Organizations need to stay updated with the state of their assets at all times.
‘Custom substates’ helps users define the state of assets based on the stage of the operational workflow. Custom substates is divided into two categories: Basic and Advanced. The use depends on the package the user has.
‘Advanced Custom Substates’ is a step ahead of custom substates – available for enterprise users. It allows them to leverage directional substates i.e., all substates can transition into all other substates. This makes it easier for users to make use of transitions and easily move an item from one substate to another.
Some important definitions for custom substates are as follows:
| Parent State | This is the main state that the item belongs in. The substate will be an addition to the parent state. |
| Name | This is the name that you will identify the substate by. |
| Description | This will give you a description of what the substate entails. |
| Substate Transitions | These are all the substates your current substate can transition into. You can also quickly add new substates if you still need to create them. |
| Substate Actions | These are the labels that describe the transition from one substate to another. |
Let’s give you a step-by-step guide to using advanced custom substates.
1. Enable Advanced Custom Substates
Go to Company Settings → Add-ons → ‘Custom Substates’ and contact the support team to enable ‘Advanced Custom Substates’ for you.
Once you enable the advanced substates, you will be able to choose the transitions that staff users are allowed to perform as shown above.
2. Assign Custom Substates to Assets
Go to the Navigation Menu → More → Customize → Custom Substates → Assets → Add Custom Substates.
Here you can choose the Parent State from the dropdown. You will then be able to define substates for the Parent State.
After selecting the Parent State, click on ‘Add New Substate’. This will pop up a window asking you to enter the new custom substate.
After adding your new custom substate, you have to define the Substate Transitions.
Next, you can name the Substate Action. This is the name you give to the transition from one substate to another substate. For example, for the transition ‘In transit to origin’, the action name given is ‘Transit to owner’.
Note: You will not be able to transfer assets to the required substate without adding the substate transition.
You can also add more than one substate for every Parent State and more than one substate transition. For instance, the image below shows substates defined for the Parent State ‘Available’.
3. Edit asset substates
To edit any substate click on Substate → Edit. The following window will pop up and you can make the required changes. Here you can set up transition substates as well. The image shows
- Parent State: Available
- Substate: Available to Book
- Substate Transition: Available: In transit to owner and Available: In transit to origin and Checked out: Delivery on going
Note: You can edit the substate transition name to change its name if needed. Changing the name of the custom substate will not change the transition name.
4. Set a default asset substate
For each Parent State, you have to define the default substate. You can do this by selecting the substate in the Default column.
Every time you create a new asset, it will be assigned to the Default substate. For instance, the 4K UHD Smart LED TV is assigned the default substate ‘Available:In Transit to origin’ under Available.
5. Assign asset substates
For every asset, you can change its substate as per your business requirements. Let’s say you want to check out an asset. According to the substate feature, you can assign any substate created under the ‘Checked Out’ Parent State. Here we have a 4K UHD Smart LED TV that has a substate Checked out: Delivery on going.
To check it out under a different substate go to More → Change Substate to → Mark as Delivered/Returned.
Note: The substate transition options available on the Asset Details page are the same that you saved on the Custom Substate page.
On the other hand, if you simply want to check out the asset you can do so by clicking the Checkout button on the Asset Details page. This will however assign the Default substate for the ‘Checked Out’ Parent State.
Note: If you create a new substate and define a transition for it, you will only be able to apply it to the new assets, and not the previous assets.
6. Check substate history
History is stored for all asset substate transitions made in your account. On the Asset Details page go to More→ State History
A window will pop up with the substate actions taken on the asset.
7. Deactivate asset substate
Any custom substate that does not have any transition substates associated with it can be deactivated.
8. Create custom substate for asset stock
For asset stock that is frequently checked out to different locations, you can create custom substates to streamline tracking. On the custom substate page, go to Asset Stock → Add Custom Substate.
For asset stock, you can choose from 4 different Parent States.
After adding the custom substate you have to define the substate transitions for Asset Stock.
9. Assign substates to asset stock
Go to the Navigation Menu → More → Custom Substates → Asset Stock. Here you can generate custom substates for Asset stock and add transitions just like we did for Assets.
There are two ways to assign substates for asset stock in your EZOfficeInventory account.
9.1 For existing asset stock
There must be some asset stock in your account before you created the custom substates. In order to apply substates to previous stock go to the substates page and click ‘Move Available Asset Stock Quantity’.
Note: The selected substate for this action is always the default substate. In the image below its ‘Available to Book’.
The button will display the following overlay asking you to choose a location. You can only move the available asset stock at a location to the substate.
Note: Once you move asset stock quantities to a substate, it cannot be reversed.
9.2 For new asset stock
After you have created a new Asset Stock, go to More → Add Stock. Here, specify the Location and Quantity for the new asset stock.
The new stock added will be automatically assigned the default substate under the Quantity by Locations tab.
You will now be able to move Asset Stock to custom substates as defined in the substate transitions.
Go to the Asset Stock Details page→ More→ Substate Transition→ Checked out: Delivery in progress
This will display an overlay asking you to select the Stock Quantity that you want to move to the custom substate.
This will redirect you to an overlay asking about the Quantity you want to transfer to the substate. To do this, select the location and click on ‘Line Item’.
Once the substate transfer is successful, you will be able to see Quantity by Location in its respective substates.
10. Adding asset stock to carts
You can also choose asset stock quantities from different substates to add to a cart. Go to the Asset Stock Details page → More→ Add to Cart.
An overlay will appear asking you to enter Quantity, Location and State of the required asset stock.
Once you select the relevant fields, asset stock will be transferred to the current cart.
11. Creating substates for packages and bundles
Moving an asset that is part of a package to a substate will automatically move all of the assets part of that package and the package itself to that substate.
You can change the substate of a package by clicking on More → Change Substate to.
Therefore, Package 1 will also be assigned the same substate.
For bundles, individual items can exist in any state. However, when the bundle is being checked-out by cart, the cart states will apply on assets.
About EZOfficeInventory
EZOfficeInventory is the leading asset management software. It allows you to track, maintain, and report on equipment from anywhere, at any time. We offer a free 15-day trial – no credit card required!
