agermich Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Hi All I have recently started a new full time position as Production / Technical manager in a venue. There hasn't been a full time person in place for at least a year as the venue has been closed for a major refurbishment, so all the shows have been done offsite with freelance technical and production managers. The kit has ended up rather disorganised and taken a battering. There has been a lot of new equipment brought over the past few years but there doesn't seem to be much of a record of what kit there is apart from a slightly inaccurate excel spreadsheet. I want to get the kit situation under control and be able to record what kit we have, along with records for PAT tests / LOLER inspections. Most of the kit isn't labeled so I plan to get some asset labels made up with our logo and barcodes which can then be used for pat tests and hopefully to access records. Does anyone have any recommendations for suitable software or maybe an access database or more clever excel spreadsheet? I have been having a look at the various bits of rental software, but they seem overkill - I don't need the whole invoicing and project management side of things. I gave making a access database a go, but I really don't know the software well enough to get it done. I am also going to be purchasing a new PAT tester soon too, so I have been looking at testers that can scan barcodes and are downloadable. It looks like these include either manufacturers software, or SimplyPats, and can output a database or excel file. Any recommendations for an appropriate solution would be appreciated. Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrV Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 If you want to make your own database you could look at Filemaker. It is much more intuitive than Access. Not free though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac.calder Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Instead of rental systems, it sounds like you want an asset management systems or facilities maintenance management system (FMMS). These pieces of software generally allow you to create a template item (for example "Sling") then create instances of these items and give them asset numbers. It will record the instances purchase date, calculate the warranty period (based on the template item), create reminders for tests (based on tests and test intervals defined in the template item), store the results of certifications and servicing etc etc. Many of them also contain a costing module - more for servicing these items than anything else and allow the creation of "work orders" - this is handy if you outsource. You can also store technical drawings/manuals/release notes etc of the assets - this is really handy for the facilities side of things like rigging points and fly towers. To be honest I think a proper FMMS is one of the best tools a venue can have - I implemented one in a theatre I worked for - when I started I was handed a big folder containing the "venue guide" - it was basically weight loadings of everything, engineering drawings, lists of kit and cable etc. The previous tech manager had been there 20 years so he knew the book like the back of his hand - he had made it after all. For me, finding out the weight loading of the apron was a 20 minute task - was it under "useful info" "stage info" "weights" or "as built". FMMS, I put the stage in as an asset, put in a maintenance schedule (re-ply every 2 years, re-paint every 6 months etc) and all of the engineering documents I had. Get a call from a touring PM wanting to know whether he can put his giant thingamajig that weighs 200kg onto the stage - click, click, click, 30 seconds later I can tell him that the loading on the forestage is 245kg m2, go ahead. Another example - I have a break in bookings and want to get some maintenance done? Pull up the calendar, grab all the items I think I have time to get done, schedule them and generate a work order - based on the maintenance data input, I know how many to roster to get it done and what consumables I need, and I can take then take it to the boss for approval. I can then also give that to the techs coming in - and because I had entered the data into the maintenance schedule, the work order automatically includes the ratio to mix the paint for the stage deck which means we won't be redoing it in 3 weeks time because it has gone a bit chalky. Work is done - so I mark the work order complete and it automagically re-shuffles the periodic maintenance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 What actual product did you use? I found a list of (so it claims!) the Top Facility Management Software Products, and it's a mighty big list, and the only two on there I'm familiar with aren't in any way specific to theatre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac.calder Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 We trialed MEX and then ended up going with SmartAsset - both are Australian products. Neither are theatre specific - but they are both very configurable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agermich Posted December 11, 2016 Author Share Posted December 11, 2016 I'll do a bit more looking into asset and facilities management software. I had a feeling that something less theatre specific might be the way to go - it didn't feel like I was trying to do something that wasn't being done already! Mike x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agermich Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 https://www.trackingthis.com Has been recommended to me. Has anyone on here used this system? It is cloud based, which could be helpful, and is reasonably priced at £10/month per user. It is industry specific but doesn't need to include the rental side of things. I have emailed them about getting a demo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmattday93 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 weve jsut brought in a cloud based software called papertrail. they have great customer service and support, and is designed for cataloging equipment that requires inspection. they have an android and ios app as well that can be used offline and synced at a later date. pricing is very compettive and good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontoprigger Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 have a look at http://www.theatresafe.com.au/software/ Its specifically written for theatre use, has user creatable custom forms and reports and has incorporated into it test and inspection reports. it is an Australian based company but the software is available anywhere, and would be hosted on a local cloud based server to where the user is, it has an annual fee but allows for unlimited users, it has the ability to work across platforms and has a dedicated mobile apps so it can be run on the users phone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilalexrose Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 I'm in a similar situation to the OP. Looking at database/facilities management software to get our sound department's inventory back in order. I've had a look at TrackingThis, which seems to do alot of what we want it to do, but im wondering if there are any other options out there? I'm ideally after a piece of software that will import our existing Excell spreadsheet with asset numbers, and turn that into a searchable database, to which we can add serial numbers, comments, notes and photos. The ability to import data from our Seaward PAT machines would also be desirable (and means we don't end up with 2 databases of most of the same equipment.) the ability to scan barcodes, and assign items to shows, would take a lot of guesswork out of where certain items are at any one time. The ability to Scan items remotely (via remote terminal or smartphone) is a bonus, but not essential. I realise that takes us into the realms of cloud based servers, and not a standalone bit of software, which I'm not sure I can sell to the people that spend the money. I think a one off investment would be easier to pitch than a monthly investment, but I'm willing to be convinced. I dont think rental software is the way to go, but I like the idea of being able to assign things to shows/events etc, and know what we sent where, and know what we cant allocate to shows. Anyone got any other ideas? Thanks Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trussmonkey Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 we use Fiix CMMS. Its a computer managed maintenance system but it does asset management as well. It does work orders for your routine maintenance as well as bespoke work orders for things that get broken. It also does purchasing. YOu can set it to automatically generate a purchase order when a consumable falls bellow a prescribed stock level. Its a really good bit of software. Very useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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