QR kanban cards
Hybrid kanban system using printed QR cards at point of use that trigger reorders into a digital order queue.
- Kanban
- Two-Bin
- Pull System
- Pricing
- Free plan + paid
- Deployment
- Cloud, Mobile
E-kanban system: how electronic kanban software worksReplenish what was used. Nothing more.
An e-kanban system replaces paper kanban cards with electronic signals, so a scan or sensor triggers replenishment when material is used. E-kanban software keeps loop sizes, open signals and supplier responses in one place, which makes pull visible across buildings and suppliers.
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Showing 4 of 4 tools
1 2 Web e-kanban
German web-based e-kanban system for production and logistics loops, with SAP and other ERP integration.
- E-Kanban
- Pull System
- Supermarket
- Pricing
- Price on request
- Deployment
- Cloud, Self-hosted
3 E-kanban & supplier portal
Cloud e-kanban system that digitizes internal and supplier kanban loops with heijunka, sequencing and milk-run features.
- E-Kanban
- Heijunka
- Milk Run
- Supermarket
- Pull System
- Pricing
- Published pricing
- Deployment
- Cloud
4 E-kanban with supplier sync
E-kanban application that sizes loops from demand trends and sends real-time replenishment signals to suppliers.
- E-Kanban
- Pull System
- Kanban Sizing
- Pricing
- Price on request
- Deployment
- Cloud
The basics
What is e-kanban software?
E-kanban software replaces physical kanban cards with digital signals. A scan or a sensor tells the supplying process, warehouse or vendor to replenish what was used.
It runs pull systems, the lean practice of making or moving only what the next process has used. Stock often sits in a small store called a supermarket. See the kanban page.
Common setups range from two-bin systems with QR codes on bins to full integrations with ERP and supplier portals.
Paper, spreadsheet or software?
Physical cards and two-bin systems are simple and visible, and many plants run them for years. They work well inside one site.
Software helps when loops cross sites or suppliers, when cards get lost, or when you need to resize many loops as demand changes.
The routine it supports
- 1Map the pull loop
- 2Size the cards
- 3Scan on consumption
- 4Signal the supplier
- 5Refill the supermarket
- 6Resize when demand changes
How the listed tools are priced
- Price on request: 2
- Free plan + paid: 1
- Published pricing: 1
How does an e-kanban system work?
When a container is emptied, someone scans its barcode or a sensor detects it. The system creates a replenishment signal for the supplying process, warehouse or vendor, with the part, quantity and delivery point.
The supplier sees the signal in a queue, ships or makes the part, and the receipt closes the card. At any time you can see how many cards in each loop are full, empty or in transit, and which are late.
This is the same pull system as with paper cards, often feeding a supermarket. The software changes how the signal travels, not the logic behind it.
E-kanban vs physical kanban cards
Physical cards are cheap, visible at the point of use and need no IT. Their weak points are lost cards, slow signals across long distances and the effort of reprinting cards when loops are resized.
Electronic kanban sends signals immediately, keeps a history of every loop and makes resizing a data change. It can be less visible on the floor, so many plants keep physical bins or cards with barcodes and use the system only for the signal.
Moving to e-kanban makes most sense for loops that cross buildings or suppliers, or where card loss and late signals cause stockouts today.
E-kanban and ERP integration
Most plants run material planning in an ERP. Decide which parts move to kanban and take them out of MRP planning for the same supply, so pull and push do not both order the same part.
Signals can post to the ERP as purchase releases, transfer orders or production orders, and receipts can update stock. Ask whether the integration works both ways and how often it syncs.
Review loop sizes as demand changes. The kanban calculator works out the card count for a loop, and the kanban page explains how loops are sized.
Buying guide
How to choose E-Kanban Software
Who it's for: Materials managers, supply chain teams and manufacturers moving from push scheduling to demand-driven replenishment.
What to look for
Card loop design
Tools to calculate and adjust the number of kanban cards per part based on demand and lead time.
Signals to suppliers
Electronic replenishment signals that reach internal and external suppliers instantly.
Scanning
Barcode or RFID triggers that make consuming a container and sending a signal one action.
ERP connection
Two-way integration so the e-kanban loop and the ERP agree on stock.
Common mistakes
- Sizing loops once and never adjusting them as demand changes.
- Running pull and push for the same parts, which creates confusion and excess stock.
- Digitizing a broken card system instead of fixing the loop design first.
Before you choose
Questions to ask vendors
- 1How do you recalculate card quantities when demand changes?
- 2Which ERPs do you integrate with, and how?
- 3Can suppliers receive signals without a license?
- 4What scanning hardware do you support?
FAQ
E-Kanban Software: common questions
What is a pull system?
A way of controlling production and replenishment where work is triggered by actual consumption downstream rather than by a forecast pushed from upstream.
How many kanban cards do I need?
A common formula is demand during the replenishment lead time plus safety stock, divided by container size. Start there and adjust based on real stockouts and overstock.
What is a supermarket in lean?
A controlled store of parts between processes from which downstream processes pull what they need, triggering replenishment upstream.
Is e-kanban the same as a two-bin system?
A two-bin system is one kind of kanban. E-kanban can run a two-bin system digitally, with a scan when the first bin empties.
Is kanban a lean tool?
Yes. Kanban is the signal system behind pull and just-in-time in the Toyota Production System.
Is e-kanban the same as kanban software for teams?
No. E-kanban replenishes material in production and supply chains. Kanban boards for teams manage tasks and work in progress, which is covered under kanban software.
What triggers an e-kanban signal?
Usually a barcode or QR scan of an empty container. Buttons, RFID tags and weight sensors on bins are also used.
Can suppliers use e-kanban without access to our ERP?
Often, yes. Signals can reach suppliers through a web portal, email or an electronic data interchange link, depending on the system.
Sources
- Lean Enterprise Institute: kanban ↗
- Lean Enterprise Institute: supermarket ↗
- Lean Enterprise Institute: just-in-time ↗
Written by the lean-stack editors following our methodology. Updated October 3, 2026.
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