This is an older blog. To see the latest post on Custom Fields, click here.
For efficient equipment tracking and rental management, EZRentOut comes with a predefined set of fields. However, we understand that every business is unique and you may need some custom fields as per your specific needs. For this we provide Custom Attributes, which can be used to track any data point with an asset/inventory.
Here are a few examples of how our customers in various industries make use of this feature:
Industry(s) |
Custom Attribute(s) |
Media and Production |
Recording the focal length of a camera lens, keeping tap on whether a flashlight is buzzed. |
Service Providers |
Tracking Job Numbers, condition of the equipment checked out, recording any damages on return, setting up maintenance alerts. |
Health Care |
Expiration date alerts on drugs, recording whether a tool has been sterilized after return. |
Software and IT |
MAC Address of devices, Installed OS, Installed programs. |
Let’s dig a bit deeper!
Adding Custom Fields
You can add custom fields from More -> Custom Fields -> Items -> Add Custom Field. A custom attribute can be any field type e.g. radio buttons, text field, date field etc. When you’re adding a custom field, you can choose to associate it with groups of items:
- All the groups i.e. all the items
- All the groups that you’ll create in future
- Only a few specific group (use shift+click or ctrl+click to select a bunch in a single go)
Customizing Assets and Inventory Details
All associated custom attributes will start appearing on the relevant items’ details page. e.g. Processor type will appear on the Laptop page details. See image below:
You can edit a single item to update the custom attribute values. Or you can select a bunch of items on Asset Listing (Items – >Assets) and from Actions -> Edit, edit custom fields for all of them in a single go. Same goes for inventory and asset stock listings. Say you have a stock of 10 camera lens that are 65mm. You can mass edit all of them to update their focal length to 85mm.
Customizing Items Listing
The best part is that you can edit the Asset, Inventory and Asset Stock listing tables to include columns that are more important to you. These columns can also include custom attributes.
Customizing Check-in/out and other events
You can add custom attributes of your choice on Check-in/out forms. The Display on checkout and Display on check-in options are available under Preferences when you’re adding/editing a custom attribute.
Here are some ways in which you can configure these settings:
- Selecting Display at checkout will show this custom attribute on the checkout form. The user can enter a new value for this field.
- If you select Only record with checkout…, the value entered by the user when checking out assets will NOT be updated with the asset. It’ll only get recorded in checkout events log (Asset Detail -> History -> Check-in/out history and More -> Reports -> Checkout events).
- Selecting Display at reservation shows the custom attribute on reservation form. The values recorded for the custom attributes on reservations are also recorded in the checkout events log when you check out a reservation.
- Similarly, you can configure how the custom attribute will display on check-ins.
- You can also make it mandatory for the users to add a value on check-in/out.
Set up Date Alerts
You can also enable date alerts using custom attributes. For example, you may want to get an alert when a laptop battery expires. For scenarios where some equipment require regular servicing, you can set up recurring date alerts e.g. a laptop battery requiring replacement every 1-2 years.
Record History
Keep a history trail of how a custom attribute value is changing over time for a particular item. Make sure that the Save History option is checked under preferences for the custom attribute(s) for which you’d want to have a history record.
Say you have a custom attribute called OS for your Macbooks. You can track when was the OS updated to Yosemite from Mavericks, and who made that change.
You can also export the history trail to a CSV.
Other options
- Any custom attribute can be printed on a Print Label.
- You can also have a custom attribute shown when someone scans the QR Code for an asset. Enable Company Settings->Show on Public QR Code Page->Custom Attributes.
- Make sure to have the relevant preferences selected.
Importing Custom Attributes
Data for all the custom attributes can be imported to your EZRentOut account from an excel sheet. The custom attributes are available when you’re mapping columns during the excel import. Make sure to create all the required custom attributes from Items -> Custom Attributes before importing data for them.
If you have more questions on this feature, do write to us at support@ezo.io
