Using ServiceNow to check in / out equipment

[nluoma]

One of my plant managers is looking for a tool to manage daily check out / check in of our hand held scanners. Has anyone used ServiceNow to do something similar? I'm not even sure what to search for--check out doesn't find anything relevant.

Thanks!

[geoffcox]

We have developed various consoles for performing just that sort of function. It uses an iPad connected via bluetooth to a handheld scanner.

You would need a barcode sticker on the equipment (scanners) that you are checking in/out of a particular room.

Then create a simple form with a single text field used for receiving the scanned value. The update business rule will lookup the equipment (scanner) by asset tag, and then check it in or out of the room. In our case, if the asset is already saved as "in the room", then we set the location the user's location and select that user as the "assigned to" value for the scanner. If it is not already in the room, then it clears the "assigned to" value and changes the location of the item to the room it's now in.

So the process would be:

User enters room.

User selects a scanner.

User logs into the console, and navigates to the checkin/out page.

User scans the scanner with the scanner that is linked to the console.

A message is displayed indicating that the scanner has been checked out by the user.

Later, user enters room again.

User logs into the console, and navigates to the checkin/out page.

User scans the scanner.

A message is displayed indicating that the scanner has been checked in to the room.

[billdozer]

Geoffcox,

Do you happen to have more detail on how your simple form was created and how your built out this process?  I have a use case for store employees to check out and in handheld devices.  We want to simply track when the item is checked out, to whom it was checked out to, and when they check it back in.  We want to use a scanner and tablet.

[Josh Cooper]

If you can find a copy of the study guide for the ServiceNow Administrator certification, the example cases that they walk you through involve tracking of "HHDs" (handheld holographic devices).   Basically it walks through the framework of using it for asset tracking, so once each of your handheld scanners is tracked that way, then you can build a workflow to let users check them out, and that will automatically email them/their manager if they're not returned within x amount of time.

Even if you don't have a copy of the manual, that should be a rough framework on how it might be done.   Just track the scanners as assets, the way you might do for a server, laptop, etc.   Then the only custom piece should be setting up the timers and the notifications.

[wjamb]

Nanette,

I am with CG4 Asset Tracking.   We offer off-the-shelf software that handles the checkin/checkout functionality.   You can use our software in an online mode or offline.   You can install our software locally on your server or we can set up a hosted solution for you.   We have been doing this for over 14 years.   Our integration is certified with ServiceNow: ServiceNow Share   If you have not already got your asset tracking barcode needs taken care of, take a look at our website https://cg4assettracking.com or feel free to contact me.