Capturing Data - Packaged Gas and Welding Supplies

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Summary

Phase Two of your Quick Start Implementation includes setting up your devices to capture data.

This is your guide to getting started with TrackAbout's iOS/Android application. But first, there are some pre-requisites you need to review before continuing with this guide.

1. Getting Started - Packaged Gas and Welding Supplies - By this time, you should already be well on your way through this page which provides the steps for getting your system set up and configured to your particular needs. If you have not gone through Getting Started with TrackAbout please contact your OnTrack Implementation Specialist at support@trackabout.com.
2. Smartphone App -- Have you downloaded the application yet? If not, you need to follow the steps to get your devices ready for use.

Ready, Set, Go

Now that you have completed the pre-requisites, it's time to start using your app. We'll take you through some basic instructions and show you how the Smartphone application can be used.

Log into the TrackAbout app

On the mobile device, start the TrackAbout app by clicking the TrackAbout icon.

Login using your username (or email address) and the password sent to you in your welcome email.

Menu and Basics

You are now logged in. The main action menu is displayed.

Note that your screen might differ from what is shown here.

Tip Swipe to display other action menu(s).

In the header of the app, you will always see two icons:

• Hamburger menu (three stacked lines) - This gives you access to the app settings and other features
• Synchronization - Syncs your app with your TrackAbout website. This pulls down the latest information from your website and also ensures any records currently on your devices are saved up to the site.

NOTE: You should be syncing your application at least on a daily basis to make sure you're working with the latest data from your TrackAbout system.

Basic Actions

Registering Assets

Physical Registration - Barcode and Tag Placement Best Practices

A crucial part of the registration process includes affixing a tag/barcode to the asset. Review Labels for Gas Cylinders for best practices for selecting and placing Cylinder or Equipment tracking labels.

Note: A physical barcode should not be applied to an asset before the "Scan Asset Barcode" step below. This will ensure that all barcoded cylinders have correct and complete information collected as they are registered in TrackAbout.

Best Practice: Users work in pairs when registering assets. One will use the smartphone to enter the data, while the other will read the information off of the asset and apply the barcodes. The benefits are:

• This ensures that barcodes are not affixed to an asset without the asset being registered. Experience has proven that barcoded, unregistered assets are common when one user affixes barcodes, and then registers assets. Do not fall into this trap.
• This makes data entry easier since the smartphone user doesn't need to go back and forth between looking at the asset and entering data in the app.
• No one user has to juggle between wiping assets, affixing barcodes, and entering data.

Add New

Used for registering assets in your system. You have the option to call this action by another name.

• Optional Information: TrackAbout has been set up with the option to collect the following custom fields: Manufacturer, Manufacture Date, and Last Test Date. TrackAbout can remove these custom fields, and also add other custom fields to meet your needs.

When all barcodes are complete, tap Save in the upper right hand corner. Note When the action is saved, your device will provide visual and audible feedback.

If you do not have connectivity at save time, the app will automatically save your action at the next opportunity.

Change Barcode

Use this action when updating an asset's barcode. This is usually done when an assets barcode has been damaged, removed, or is missing.

Receive from Vendor

Receive from Vendor (sometimes called Third-Party Filling) is used to track assets that have been brought into one of your internal locations from a vendor or third party. This process is helpful if you want to track vendor-owned assets with less information than you want to track your own assets.

This is also a good process if you have assets Filled or Processed by a third party. This can be used to track that action and update the asset's use state.

Find Inventory

This allows you to search your inventory and find specific assets by filtering based on location and/or product code. Once the results are shown, it also provides easy access to an asset's details by selecting the asset from the list of inventory results.

Lookup Asset

You can lookup an asset's barcode and see all the details about the asset, including its history.

• Tap the Lookup Asset button.
• Scan or key in the asset's barcode.
• The asset's details will be displayed.
• Tap on History to see the asset's history.

Fill Assets

TrackAbout's Filling process allows operators to set the product code on assets and transition their "Use State". Common uses of TrackAbout Filling transition assets from:

• Empty to Full
• Dirty to Clean
• Not Ready to Ready

Here is a typical Filling process as seen in the smartphone app:

Change Item Number

Also called Change Service or Reclassify Assets, this action is used to change the Item Number of an asset. (Item Number is also known as Part Number or Product Code.)

Locate Assets

This allows you to set an Asset's location.

Load Truck

If using the Truck Load / Unload module, you will scan assets onto a truck at the beginning of the day. Full details about this module can be found on the Truck Load Unload and Reconciliation page.

• Tap the Load Truck button.
• Select the truck which is being loaded, or scan the truck's barcode.
• Tap Next.
• Scan the barcodes of the assets being loaded onto the truck, and Save.

NOTE: While it is possible to key in barcodes of assets being loaded onto the truck, it is recommended that if a barcode cannot be scanned, a Replace Barcode action is done before loading the asset onto the truck.

Deliver Assets

The Delivery process is used to move your assets from an internal location to:

1. A customer location
2. Another internal location

Unload Truck

If using the Truck Load / Unload module, you will scan assets off a truck at the end of the day. Full details about this module can be found on the Truck Load Unload and Reconciliation page.

• Tap the Unload Truck button.
• Select the truck which is being unloaded, or scan the truck's barcode.
• Tap Next.
• Scan the barcodes of the assets being unloaded from the truck, and Save.

Customer Audit

The Customer Audit functionality allows you to compare what TrackAbout thinks a customer has on balance to what is found physically on-site.

The TrackAbout app is used to scan all found assets at a customer location and then the TrackAbout website is used to reconcile the audit. See the page on Customer Audit for more information about this process.

NEXT: Reviewing Data

Now that you have started to capture data, it's time to review and utilize that data. Proceed to the next page to learn about TrackAbout tools and reporting as available on your TrackAbout website.

Continue to Reviewing Data - Packaged Gas and Welding Supplies →