Bar|Scan® is an easy to use, menu-driven, personal computer-based system designed specifically to accommodate property management requirements.  Our system includes the bar code reader program, communications software to get data from the reader via serial cable or modem, and a temporary transaction file to hold data collected by the reader for additional editing and error checking prior to updating the master asset database.  Bar|Scan® is a relational database which allows the user to order or filter the data by any criteria and edit individual or groups of records.   

A more detailed description of the features of the system and optional modules follow:

Report Generator | Data Query and Global Editing | Catalog Descriptions | Password Protection and "Protected Fields" Transaction Table

Report Generator

Our report generator allows you to create reports of your own design.  You can select which assets to print and in what order, which columns should appear, where you want page breaks and subtotals.  You can elect to have any field printed in bar code form for scanning purposes.  The report generator will automatically center the columns on the page, supply headings, vertical or horizontal offsets, and print portrait or landscape according to your instructions.  Once the report is complete, you give it a name, and it will be available for future use as the database changes.  You can also elect to have the report output to the printer or disk in a variety of formats for importing into other software packages. return to top

Data Query and Global Editing

Bar|Scan® allows the user to order and filter the database by any single field or combination of fields.  For example, assets can be ordered by location and filtered to include only items in storage, whose purchase cost is less than $1,000.00.  In another case, you might want to order all assets by serial number to find a particular piece of equipment.

Using the global editing feature in Bar|Scan®, multiple records can be changed with a few simple keystrokes.  For example, assets can be ordered by catalog number (description) and filtered by purchase order number.  The user can then enter purchase date, receive date, vendor, and purchase cost components (purchase cost, freight, tax, additional cost) for all like items at the same time. return to top  

Catalog Descriptions

How broadly or specifically you wish to describe the assets is entirely up to you.  All of the catalog categories in Bar|Scan® include Type, Description, Dimensions, Manufacturer, Manufacturer Part Number, Manufacturer Tag Number, Revision Date and Initials. 
An integrated library of descriptions for Type, Description, Manufacturer and each Attribute can be added to or changed to meet your specific requirements.  return to top

Other categories include Cellular Equipment, Hospitality, Lighting, Industrial Equipment, and Equipment and Tools.  Additional categories, such as forms, can be added to meet your unique requirements at no additional cost to you. return to top

Password Protection and "Protected Fields"

The system includes the ability to create an unlimited number of passwords.  They can control what tables or screens the user can see and whether they can add, change or delete information from the screen as well as allows specific fields to be “protected” on the same screen where other fields can be edited.  The system is ODBC compliant so that it can be accessed directly by other systems, as required.  All Bar|Scan® users will require complete network access. return to top

Transaction Table

Portable readers are uploaded to a central Transaction Table that allows the user to validate the data against the existing data.  Exception reports can be generated for management to identify items that have moved locations, transferred cost centers or other changes which may require authorization or notification before the Asset Table is updated. 

The system will automatically check for over 75 different types of conditions (e.g. catalog, location, status, condition, or organization not valid; duplicate new asset numbers, existing asset numbers not found, duplicate serial numbers, etc.) and notify the user of the problem so it can be researched and corrected.  This allows the readers to be utilized by third party vendors and less knowledgeable users to collect information that can be reviewed and validated, before it is moved to update the main Asset Table. return to top