Community Resources

OpenBoxes is an open-source project with an active community of implementers, developers, and supply chain professionals. Whether you need help with a specific configuration, want to learn best practices, or are looking to contribute, these resources can help.

Community Forum

community.openboxes.com

The community forum is the primary place for discussions about OpenBoxes. It is used by implementers, developers, and the OpenBoxes core team.

What you will find there:

  • Implementation questions and answers
  • Feature requests and feedback
  • Announcements about new releases
  • Configuration tips and best practices
  • Integration examples shared by other organizations

Tip: Search the forum before posting --- chances are someone has already asked your question. The forum has years of accumulated knowledge.

How to participate:

  1. Create a free account at community.openboxes.com.
  2. Introduce yourself and your organization.
  3. Browse categories relevant to your needs (e.g., Implementation, Configuration, Development).
  4. Post questions with enough detail for others to help: include your OpenBoxes version, what you tried, and what happened.

Slack Workspace

The OpenBoxes Slack workspace is used for real-time conversations with the community and the core development team.

Good for:

  • Quick questions that do not need a long-form answer
  • Connecting with other implementers in your region
  • Getting timely help during an active implementation
  • Discussing development contributions

To join, visit the community forum for an invitation link or contact the OpenBoxes team.

YouTube Channel

The OpenBoxes YouTube channel has video tutorials and walkthroughs covering:

  • Getting started --- Account setup, initial configuration, and navigation
  • Feature walkthroughs --- How to use inventory management, shipments, purchase orders, and reporting
  • Admin guides --- User management, location setup, and system configuration
  • Webinar recordings --- Sessions on supply chain best practices and OpenBoxes updates

Videos are a good starting point when you are learning a new feature or onboarding team members.

GitHub Repository

github.com/openboxes/openboxes

The OpenBoxes source code is available on GitHub under an Eclipse Public License. The repository is where:

  • Bug reports are tracked as GitHub Issues
  • Feature requests are discussed and prioritized
  • Pull requests are submitted by community contributors
  • Release notes document what changed in each version

Reporting Bugs

If you encounter a bug in OpenBoxes (as opposed to a Lift platform issue), you can report it directly on GitHub:

  1. Search existing issues to avoid duplicates.
  2. Open a new issue with:
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Expected vs. actual behavior
    • Your OpenBoxes version (visible in the bottom-left of the UI)
    • Screenshots if applicable

Note: For issues specific to the Lift platform (account management, provisioning, SSO, billing), use the support channels instead of GitHub.

Official Documentation

OpenBoxes maintains documentation at two locations:

Resource URL Content
Help site help.openboxes.com End-user guides, how-to articles, and feature documentation
Technical docs docs.openboxes.com Developer documentation, API reference, and configuration guides

These resources cover OpenBoxes itself. For Lift-specific documentation (hosting, billing, integrations), you are in the right place.

Contributing to OpenBoxes

OpenBoxes welcomes contributions from the community. Ways to contribute:

  • Report bugs --- File issues on GitHub when you find problems.
  • Suggest features --- Post feature ideas on the community forum for discussion.
  • Submit code --- Fork the repository, make your changes, and open a pull request. The core team reviews all contributions.
  • Translate --- Help translate OpenBoxes into additional languages.
  • Write documentation --- Improve the help site or technical docs.

Getting Started as a Contributor

  1. Fork the GitHub repository.
  2. Set up a local development environment following the README.
  3. Pick an issue labeled good first issue or help wanted.
  4. Submit a pull request with a clear description of your changes.

Regional User Groups

In some regions, OpenBoxes users have formed local user groups that meet periodically (in person or virtually) to share experiences. Check the community forum for announcements about regional meetups.

Stay Updated

  • Forum announcements --- Subscribe to the Announcements category on the community forum
  • GitHub releases --- Watch the GitHub repository for release notifications
  • Lift updates --- Check the OpenBoxes Lift System Status page for platform news