JobBOSS² Integration Guide
Overview
Connect a cloud-hosted JobBOSS² (ECI Manufacturing) instance to MachineMetrics for bidirectional work order and labor tracking synchronization.
This guide covers JobBOSS², the newer ECI Manufacturing product, where the connector talks to the ECI Integration Engine REST API. If your shop runs the older on-premises JobBoss Classic (ECI JobBOSS) product, use the JobBoss Classic guide instead — it connects directly to your JobBoss SQL Server database and uses a different data model.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Direction | Bidirectional |
| Data Flow (Inbound) | Work centers, parts, part operations, work orders, work order operations, employees, and reason codes from JobBOSS² → MachineMetrics |
| Data Flow (Outbound) | Labor tickets (time tickets) from MachineMetrics → JobBOSS² |
| Runs On | MachineMetrics Edge Device (physical or Virtual Edge) |
| Connection Method | ECI Manufacturing Integration Engine REST API (OAuth 2.0) |
This connector is under active development. Some features may change, and certain capabilities may not be available at the time of reading.
How It Works
1. Management — Work Order Transmission
Active jobs and their routings are read from the JobBOSS² Integration Engine API (order-routings) and transmitted to MachineMetrics, making work orders and operations available for operators in real time. Parts, part operations, work centers, and employees are pulled from their corresponding API resources so that each operation is fully described when it reaches the shop floor.
2. Tracking — Labor and Progress Reporting
As operators work via ShopPulse:
- Labor inputs generate labor tickets.
- Work order progress updates in real time.
- Accurate records are maintained automatically.
3. Synchronization — Real-Time Updates
When an operator closes a labor ticket, the connector posts a time ticket back to JobBOSS² (time-tickets). The connector calculates setup or production hours from the ticket's start and end times, attaches the operator's employee code and the ticket date, and maps any recorded downtime reason to the corresponding JobBOSS² reason code.
4. Scheduling — Dynamic Visibility
Shop floor managers and production planners gain instant visibility into:
- Work in progress status
- Schedule adherence
- Required adjustments
Changes to the schedule are immediately communicated to operators.
Data Mapping
The connector maps MachineMetrics entities to JobBOSS² entities as follows:
| MachineMetrics Entity | JobBOSS² Entity | Key Field |
|---|---|---|
| Resources (machines / work centers) | WorkCntr | WorkCntr |
| Parts | OrderDet | PartNo |
| Part Operations | Routing | Routing_ID |
| Work Orders | OrderRouting | OrderRouting_ID |
| Work Order Operations | TimeTicketDet | TimeTicketDet_ID |
| Persons (employees) | EmplCode | EmplCode |
| Reasons | ReasonCode | ReasonCode |
| Labor Tickets | TimeTicketDet | TimeTicketDet_ID |
Requirements
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| MachineMetrics Edge | A physical or Virtual Edge Device to run the connector service. |
| JobBOSS² Instance | A cloud-hosted JobBOSS² (ECI Manufacturing) instance with access to the ECI Integration Engine. |
| Integration Engine Access | An account on the ECI Integration Engine Portal to create API credentials. |
| Network Access | The Edge device must have outbound internet access to the ECI Manufacturing API and authentication endpoints, and to the MachineMetrics APIs. |
| API Credentials | A Client ID and Client Secret created for MachineMetrics in the Integration Engine Portal (see Step 1). |
Step-by-Step Setup Guide
Step 1: Create API Credentials in the Integration Engine Portal
The connector authenticates to JobBOSS² using OAuth 2.0 client credentials.
- Sign in to the ECI Integration Engine Portal.
- Create an application/integration for MachineMetrics.
- Note the generated Client ID and Client Secret.
The Client Secret is typically shown only once at creation time. Copy it before leaving the page — if it is lost, you will need to generate a new one.
Step 2: Confirm Your JobBOSS² API Endpoints
Confirm the API and authentication host names for your JobBOSS² environment with your ECI administrator. They usually follow this pattern:
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| API host | api-jb2.ecimanufacturing.com |
| Authentication host | api-users.ecimanufacturing.com |
Step 3: Provide MachineMetrics with Connection Information
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| API Host | The JobBOSS² Integration Engine API host (e.g. api-jb2.ecimanufacturing.com). |
| Authentication Host | The JobBOSS² authentication host (e.g. api-users.ecimanufacturing.com). |
| Client ID | The Client ID created in Step 1. |
| Client Secret | The Client Secret created in Step 1. |
Use the MachineMetrics secure link sharing service at SnapPass or your company's secure file sharing to transmit credentials — do not send them by email.
Connection details and connector settings are applied by your MachineMetrics implementation team on the Edge device.
Configuration Options
| Setting | Environment Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERP System | ERP_SYSTEM | Selects the JobBOSS² connector | JOB_BOSS |
| API URL | ERP_API_URL | JobBOSS² Integration Engine API host (e.g. api-jb2.ecimanufacturing.com) | Not set |
| Auth Base URL | ERP_AUTH_BASE_URL | JobBOSS² authentication host (e.g. api-users.ecimanufacturing.com) | Not set |
| Client ID | ERP_API_CLIENT_ID | OAuth client ID from the Integration Engine Portal | Not set |
| Client Secret | ERP_API_CLIENT_SECRET | OAuth client secret from the Integration Engine Portal | Not set |
| Poll Interval | POLL_INTERVAL | How often work orders and operations are pulled from JobBOSS² | 5 min |
| Retry Labor Tickets Interval | RETRY_LABOR_TICKETS_INTERVAL | How often failed labor ticket write-backs are retried | 30 min |
| Max Elements Limit | ERP_MAX_ELEMENTS_LIMIT | Maximum records of a given type fetched per run | 40 |
| Pagination Limit | ERP_PAGINATION_LIMIT | Records fetched per page from the API | 20 |
| Retry Attempts | RETRY_ATTEMPTS | Number of times an API request is retried on failure | 3 |
The poll interval accepts human-friendly values such as 5s, 5 min, every 5 mins, or 3 days and 4 hours.
After Setup
Verifying the Integration
- Confirm that active JobBOSS² work orders appear in MachineMetrics ERP Data Studio.
- Have an operator clock into and out of a job in ShopPulse, then confirm a labor ticket is created.
- In JobBOSS², confirm the corresponding time ticket was written for that operation with the correct employee, hours, and quantities.
Confirm Labor and Time Reporting
The connector calculates setup or production hours from each ticket's start and end times and posts them to JobBOSS² as a time ticket. Confirm with your JobBOSS² administrator how completed labor and quantities should reconcile against your existing shop-floor process, so that time reporting matches your team's expectations before go-live.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Work orders not appearing | Authentication failed | Verify the Client ID, Client Secret, and authentication host; confirm the credentials are still active in the Integration Engine Portal. |
| Authentication errors | Wrong API or auth host | Confirm ERP_API_URL and ERP_AUTH_BASE_URL match your JobBOSS² environment. |
| Connection errors / timeouts | Edge cannot reach ECI endpoints | Ensure the Edge device has outbound internet access to the JobBOSS² API and authentication hosts. |
| No data returned | Fetch limits too low | Increase ERP_MAX_ELEMENTS_LIMIT / ERP_PAGINATION_LIMIT, or confirm the jobs exist and are active in JobBOSS². |
| Labor not syncing back | Ticket not closed, or the time ticket post failed | Verify the operator clocked out; failed write-backs are retried on the RETRY_LABOR_TICKETS_INTERVAL. |
| Labor hours look wrong | Missing start/end times or ticket type | Confirm the labor ticket has both a start and end time and a setup/production type so hours can be calculated. |
| Reason not recorded | Reason code not mapped | Confirm the MachineMetrics downtime reason maps to a valid JobBOSS² reason code. |
Related Articles
- JobBoss Classic — The on-premises JobBoss Classic connector
- ERP Connectors — All available ERP connectors
- ERP Integration Guide — General ERP integration overview
- ERP Troubleshooting FAQ — Comprehensive troubleshooting and FAQ guide
Getting Help
- Setup Assistance: Contact your MachineMetrics Solution Delivery Manager (SDM).
- Technical Issues: Email support@machinemetrics.com.
- JobBOSS² Configuration: Consult your JobBOSS² administrator or ECI Manufacturing partner.