Asset Management

[localzuk]

I have been asked to look into implementing some form of asset management system in school and am wondering what others do?

This system wouldn't be the same as GLPI/OCS as it has to encompass all assets for the school and it also has to contain PAT testing logs for electrical items.

It would also want to make use of barcodes and a portable front end (PDA with barcode scanner or the like).

There would be several people who would use the system:

1. Myself for all IT and multimedia items
2. Head of PE for PE equipment
3. The site manager for everything else
4. Bursar for checking through things

Any ideas? I've been looking at some of the commercial systems such as those provided by Intelitrack and Wasp and am about to trial the software.

[plexer]

Do you do your own pat or get someone in to do it?

The software that comes with the higher end testers normally allows for you to log all that information once you have generated and scanned the barcodes.

Ben

[limbo]

We have an access database to do this with different front ends for different peoples needs (some web, some access but could be vb too).

We have blue tooth barcode scanner which we use with laptops / tablet PC's - would prefer this to be a pda but not got around to it yet.

The process is two step:-

1) Put a unique ID barcode sticker on the machine and register that equipment against that ID, with IT kit we usually scan the s/n barcode and then the database guesses the make / model from the serial number style

2) We then record the additional information we want (location, condition etc.) against the serial number - but use the ID number to identify the serial number (usually easier to get at usaully than the serial number and as many pieces of kit so not have a bar code label for the serial number!)

It is two step because the first step only ever needs to be done once (unless the ID sticker goes missing in which case it needs to be update with a new number - hence the reason for linking all the information to the serial number rather than the ID number)

The second step can then be repeated as often as you need - we usually audit for location / condition once a term. We do not check after PAT testing because generally it is easier to log the ones that fail (one or two) rather than the ones that have passed (several hundred).

[localzuk]

We do our own PAT testing.

I've just been looking at the software by Wasp and am finding it to be excellent. It integrates very well with PDA's and provides all the functionality I need. I wonder what price it will come in at for educational use.

Anyone else use it?

[david12345]

what about error/problem auditing? eg user problems, problems on users computers they dont know they have, software problems, problems with speakers, printers & mice etc. This sort of stuff seems to demand going round to every pc at intervals and testing it. Users may not notice or report problems as I have said. Especially with multiple staff-use pcs- it's no ones responsibility. So does anyone do this- go round and run programs, check mouse, etc. Do you use a check sheet - what headings?

[localzuk]

No, I don't do that - fixing the problems that people know about fills my time without having to seek out problems.

Any problems like that get solved when machines are re-imaged, or brought in for updates.

[alonebfg]

we bought a fluke 6500 it came with pat plus and all you do is scan download and print it is that simple had a 7 year old helping me and even he colud do it and it only cost £800 plus £40 for calabration.

[localzuk]

Problem with that, as far as I can tell, is that it doesn't have capabilities for everything else - non PAT test stuff.

We need a solution for asset management of *everything* in school.

[alonebfg]

With pat plus You can export it to a csv file and import into a database if thats sounds good thats what i do but i use pat plus for recording and printing test resaults then export it to access. Its as is as that.

[localzuk]

It sounds good, for pat testing, but I still think it sounds like it lacks in the general asset management field - for example, the solution I'm looking at is to label everything and have a single tracking system for everything.

The system I'm looking at at the moment is the Wasp MobileAsset software, with one of their printers and a couple of Motorola/Symbol MC35 PDA's. The software covers all the bases, the only issue is that to implement it as suggested above it would cost us £2800.