The Assets button on the top toolbar opens the Multi-Asset Actions screen, where you assign, return or request many assets at once. It is built for barcode scanners connected to a computer, tablet or phone by cable or Bluetooth, and works just as well when you type.


You have the Assets button if you are an Asset Manager and at least one Record Type is set up for asset tracking. Your administrator can limit the button and this screen to the asset Record Types you can add new Records to. If the button or a Record Type is missing, ask your administrator.



The screen

Queued Actions on the left lists the actions you are building. Each action is one batch, for example "assign these 30 folders to Pat, in box 112". Add New Action adds one, Remove Action on a row removes it, and clicking a row shows its fields. Save Actions sends them all.


The selected action's fields are on the right. A field's label turns red while it still needs a value.

  • Action Type – Assign, Return or Request.
  • Record Type – the asset Record Type. When only one is available to you, it is filled in for you.
  • User – for Assign, the user receiving the assets. For Request, the user they are requested for. It starts as you.
  • The container field, labeled with the name of the Record Type's container field – for Assign and Return, on Record Types that have one. Enter the box or location the assets are going into. Assign needs it. The value is written into each Record.
  • The asset values box, labeled with the name of the Record Type's tracking field – one value per line, as printed on each asset's label. Each value finds the Record whose tracking field holds it.
  • Requested Date – for Request, the date the assets are needed by. Request needs it.
  • Reason – for Request, optional.
  • Notes – for Assign and Request, optional. Saved with each assignment or request.


What each action does

  • Assign – each asset is returned from whoever had it and assigned to the user, and the container is written into each Record. If the user had requested any of the assets, those requests are closed.
  • Return – each asset is returned. If a container is entered, it is written into each Record. Everyone with an open request for any of the assets gets one email listing the assets of theirs that are back.
  • Request – a request is made for the user for each asset, replacing any earlier request of theirs for the same asset. Asset Managers, and whoever has each asset at the time, are emailed.


Saving

Save Actions first checks every queued action. If any is missing something, the problems are listed under Processing Errors and nothing is sent. Otherwise the actions are sent one at a time, and each one that succeeds leaves the queue. When the last one is done, All Actions Saved is shown.


If an action fails, it stays in the queue with its errors listed, and the actions after it wait.

  • If a value does not match any Record, the error is Record Not found and nothing in that action is done. Correct or remove the value and save again.
  • If some assets in an Assign could not be assigned, the rest are assigned and only the values that failed are left in the action, so saving it again does not assign the others twice.


A value that matches more than one Record acts on all of them.


Scanning

A scanner types what is on the label and then presses Enter, so the screen moves along with Enter.

  • In a one-line field or a list, Enter moves to the next field. Moving on from the last field goes back to the first.
  • In the asset values box and Notes, Enter starts a new line, so you can scan label after label.
  • The lists take a scanned or typed name: a label printed ASSIGN, RETURN or REQUEST in Action Type, a Record Type's name in Record Type, or a user's user name or the name shown in the list in User, followed by Enter. An exact match is chosen first, otherwise the first entry that starts with what was scanned. If nothing matches, a message says so and the field keeps what it had. Typing into a list picks as you type, and pausing for a second starts over.


These control codes work in any field. Print them as barcodes, or type them and press Enter. The code itself is never kept as a value.

  • XDELX – clears the field. In the asset values box it removes only the last value, so one bad scan can be taken back.
  • XCLEARX – clears the field. In the asset values box it removes every value.
  • XTABX – moves to the next field.
  • XPREVX – moves to the previous field.
  • XNEWX – adds a new action.
  • XDONEX – saves all actions, the same as Save Actions.


Example: filling a storage box

A records clerk checking 40 folders out to a user, in box 112:

  1. Scan ASSIGN into Action Type.
  2. Scan the Record Type's name into Record Type. If it is already filled in, scan XTABX to move past it.
  3. Scan the user's badge into User.
  4. Scan the box label into the container field.
  5. Scan each folder's label into the asset values box.
  6. Scan XNEWX to start the next box, or XDONEX to save.