Inventory - more than a label?

[Mayhem]

Now I know that there have been a few posts here in recently and in the past on the topic of inventories, but I was just wondering about what exactly people are doing with them?

It would seem that there are a variety of different systems out there and for some people, keeping an inventory is as simple as ensuring that they have a record of all equipment. Some go further to mark their equipment with a label that has some form of identifying data on it, some colour code and some even use bar codes (or a combination of them).

What I am interested in finding out is exactly what your system involves in terms of doing more than simply “sticking a label” on it.

Do you use the information that you record regarding your inventory to assist you in any other areas? For example, do you have a system that links your equipment inventory to your service and repair records or your lamp stock records? If so, do you use any commercial software or did you/someone else create a database (or some other way) to keep track of all of this information?

The reason that I ask is that I have been keeping an inventory for some years, using a Microsoft Access database that I created. Now I am not the best when it comes to using Access but I have managed to get a system that allows me to keep records of my equipment and tie that in with a service and repair record for each item as well. This has been quite useful as I can see if a certain unit is failing on a regular basis, or requires re-lamping before it should. It also allows me to look back at the history of the unit.

This database also has another section in which I log all the details for clients and their shows. I am now at a point in which I have decided to get a programmer to place the client/job database on a web server to allow my clients to enter and edit their own records.

Due to this, the database will be “cut up” so to speak and I am wondering if this is the time to look at how I use my inventory and add in some additional features. To be honest, some of it has not worked as well as I would want it to, which has meant that some of the data has fallen by the wayside. The lamp inventory side has not been incorporated yet and currently I have only been keeping data on equipment (power, lighting, and audio), not tools or other accessories.

I hope that this post will pull together some of the information contained in some of the other posts as well as provide some discussion and suggestions around my interest in this. I.e., what is it that you are doing with the data that you keep?

[bdesmond]

I have a system that I have developed 90% of, and have never really rolled out for lack of time. Everything is tracked in a homebrew MSSQL database. Every piece of equipment is tagged immediately when acquired. Tag becomes the key in the database, additonal information inc serial number, make, model, color, vendor, po #, invoice #, other notes included in the record.

I have another related table that stores repair/maintenance history for every piece of equipment. New row for every time repair or routine maintenance is performed.

I finally have another couple of tables for consumables tracking.

I built this to manage several thousand pieces of computer equipment. It really isn't anything different than I would need to manage an inventory of event/theater equipment. I actually started to catalog gear, still on the Execl spreadsheet system at the moment.

I also have a custom app that runs on a Windows based PDA w/ barcode gun that when dropped in the cradle syncs any changes on teh PDA or int eh einventory database. So the PDA can pull up any asset's info and history and also log changes, and then sync (and vice versa). Cool system. Wish I had time to finish it and deploy.

[Peter]

I really dont own much equipment, but I have it all labled with a strip of green tape with my name on it. I also have my equipment listed on a locally available webpage (wich also serves as a launch pad for all my audio software and settings) so that others can see it on my screen and know what goes where when being cleaned up. Repares, ya, well i dont really have enough equipement to be realy worried about that, the very few repairs that I have to do are stored mentaly (although I know this is impractical for larger inventories) just my situation, sorry it's probaly not much help as far as what you are looking for :-(

[sound_nerd]

I would like to get prices and such on a simple barcode system with a gun. I'll look into it this week.

Also, does anyone know where i can get custom printed heat shrink for cables? I want my name and an inventory number on them.

[avkid]

http://www.avcable.com/ they are very knowledgeable and ship fast for both custom and stock orders!

[ship]

heatshrink.com has the ability to print and has some heat shrink that's designed for theater applications such as specially formulated heat shrink to last much less fit over various types of plug without needing to remove it. 4:1 heat shrink you pay for but it's worth it. I for instance use a 61mm heat shrink which shrinks down to 19mm. Good stuff but very expensive. This as opposed to taking a Soco plug off is very cost effective. I also use 3M #2141 rubber/neoprene adhesive under all heat shrink to bond it to the cable so it resists damage much longer. With use, heat shrink will get damaged.

Avoid PVC based heat shrink, it becomes brittle and yellows fast.

I forget the name of the company I get my color coded company logol 3:1 heat shrink from. There are lots that offer custom printing however. Have to buy in large lots or pay extra.

Just started going barcode. For the moment we are working out the logistics of both having a barcode, and having one that will read thru the protective heat shrink.

At the moment our system has a company standardized "bible" which crew chiefs in doing blue print takeoffs of a design fill out. Excel in format though less important. It has just about all the gear on it in a format everyone is familior with. That show bible goes to the equipment manager, his assistant or when really slammed, to myself to log into the Hire Track system. This system tracks all equipment in the inventory by way of it's serial number or for stuff which is not, by amount owned. Stuff like Lekos are tracked for resale and lot number purposes by way of noting on the label on the cord the date we got it. Not a great system as caps float between fixtures, but it works to some extent. Having a label also on the fixture or engraved date of purchase would be better no doubt. Sometimes there is lot number problems with fixtures such as them darned metric S-4 cans intermixed in the inventory or other very specific lot number problems.

More expensive gear such as moving lights is given a serial number and it's in the system cross referenced with the manufacturer serial number. Other stuff like multi-cable is also given a serial number to aid in tracking what's in stock verses what is needed to search for.

The bible is than typed into the computer to see if and reserve what's requested is available. Otherwise if not available alternates will be devised or the crew chief will get back his bible with notes to work on changing. The system also tracks PO#, arrival date and notes such as notes on what repairs have been done to cable. The moving lights repair area has their own tracking system. Other stuff tracked by the system is weight, price and rental value. Given this info for instance if a manifest is required to cross intronational boarders, it's fairly easy to compute an print. Otherwise given the gear, reantal doccuments, pull tickets etc. can be printed up. This all while each show, it's not only out and in date, but expected time it will be back is computed so as to ensure what's needed is available. When gear is missing, it can also be tracked as to where it was last and when it's supposted to come back. Otherwise by way of system, if someone is doing a bid for a job, it's fairly easy to tell what gear is available verses what is needed to be substituted or rented.

In addition to this, we use File Maker Pro to track both purchase orders and return tickets. This with lamp tracking by way of lamp's serial number. All moving light lamps have serial numbers along with other gear such as small controllers or laser distance finders. All are signed out to the show they are on. These tracking pages also note the purchace order number, date, from who along with new/used/sold and other details. There is also notes which correspond with the sticker on all lamps the tech person is to fill out when it gets installed. Such info such as who, when, why, hours used and what fixture it's in than by way of computer lets you coordinate what lamp is in what fixture, track problems with specific fixtures or lamps and have a doccument you return with the lamp stating all the info the vendor needs for a return should it die before it's expected reasonable life. Should a lamp look bad in one fixture but not be old enough to replace, it's installed into one or two more to see if it works any better in a second fixture. Often it will. Lamp tracking is my primary field. I get the above bible pages just as every other department gets them once approved in telling me how many spare lamps to pull.

In some cases, the above Hire Track system will also let us know of problems on lamps such as a bunch of fixtures are coming off a long tour, we had at best have a bunch of lamps in stock ready to replace them especially if there is a quick turn around of the fixtures for another show. Otherwise in the next day or two by way of the Hire Track, I know I'm going to need to order about 100 more 375w HPL lamps. Did a quick inventory, and there is 144 in stock above what's already in fixtures. This figure was added to what Hire Track told us was in the fixtures already - or at least for the fixtures in stock during the period of the show that could also be used. No doubt somewhere around 50 fixtures with that lamp already lamped in them and available.

Finally, I have a sign out sheet for all gear taken out of the store room from a roll of gaff tape to a $500.00 lamp. It also tracks stuff that otherwise can fall thru the holes in the system such as if someone decides to take the Arri locational Fresnel kit with them but forgets to mention it on their bible. Where is it, or where have they all gone is than answered. Just bought 40 C-Clamps last week, how can we be out of them already. Checking the sheets showed someone prepping a resale show used them up without telling anyone especially the sales person who now has to budget for them on the profit part of his sale. Much less it in being tacked who used up the stock, the replacements for them get charged to that resale - different taxes on resale and different accounting codes for what's bought for general use verses resale. Something else to track - the accounting needs for info.

Hopefully such as in the C-Clamp problem, in the next shop I'll be able to do a computer in the store room which will both track and give me warnings when I start falling below a certain amount of stock in things tracked. Thought I had a HMI 575w/GS lamp in stock. Used to carry them but did not when I needed one.

The year end inventory while useful for the first month is more of use to the insurance people and accounting types for stuff like taxes than for me otherwise. Given a computer based system a real inventory will not be needed any longer.

This and the barcode system are the plans for the future. Just got a label maker today which will print up bar code by way of computer downloads. Very expensive, but in theory as stuff goes out the door it's scanned, when it comes back it's scanned again. That's a good accurate system in having less guess work. Until than, serial numbers is what we go by. Frequently the same serial number will show up on a bible as that of a cable or fixture that's out on another show, but for the most part beyond chicken scratch it's an accurate system.

If you are planning on doing a real inventory tracking system, I would recommend having someone between the place you buy it from and the company that makes the program come out and figure out what program will work best for you, train you in it, and set you up to use it.

[LX-88]

Originally Posted by bdesmond

I have a system that I have developed 90% of, and have never really rolled out for lack of time. Everything is tracked in a homebrew MSSQL database. Every piece of equipment is tagged immediately when acquired. Tag becomes the key in the database, additonal information inc serial number, make, model, color, vendor, po #, invoice #, other notes included in the record.

I have another related table that stores repair/maintenance history for every piece of equipment. New row for every time repair or routine maintenance is performed.

I finally have another couple of tables for consumables tracking.

I built this to manage several thousand pieces of computer equipment. It really isn't anything different than I would need to manage an inventory of event/theater equipment. I actually started to catalog gear, still on the Execl spreadsheet system at the moment.

I also have a custom app that runs on a Windows based PDA w/ barcode gun that when dropped in the cradle syncs any changes on teh PDA or int eh einventory database. So the PDA can pull up any asset's info and history and also log changes, and then sync (and vice versa). Cool system. Wish I had time to finish it and deploy.

Can you post the mysql table stucture in a txt file for us? Or at least what you have so far? This would be really helpfull for my theater.

[Peter]

Hmm.... has anyone considered RF-ID tags for all their equipement?

RF-ID tags are little tiney chips (can be imbeded in a normal paper sticker = tiney) that broadcast a unique ID to any reciever within range. The idea behind this is it works similar to a barcode, yet when a box full of stuff comes into the shop, the entire box is run through a RF-ID reader and the entire contents of the box is instantly added to the logs without even having to open the box. Many stores are planing on phaseing in this system over the next few years and I dont think it will take long for it to trickel down to other uses. (the chips are already only something like $.01)

Just a neat thought for some of us younger folks that maybe we'll be using these in a dozen or so years!

[mixsa]

on the heatshrink issue,
we just print off a page of labels onto an a4 sheet, cut them up and then we put the paper labels under some clear heatshrink
quick, easy and effective

[bdesmond]

Originally Posted by LX-88

Can you post the mysql table stucture in a txt file for us? Or at least what you have so far? This would be really helpfull for my theater.

It's actual not MySQL - MSSQL, Microsoft SQL Server. I don't know MySQL at all, all my DBA/dev experience is with MSSQL. If you emial me and remind me, I'll generate a dump of the db structure for you.

I have a Brady IDXpert and a TLS2200 by them. I know the IDXpert takes heat shrink cartridges, and I'm fairly sure the tls2200 does as well. Have never bought one and tried it to see if this would hold up as a method for lableing cables. I pretty much use it exclusively for labeling permanent communications cabling, so a simple wraparound laminated sticker is more than enough. Has anyone tried the heatshrink printers that Brady and others make?