OpenBoxes is a versatile warehouse management software created to support complex supply chain processes. To answer unique client needs, it’s being continuously improved with enhancements and new features. 2024 was a significant year for OpenBoxes, bringing much awaited upgrades that will positively impact the future of the application.
OpenBoxes innovating supply chain management
OpenBoxes is an open-source system designed by Partners in Health (PIH). Its customizable architecture makes the application fit different use cases and support users in various industries, including healthcare and medical equipment management, supply chain, warehousing, assets management, and others where you need to track your inventory. Built with flexibility in mind, OpenBoxes enables organizations to efficiently track inventory, manage stock movements, and optimize procurement processes, ensuring that essential supplies reach the right place at the right time.
SolDevelo’s contribution to the OpenBoxes’ growth
Since 2018, SolDevelo has been a key contributor to the development of OpenBoxes. Initially, our involvement began with a request from Partners in Health to help revamp OpenBoxes’ user interface and add new features. We developed the Stock Movement feature and contributed in various other ways as the project evolved.
Our team quickly expanded, and we became deeply involved in the OpenBoxes’ growth. Over the years, we’ve gained a profound understanding of the application, taking on increasing responsibility and becoming experts in multiple aspects of the system.
We’re actively involved in project management and ongoing support, ensuring the timely delivery of features and maintaining effective communication with our partners. By working closely with the OpenBoxes team, we continue to refine the product and contribute valuable ideas and solutions, helping it scale to meet the needs of users across the globe.
Our work is made possible by the incredible organizations engaged in the growth of OpenBoxes, whose ongoing support helps deliver solutions tailored to the users’ needs:
Technical migration from Grails 1 to Grails 3
One of our biggest achievements of 2024 was a successful finalizing of the OpenBoxes migration from Grails 1 to Grails 3. It marked a new chapter in the application development, upgrading it for future improvements.
OpenBoxes is written in Grails and for many years has been operating on an older version of the framework. While it worked well for the system, there were also some drawbacks naturally connected to using an outdated technology. To fix this problem and ensure the highest quality for the system’s users, in late 2023 we dedicated much of our time and effort to upgrading OpenBoxes, and in 2024 we spent quite some time polishing the application after the migration, regression testing, and making it more bulletproof.
This migration allowed us to introduce our fixes and enhancements throughout the year already for the new version of the system. By the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025 we focused on releasing this new version of OpenBoxes (0.9.3) to the public so that everyone in the community has access to it. We believe that this change will mark the start of a new era for OpenBoxes and we’re excited for all the future improvements now available thanks to this upgrade.
Smarter shipment management
In 2024, we also focused on making shipment management easier and more accurate. Now, if a shipment is recorded in the system but doesn’t match what actually happened in the warehouse, users can go back and update the details – even for past shipments. This helps prevent inventory mismatches caused by delayed data entry.
We also added a Clear pick button for outgoing shipments, giving users more control. The system automatically fills in shipment details, but if the shipment was handled differently in real life, users can now clear the auto-filled information and enter the correct details manually or import them. This ensures that what’s in the system truly reflects what happened.
Another element we introduced are new dashboard indicators for backdated shipments. Effective tracking of backdated shipments helps in identifying their number and investigating their causes. If the same items keep appearing in backdated shipments, it could mean inventory records need to be checked. The new indicators help users spot and fix potential problems before they grow into bigger issues.
Improved Electronic Requests (E-Requests)
E-Requests are a crucial feature in logistics management systems because they streamline the process of requesting, tracking, and fulfilling stock movements. They provide a digital way for users to submit requests for inventory or shipments, ensuring that all parties involved have a clear understanding of what’s being requested and when it’s expected to be fulfilled.
To make E-Requests more user-friendly in OpenBoxes, we’ve introduced several improvements. These updates ensure that request statuses are clearer and more consistent, making it easier to track progress. We’ve also refined how E-Requests appear in different parts of the system, ensuring that only relevant requests are shown where needed. Additionally, we improved tracking accuracy, so users always have the right information about shipments. These changes make E-Requests more reliable and efficient for everyone involved.
More intuitive Purchase Order management
The process of purchasing orders is fundamental to every supply chain, and needs to be organized flawlessly to avoid potential issues. Throughout 2024 we introduced a number of enhancements, aiming at improving the Purchase Order management process in OpenBoxes.
Our changes and fixes were focused on creating a more intuitive tool that would be easy and comfortable to use, supporting finance teams in their work. We achieved that by improving accuracy, and streamlining financial workflows. We also enhanced templates, simplified imports, improved invoice handling, and added better tracking features to support finance teams in their daily tasks.
Improved inventory accuracy & stock movements
Efficient inventory and stock operations require access to consistent data and the support of flexible features that can cover various situations. One of our goals last year was to increase the accuracy of inventory data, making sure OpenBoxes users can trust the information recorded in the system and manage it according to their needs.
We introduced fixes to prevent errors, enhanced real-time updates, improved reporting capabilities, and made it easier to track stock movements. To further support warehouse operations and financial processes, we enhanced import and export features for inventory levels, allowing for better stock management. We also introduced the ability to export detailed invoice lists for easier financial reconciliation and improved lot and expiration date imports to prevent inaccuracies. These updates help users manage inventory more efficiently and keep records aligned with actual warehouse operations.
User interface & workflow enhancements
Truly powerful features are built to toe the line between a wide range of possibilities and a user-friendly design. This balance is crucial to ensure high functionality without overwhelming the user. Intuitive, easy to understand and work with design has always been one of our goals when it comes to OpenBoxes. Keeping that in mind, we continuously gather feedback from the application’s users and apply their valuable suggestions to the system. That way we work together to shape OpenBoxes into a solution that truly serves its purpose.
In 2024, we’ve made several user interface and workflow improvements to OpenBoxes, ensuring to keep the balance between functionality and ease of use. A new dashboard indicator highlights pending E-Requests, making it easier for warehouse users to track approvals. We’ve also color-coded certain items, improving visibility for logistics and sourcing teams. Additionally, we fixed various display errors to increase data accuracy.
As a product highly focused on data management, OpenBoxes requires effective search features that can assist users in their tasks. We worked to enhance search functionality in various parts of the application, and introduced some fixes to common issues.
Last year, we also continued our efforts to make OpenBoxes more accessible to communities worldwide. To support Compañeros En Salud (CES), PIH’s sister organization in Mexico, we contributed to the Spanish translation of the system and introduced several improvements tailored to CES users.
Design for a new feature: Cycle Count
At the end of 2024, we began working on a new feature called Cycle Count. Its main purpose is to help users regularly check their inventory and ensure that stock levels in the system match what’s actually in the warehouse.
By counting smaller batches of items on a regular basis, users can improve accuracy, detect potential issues, and track the root causes of discrepancies. Over time, this helps identify patterns and refine inventory processes. Cycle Count also increases efficiency by allowing errors to be corrected before they cause bigger problems, and reducing the need for time-consuming full stock counts.
Together with our partners at PIH and OpenBoxes, we prepared the UI/UX mockups for this feature and started shaping the technical design. As of right now the feature is under development and is scheduled to be released in the first quarter of 2025.
Test out the most recent version of OpenBoxes with our AWS AMI
In 2024, besides our close collaboration with Partners In Health, SolDevelo created an AWS AMI with OpenBoxes preinstalled, making it easier than ever to deploy and start using the system. This ready-to-use image runs on the latest OpenBoxes version (0.9.3), ensuring users have access to the newest features, improvements, and security updates. It’s a perfect solution for organizations looking for an efficient way to set up OpenBoxes without having to deal with the complexities of manual installation. Quickly launch a fully functional instance and focus on what truly matters – efficient logistics management.
Try it out today and experience a seamless OpenBoxes deployment with minimal setup time!
