Author Topic: Asset Tracking  (Read 3089 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Connor778899

  • Tourist
  • *
  • Posts: 1
    • View Profile
  • Experience: College/Graduate
Asset Tracking
« on: Jan 20, 2018, 06:46 pm »
Hello everyone,

I'm running my 'high school' stage crew and we have no way of currently tracking our assets, its a lucky dip in the tech cupboard for supplies. We have programs like excel and access but noone to make us a database. Any Ideas?

Michelle R. Wood

  • SM Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 164
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
    • website
  • Affiliations: EMC, East Carolina University
  • Current Gig: Resident Stage Manager at Temple Theatre
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Asset Tracking
« Reply #1 on: Jan 30, 2018, 09:54 am »
Check out the Props section of the Uploaded Forms area: lots of great templates are available.
"Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." -- Thomas Edison (Harper's Magazine, 1932)

KMC

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 963
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Current Gig: Project Manager, Systems Integration
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: Asset Tracking
« Reply #2 on: Jan 30, 2018, 10:18 am »
Can you clarify what you mean by assets?  "Assets" would typically mean fixed assets (i.e. tangible items that are not consumables), which in the theatre world would be things like your audio and lighting consoles, microphones, lighting instrumentation, tools, etc... 

Do you mean fixed assets as described above or do you mean consumables?  The words "cupboard" and "supplies" suggest that you are actually referring to consumables such as tape, batteries, lamps, gel, etc... 

Clarification would be helpful here as there would be different methods for tracking these as tracking them would serve different purposes. 
Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action. -T. Roosevelt

Mac Calder

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: Asset Tracking
« Reply #3 on: Jan 31, 2018, 01:25 am »
For consumables, you should not need a database. Excel is more than sufficient.

Generally how I have always run a consumables store is with a table set out with the following columns: Description, Order Qty, PAR, then a number of pairs of columns with dates for consumable counts (SOH 07/10/17 for example) and order quantities. You can then do a third and fourth column to auto-calculate a new total and usage in the period if you want to do some analytics

Process goes like this: Write down all of your consumables and the order quantity ("box (24)" if it comes in a box of 24, "ea" if they are individual, "roll (300')" for things like sash) then establish a PAR level. How often do you want to count and re-order - the more often you count, the less stock you need to keep on hand. Monthly tends to work for many places. Work out your average usage a month - then multiply by 2. That would be your PAR level. Each month, count your consumables. Order up to your par level using your order quantity (handily in the second column of your sheet). Basically it always gives you a months consumables in reserve to account for seasonability. Using the data you gather you can also adjust your PAR levels and fine tune things.

There is also option B  which I call the hoarding method. Order a quantity of every item, and place it somewhere where only a limited number of people have access. Any time you take an item out of that place, order another.

And finally there is option C - I know in Australia there is a company that modified food vending machines to dispense consumables - it dials 'home' and this company then comes and tops you up once the level gets low... you could always try something like that if money is no object.