In some rental houses it might happen that a set of equipment is sent out on a Shoot to a client, and the client will need the same set of equipment for another Project but in the same premises. In this case the equipment wouldn't come back to be able to be checked in and back out again. For those kind of cases it is possible to activate the following Toolbox settings, located in Toolbox Settings > Server Setup > Dispatch Module:
Allow Objects To Be Checked Out When Already Checked Out: By default turned off. Needed in combination with the next two settings: Auto Check In Objects That Are Out When Being Checked Out and Offer User To Import Objects From Original Check Out For Object If Its Out.
Auto Check In Objects That Are Out When Being Checked Out: When enabled it allows to create a new Checkout for equipment that is still out with the client and needs to be prolonged for another Project. This way the equipment doesn't have to be returned only to go out back to the same client again. Only works in combination with the activated setting “Allow Objects To Be Checked Out When Already Checked Out”.
Offer User To Import Objects From Original Check Out For Object If Its Out: Works in combination with the two settings above. To be able to quickly check out all belonging equipment that was on the same Check out as the Object that you need to checkout again, before it ever came back.
Set Date To Today And Actual Time When Setting Status To Dispatched (from version 6.1 onwards): If this setting is enabled the Dispatch Date is set to the current date and actual time when the user sets the Dispatch Status to Dispatched and clicks on the OK button. The Booking will be will adjust itself to the new Dispatch Date and time.
Example: A Checkout is planned for the next day (26. March at 8 o'clock), but it gets packed the afternoon before (27.3). As soon as the Kit room User sets the Status to Dispatched and hits the Ok button the Checkout get's the date of that afternoon (27.3) and the current time (4o'clock pm.).
Create and Slave Booking When Creating New Dispatch: When activated, each time a User creates a Check Out from the Dispatch window or via the iOS or from the Object Manager a Booking will be created (a Return Date/Time needs to be set!), thus indicating that the Object is booked and not available. This way no previous scheduling of the equipment is needed.
If the Dispatch is linked to a Project then the Dispatch Name is taken from the Project (the Dispatch Name can be changed once linked to a Project). If it isn’t linked to a Project, farmers wife will create a Task. A Return Date must be set in order for the Booking or Task to be created. The Booking or the Task will have a confirmed Status.
Adjust Booking Object’s Out Time/Day When Checking Back In: Will update / modify the Booking Object’s time and day when it gets returned earlier or later as expected.
Example: In the example a HD Camera, a Tripod and a Monitor were checked out to Sunshine Productions in Check Out No. 9. It was due to be back on the 13th of November but in the morning the client calls and asks if he can have the same equipment for another Shoot that they are doing.
The Kit room manager will check if the equipment is available and re-arrange other Bookings if needed. In the Dispatch Module he will create a new Check Out. In the Add Object (Name) or in the Add Object (Inventory Number) he will enter the name or inventory of one of the items of the original Check Out No.9.
A popup window will appear indicating that the selected item "Is Currently Checked Out Together With These Objects. Select Any You Would Like To Add."
Select individual items from the Not Selected pane and move them to the Selected pane by
clicking on them, or use the blue arrows that will move all items in the list to the opposite
pane. Complete the Checkout. If no Project is selected in the Check Out a Task will be created.
Make sure to set the Return Date, otherwise no Booking or Task will be created (The Setting:
Create and Slave Booking When Creating New Dispatch needs to be activated.)
A warning message will show: Warning: Objects Are Already Checked Out. Please Ok that window. This window can't be hidden. farmerswife will have automatically checked in the selected items and checked them out again against the new Project selected.
Check out the Long Form to see that the original Booking was shortened and the new Booking was created.
When checking the Dispatch Status of the Objects you can see the original Check Out, the
automatic Check In and the new Check Out.