LIMS interfaces: How [FP]-LIMS connects to your system landscape
Over 100 pre-configured instrument interfaces, SAP®-certified integration for SAP S/4HANA®, open APIs for other ERP systems – and a browser interface for mobile access. An overview of how [FP]-LIMS slots into an existing IT landscape.
Key message
A LIMS is only as good as its interfaces. If you’re still transcribing analysis data from the spectrometer or pushing inspection lots between lab and ERP by email, you’re giving away the biggest efficiency lever a lab digitalization project has. [FP]-LIMS is designed from the ground up as an integrating system – with three clearly distinct interface worlds.
More than 100 pre-configured instrument interfaces
By far the most common question in a sales conversation: “Will you connect our spectrometer / our hardness tester / our ICP-MS?” The answer is yes in 95 % of cases – out of the box.
[FP]-LIMS ships with more than 100 pre-built drivers for instrumental analysis across a wide range of manufacturers:
- Spark spectrometry / OES – e.g., SPECTRO SpectroMAXX (partnership since 2002), Hitachi, Bruker
- X-ray fluorescence (XRF) – benchtop and handheld instruments from the common manufacturers
- ICP-OES / ICP-MS / AAS – mass and atomic spectrometry
- Hardness testing – Brinell, Vickers, Rockwell
- Tensile testing & mechanical materials testing
- Balances, pH meters, titrators – serial and network connectivity
- Bruker QMatrix – dedicated integration
And if an instrument isn’t on the list?
No instrument is too “exotic” for us. Thanks to a modular driver architecture and more than 30 years of experience with lab instruments, we find a clean solution for legacy machines or niche manufacturers too – usually within two working days. Communication runs over RS232/RS485, TCP/IP, file watchers (XLS, XML, CSV, TXT), or direct database access.
ERP-agnostic: [FP]-LIMS talks to your ERP – whichever you run
A common misconception: “LIMS-ERP integration” is often equated with “SAP® integration”. In reality, [FP]-LIMS connects to any ERP system via the open standard interface (IDI) – not only SAP®.
In practice, we’ve implemented connections to (among others):
- SAP S/4HANA® – via the SAP®-certified interface (details below)
- SAP® ECC / R/3 – classic SAP® QM integration
- proALPHA, abas, Sage, Infor – common mid-market ERPs
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 / Business Central
- Custom developments & PCS systems – via REST/SOAP, direct database connection, or file exchange
What typically gets exchanged between LIMS and ERP?
- Master data (material, batch, supplier)
- Inspection lots & test orders
- Specifications & limit values
- Incoming-goods data
- Test results
- Usage decisions (release / hold)
- Certificate data
- Deviations & corrective actions
Self-contained subsystem: the lab keeps running even when the ERP doesn’t
An often underestimated advantage: [FP]-LIMS runs fully self-contained. During ERP maintenance windows, release rollovers, or unplanned outages, lab operations carry on undisturbed. Once the ERP comes back, synchronization catches up automatically. For 24/7 production with shift operation, this isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s a hard requirement.
SAP S/4HANA® – the certified interface
For customers running SAP®, there’s an extra layer: [FP]-LIMS is SAP®-certified for integration with SAP S/4HANA®. This certification isn’t handed out casually – it’s regularly tested by SAP® and guarantees a verified connection security between lab and ERP.
![SAP Certified Integration with SAP S/4HANA – certification badge for [FP]-LIMS](/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SAP-Certified-Integration-SAP-S4HANA.png)
What does “SAP®-certified” actually mean?
- Verified communication paths – the interface was implemented to SAP® specifications and validated by SAP®
- Bidirectional data exchange with SAP® QM – inspection lots, results, and usage decisions flow automatically
- Compatible with RISE with SAP S/4HANA® Cloud – also for customers undergoing cloud transformation
- Audit-ready – the integration supports SAP®-conformant audit trails
- Reliable updates – we test every new SAP® release against our interface
Typical use cases for SAP® customers
Where does the SAP S/4HANA® integration pay off particularly well in practice?
- Incoming-goods inspection: an inspection lot is created automatically in SAP® QM, processed in the lab, the result flows back, the usage decision lands in SAP®
- Batch release: production batches are tested in the lab; release status synchronizes directly with SAP® inventory
- Certificate generation: material certificates and supplier evaluations are triggered centrally from SAP®; the lab supplies the data
Open API, browser interface & mobile extensions
Not every integration runs through classic ERP interfaces. For modern scenarios, [FP]-LIMS provides further routes:
Open API
Through documented, open interfaces, third-party systems can query data from [FP]-LIMS or write back to it. Typical applications: MES integration, MRP connection, IIoT platforms, Business Intelligence systems. Communication runs over the standard TCP/IP network protocol; data formats are XML, JSON, CSV, XLS – depending on the counterpart.
Browser interface (module)
The browser interface module provides a read-only interface in the user’s browser. Without local installation, authorized users can pull up analysis data, SPC charts, and status information – ideal for production management, executives, or external auditors with limited access needs.
Mobile extensions
On top of the browser interface, tailored applications can be developed for smartphones and tablets – for example, for mobile sampling or status checks from the warehouse floor.
What this means for your lab – concretely
Instead of theoretical interface architecture, two real-world snapshots that show what end-to-end integration changes in everyday work:
- Lab technician manually transcribes measurement values from the spectrometer – typo rate 1–3 %
- Inspection lot arrives by phone or email from purchasing – assignment errors under high load
- Result is maintained in a spreadsheet, reported to the ERP by email – media break, no audit trail
- Material certificate manually assembled from multiple sources – effort: 15–30 minutes
- Measurement values flow directly from the instrument into the LIMS – in real time, end-to-end, without typos
- Inspection lot is created automatically from the ERP; batch is unambiguously assigned
- Result feedback to the ERP automatic – including audit trail of who released what and when
- Material certificate at the push of a button – from the data structured in the LIMS
The most tangible effect for most customers isn’t speed – it’s data integrity: there is only one source of truth left, and it is audit-ready.
[FP]-LIMS in your system landscape
Planning the integration of a LIMS into your existing IT? Book 30 minutes with Michael Kramer from our sales team. We’ll show you – using your concrete systems, SAP® or otherwise – how [FP]-LIMS slots in.
Frequently asked questions about interfaces & integration
Do we need SAP® to use [FP]-LIMS meaningfully?
No. [FP]-LIMS works completely independently of the ERP in use – or entirely without an ERP. The SAP S/4HANA® certification is a plus for SAP® customers, but it’s not a precondition. Connections to proALPHA, abas, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, Infor, or in-house systems via open APIs are equally standard.
What does “SAP®-certified” actually mean?
The certification is awarded by SAP® after a technical review of the integration layer. It confirms that the interface is implemented to SAP® specifications, regularly tested against current SAP® releases, and provides a verified connection security between the lab and SAP S/4HANA®.
How many instrument interfaces are included out of the box?
Over 100 pre-configured drivers for spectrometers, XRF, ICP-MS, AAS, hardness testing, tensile testing, balances, pH meters, and more. If a specific instrument is missing, we typically deliver the integration within two working days.
What happens if the ERP system goes down?
Lab operations continue without restriction. [FP]-LIMS is a self-contained subsystem with its own data storage. As soon as the ERP is available again, the LIMS automatically synchronizes the data accumulated in the meantime.
Which data formats are supported?
XML, JSON, CSV, XLS, TXT for file-based interfaces. TCP/IP, RS232/RS485, and direct database access for real-time connections. REST/SOAP for API calls.
How secure are the interfaces?
[FP]-LIMS is ISO/IEC 27001-certified. Interfaces are encrypted; data access is role-based with a complete audit trail. Details on the security requirements are in the article IT security in the lab.