Using JobBOSS and JobBOSS² with Merlin
Merlin works with JobBOSS and JobBOSS² through Excel or CSV exports, not a native connector. You export a part or price list and an open order report to a spreadsheet and upload it to Merlin. ECI says JobBOSS² can automatically export or email reports; if that export lands at a stable link, Merlin refreshes from it every 6 hours.
From quote request to finished quote in two minutes.
Nothing goes to a customer until someone on your team approves it. Watch full screen
Faster quotes. More orders. Hours back every week.
Win more orders
Buyers often go with the first solid quote they get. Merlin gets yours out in minutes, day or night, and follows up on the quotes that go quiet.
Get your team's time back
A desk that gets 60 quote requests a week at 15 minutes each spends about 65 hours a month building quotes. Merlin takes most of that routine work off their plate.
Grow without hiring
Handle more requests with the team you already have, in English and French, while good inside-sales people are hard to find.
What does Merlin need from JobBOSS?
Job shops often quote custom work, but most also sell repeat parts and stock items from a price list. For those, the Quote Desk needs part number (SKU), description, unit of measure, unit price, quantity-break prices, lead time and quantity on hand. Truly custom, drawing-based jobs are flagged for an estimator rather than priced by Merlin.
For Order Status, Merlin needs open orders: order number, customer PO, customer email, status, promised or ship date, carrier and tracking number.
Which JobBOSS fields map to Merlin fields?
| Merlin field | Typical JobBOSS / JobBOSS² source |
|---|---|
| SKU | Part number |
| Description | Part description |
| UOM | Pricing or stocking unit |
| Unit price | Unit price on the part or price list |
| Quantity breaks | Quantity price breaks on the part |
| Lead time | Lead days |
| Stock | On-hand quantity |
| Order no / PO | Order number / customer PO |
| Customer email | Customer contact email |
| Status, ship date | Order status / promised or ship date |
| Carrier, tracking | Ship via / tracking number on the packing list |
Field names differ between classic JobBOSS and JobBOSS², and by setup. Confirm the exact report columns with your ECI administrator. *
How do you export from JobBOSS² for Merlin?
ECI's own reporting demo states that JobBOSS² can automatically export or email reports. Independent consultants also describe exporting to Excel as the everyday way JobBOSS users answer data questions, often followed by cleanup of merged cells.
Exact menu paths depend on your version, so treat the steps below as the general pattern and confirm the labels in your system. *
- Open or create a report listing parts with part number, description, unit, unit price, quantity breaks, lead days and on-hand quantity. *
- Export it to Excel or CSV, choosing a data-only format if offered so there are no merged cells or page headers. *
- Run an open order report with order number, customer PO, contact email, status, ship date, ship via and tracking, and export it the same way.
- Check that each file has a single header row and one row per part or order line.
- Upload the files to Merlin, or set the report's automatic export to write to a location reachable by a stable link.
How does the 6-hour refresh work?
If JobBOSS² automatically exports the report to a file that is reachable at a stable link, Merlin pulls it every 6 hours and replaces the previous version. If not, upload a new export whenever prices change.
Classic JobBOSS runs on a SQL Server database, so some shops have a small scheduled query write the file instead of a report. JCube Tech can build that as custom work.
What would a direct JobBOSS integration add?
Merlin has no native JobBOSS connector and is not an ECI partner. A direct integration, built as custom work by JCube Tech, could read part prices, inventory and shipment status more often than every 6 hours. It is quoted separately, usually under the Enterprise plan on the pricing page.
If your shop mainly quotes from drawings, a dedicated manufacturing quoting tool may be the better fit; see Merlin vs Paperless Parts for a fair comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Does Merlin connect natively to JobBOSS²?
No. Merlin imports Excel or CSV exports. A direct JobBOSS integration is custom work by JCube Tech.
Can Merlin quote custom jobs from drawings?
No. Merlin quotes items that exist on your price sheet. Lines that need engineering or a drawing review are flagged for an estimator.
My export has merged cells. Will it work?
Merged cells and page headers confuse any import. Export as data only, or clean the sheet so it has one header row and one row per part.
Does it work with classic JobBOSS?
Yes, if you can get a spreadsheet out of it. The data model differs from JobBOSS², so confirm the columns with your administrator.
