Capturing Data — Chemical Totes

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 - Chemical Totes — 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 TrackAbout Implementation Specialist at support@trackabout.com.

  2. TrackAbout Mobile 7 — Have you downloaded TrackAbout Mobile 7 (iOS and Android) yet? If not, 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 TrackAbout Mobile 7

On the mobile device, start TrackAbout Mobile 7 (iOS and Android) by clicking the TrackAbout icon.

Login using the 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.

Your screen might differ from what is shown here.

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

  • Hamburger menu (three stacked lines) - Gives you access to 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 Totes

Physical Registration - Barcode and Tag Placement Best Practices

A crucial part of the registration process includes affixing a tag/barcode to the tote. Review Labels for Chemical Totes for best practices for selecting and placing tote tracking labels.

NOTE

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

Add New

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

Optional Information: TrackAbout can insert custom screens to collect tote attributes.

When you've completed all the barcodes, 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.

Locate Totes

This allows you to set a Tote's location.

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.

Change Item Number

Also called Change Service or Reclassify Assets, this action is used to change the Item Number of a tote.

Change Barcode

Use this action when updating a tote's barcode. This is usually done when a tote's barcode has been damaged, removed or is just missing.

Fill Totes

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

  • Empty to Full

  • Not Ready to Ready

Here is a typical Filling process as seen in TrackAbout Mobile 7 (iOS and Android):

Receive from Vendor

Receive from Vendor (also sometimes called Third Party Filling) is used to track totes 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 totes with less information than you want to track your own totes.

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

Deliver Totes

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

A customer location

Another internal location

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 totes found at a customer location and then the TrackAbout website is used to reconcile the audit. See 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.