Webinar: Shopfloor Data Collection - Barcode Scanning (6/17/26)
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This webinar was the seventh session in Print Reach’s eight‑part Midnight webinar series and focused on Shopfloor Data Collection and the Barcode Scanning feature.
In today’s fast-paced production environment, having accurate, real-time data from the shop floor is critical to managing jobs efficiently and controlling costs.
In this session, we covered how Shopfloor Data Collection with Barcode Scanning in Midnight helps streamline production tracking, improve accuracy, and increase visibility across the shop floor. You also saw how barcode scanning simplifies data entry, supports machine monitoring, and delivers real-time insight into job progress—while automatically capturing direct labor costs and updating the Dynamic Job Board.
System Setup Requirements
Enable Barcode Scanning in Global Settings (Shopfloor section)
Q: Can you change "service type" under standard services for services that are already created? A: No, the service type on an existing standard service cannot be changed due to historical data integrity. Instead, you can create a copy of the standard service, update the service type on the new version, and save it. It’s recommended to deactivate the original service that was assigned to the incorrect service type.
Q: Within a job cost record, there are two places with Start times and Stop times. Do you need to update BOTH of those, or will updating one of them auto update the other? It's kind of cumbersome to go into both areas and change both dates and times. A: Typically, no. If an employee forgets to job out at the correct time, a supervisor can update the time directly within Time Records to reflect the accurate start or end time.
Q: When a employee can login into more than one job at a time, do the job cost reports calculate the labor time accordingly? Meaning if you were to look at their time it shows they worked only 8 hours on 5 jobs, not 40 hours on 5 jobs. A: Job cost reports calculate labor based on the actual time an employee is jobbed into each task. If an employee is working on multiple jobs at the same time, the full time spent on each task is applied to the corresponding job.
For example, if an employee is jobbed into multiple machines or tasks, the time recorded for each will be reflected in each job’s cost. Midnight does not consolidate that time across jobs to represent a total workday (such as 8 hours). Instead, it ensures each job accurately reflects the time logged against it.
If you're looking to analyze total hours worked across all tasks, that would typically require a timekeeping-style report rather than a job cost report.
Q: Can you explain Wage Rate vs Burden Rate in the Employee Job Tracking Settings? How does this affect the job cost report? A: The wage rate is the value Midnight uses for job costing. Since Midnight is a direct labor cost system, the wage rate is multiplied by the time an employee spends on a service to calculate the actual direct labor cost on an order.
The burden rate is not used in standard job costing. It exists for custom reporting purposes and is used by some customers who want to track a fully burdened labor rate (including overhead). This field can be included in custom reports if needed, but it does not impact the standard job cost report.
Q: If the services are attached to a piece of equipment, will it take you to that machine automatically? A: No, it will not automatically assign a specific machine. This is intentional, as there may be situations where a machine is unavailable or down, and the operator needs the flexibility to select a different machine. Automatically assigning one would prevent that adjustment.
If a service is always performed on a single machine, one option is to leave the machine department unassigned and rely on the service itself to reflect that consistent setup.
The shopfloor workflow is designed to be simple and flexible—operators scan their badge, scan the service, and then scan the appropriate machine when needed. This ensures accuracy while still allowing for real-world changes on the production floor.
Q: On the Job cost records screen can the drop down selections be more clear as to updating which version/service you are correcting? A: It’s a good observation. In the search screen, the version name is visible, but once you open a job cost record, the version is not clearly displayed. This can make it difficult to confirm which version or service is being updated. This has been identified as an area where additional clarity in the interface would be helpful.
Q: Might be off topic, but we have an on prem instance, how do we access the Kiosk feature? A: For on-prem installations, access to the Shopfloor Data Collection (Kiosk) feature works the same way as demonstrated. If the feature is not available in your system, it likely means your Midnight instance is not up to date. In that case, the recommendation is to review your version and apply the latest updates.
Q: Is there a way that you can request time off in midnight? A: Midnight doesn’t offer a direct time-off request feature. However, if you are using the Kiosk Time Clock, an administrator can manage time off by creating entries in Admin → Holidays (such as Vacation, Sick Leave, Bereavement, or Jury Duty).
These “holiday” codes can then be applied under Job Costing → Time Records to record time off for an employee.
You can track and review this information using the following reports:
Employee: Time Off Calendar
Employee: Time Off Report
Employee: Time Sheet Report
This topic may be covered in more detail in a future webinar.
Q: We are using the Shop Floor Data Collection Barcode Scanning for Employees already and we are interested in implementing the inventory scanning as well. Please host a webinar to walk us through that process.
Q: We are needing the Inventory and barcode webinar that was mentioned earlier. Please provide dates so that we can advise our team.
A: Addressing both questions above, the inventory scanning functionality will be covered in an upcoming webinar scheduled for July 15. You should receive an email around July 10 with details and registration information.