manufacturing expertise
We configure BOMs, Work Orders, routing, subcontracting and quality in ERPNext, every day, so the ERP side is solid before a single machine is wired.
OT and IT, bridged honestly
We speak both PLC and REST API, and we tell you upfront which machines are plug-in, which need a sensor and which are custom-built.
Start small, prove value
We begin with one line or one machine, show the numbers, and scale only once the benefit is real, so your risk stays low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common technical questions about connecting shop floor hardware to ERPNext.
Yes. ERPNext runs on the open Frappe framework and exposes a REST API and webhooks, so PLCs and IoT machines send production counts, machine status and sensor data through an edge gateway or middleware such as MQTT, OPC UA or Node-RED. The data lands against Work Orders, Job Cards and machine records in real time.
Barcode and QR scanning is native for stock, job cards and material movement. RFID readers connect through the API or an edge gateway to record the same events hands-free, so production and inventory update as items move on the floor.
Yes. As machines report output and scanners record material movement, ERPNext updates raw stock, WIP and finished goods in real time through backflush and manufacturing entries, so the system reflects what is actually on the floor.
Yes. With machine status and output flowing in, availability, performance and quality can be computed into OEE, and reason-coded downtime is tracked live so losses are visible while a line is still down.
A focused first phase on one line or cell is the usual start, then the proven pattern is rolled out across more lines and plants. The exact plan is scoped after a shop floor assessment.
Ready to put yourshop floor live?
Connect IoT machines, PLC systems, barcode scanners and RFID to ERPNext. See production, downtime, quality and inventory in real time — starting with just one line.
