# Installer Panel Design Studio A self-hosted web configurator built on React Flow (the actively maintained open-source canvas library, chosen because no catalogue tool offers a drag-and-drop schematic editor) walks installers through the same guided sections as the form, lets them drag fused output cards, batteries and extension boxes onto a 2D canvas, and validates load, fusing and battery-runtime maths live. An n8n pipeline prices the BOM only for authenticated approved accounts, pushes the design as a draft quotation into ERPNext for a sales engineer's approval, and generates wiring drawings plus an Ollama-drafted commissioning pack stored in Nextcloud, where the installer reviews, marks up and e-approves the drawings online before paying against the ERPNext quote. Installers can free-issue my company some components and sub-assemblies for us to fit for them. This would require them to mark space on the panel for their gear, including dimensions and locations of input/output terminals, etc... **Category:** Integration ## The problem Installers hand-fill a PDF panel spec, scan it and email it in; sales engineers retype it into a spreadsheet and the ERP, so a quote takes days while installers are trying to win same-day tenders — and the design knowledge that sizes loads, fusing and batteries safely lives only in the engineers' heads. ## What it does ### Installer Portal Approved installers sign in to design panels, reuse saved designs and track project history. - Account-gated access - Saved design library per installer - Project history ### Account Gate Checks the installer against approved accounts in ERPNext; only approved customers ever see prices. - ERPNext customer lookup - Role-based price visibility ### Design Canvas Guided form sections plus a drag-and-drop 2D canvas of fused output cards, fire trip relays, batteries and extension boxes, with lines and notes. - Drag-drop modules - Wiring lines and annotations - Guided question flow ### Design Library Stores each installer's standard designs so a proven build can be repeated across multiple sites in minutes. ### Validation Engine Encodes the firm's sizing rules: checks 12/24VDC loads against card ratings, fusing, overload capacity and battery runtime as the design changes. - Load vs fusing checks - Battery runtime calculation - Upgrade recommendations ### Design Valid? Blocks pricing until loads, fusing and battery sizing all pass; failed checks return to the canvas with a specific fix. ### BOM & Pricing Builds the bill of materials from the canvas and prices it from ERPNext item rates for the authenticated account. ### ERPNext Quote The design lands as a draft quotation in ERPNext with the BOM attached, replacing all manual re-keying. ### Engineer Review A sales engineer reviews the design and pricing in ERPNext and approves it into a formal quotation. ### Drawing Generator Generates wiring drawings from the canvas graph and an Ollama-drafted commissioning pack, stored in Nextcloud per project. ### Markup & Approval Installer receives an emailed link, reads the preliminary drawings online, adds markups and either submits changes or e-approves — a DocuSign-style gate. ### Drawings Approved? Markups route back to the engineer for revision; approval unlocks prepayment. ### Prepay Order Installer clicks to prepay against the approved ERPNext quotation and the build is released to the workshop. ## What it is worth An installer can design a validated, safely-sized panel themselves, reuse their saved standard designs across sites, get a priced quote the same morning, and approve wiring drawings from their desk — with a full project history the business keeps for warranty, servicing and future expansion. With over 100 quotes monthly, an estimated 3-5 day reduction in quote turnaround and an estimated 15-25% uplift in tender win rate for installers quoting same-day, plus estimated 20% larger orders from validated upsells (alarms, extension boxes) recommended during design. ## Strategic fit Installers can now find generic panel prices and rough battery maths anywhere; what they cannot get is a design tool that carries this firm's safe-sizing rules, their own saved standards, and drawings the firm will stand behind. The configurator makes the firm the place where the panel is designed, not just where it is bought — and a design library is far harder to switch away from than a price list. This fits with our five year strategic plan of helping our customers succeed at their core business. ## The stack - ERPNext - n8n - Nextcloud - React Flow - Ollama ## Where to look - The showcase: https://ethospower.ai/solutions/installer-panel-design-studio-1789626308058 - The walk-through: https://ethospower.ai/deck/installer-panel-design-studio-1789626308058 - The live demo: https://ethospower.ai/solutions/demo/installer-panel-design-studio-1789626308058 - The diagram: https://ethospower.ai/solutions/installer-panel-design-studio-1789626308058#diagram - Book a 20-minute scoping call: https://book.ethospower.ai/vanya