bar code scanners

[dolphinscales]

Hello labbie land - my HOD has been at me the last few years about getting a barcode scanner as a way of keeping track of items/stocktaking.
while it sounds great and costly i wonder if there is anyone out there who does use a scanner system?
if so what is the system? what program doyou use with it? what do you think of it? would you recommend it? Do the barcodes stay stuck? Do you need to buy preprinted bar codes or does the system you use allow for you to produce your own???
pro's cons of the system??

cheers

[Slartibartfast]

- Costly and the kids eat the labels. Only worthwhile if you have LOADS of equipment and a lot of identical equipment that you need to keep track of. Time consuming to set up properly.

+Quick way of stocktaking if the labels aren't messed with.

[dolphinscales]

Does that mean Richard you have one or just pros and cons you can see???

[Slartibartfast]

We used them at my old school and persevered with it for about 12 months then got rid of it to the library, we just didn't have enough equipment to warrant it.

We use both fixed and handheld at my other place of work (Laser Imaging) for stock control of printing material and following print job queues from start 'till completion. Same practice as how some courier companies can track items worldwide.

[sunray18]

That would be just ONE more task for me to do!

I am about to add a new task to my already overloaded workdays.. computer checkout chick!
The school is putting a trolley of lap tops into my prep room for me to keep an eye on. They will be available for use for all the classes on the top level of the school, but the trolley will live with me in the prep room. I have been told that the teachers must check i t out and back in, that they are to make sure each laptop is in its proper place on the trolley and the power leads are connected to each laptop - AND the trolley is connected to the power outlet to recharge the units...
NOW - we ALL know teachers very well - can any of you see this happening???
I know that I will be running all over the place to locate the trolley, that teachers will just walk out of the room and leave the laptops on the desks, that they ownt plug the leads in .... etc ...
AND I am to add this to the rest of my daily jobs cause I have SO MUCH spare time!

[Slartibartfast]

We do that, but we have data projectors attached to each one also to complicate matters!! It's a pain in the bum.

[smiley]

I KNOW! Barcode the teachers! Maybe they could swipe a card, then you'd know who to blame. Does that mean you're the piggy in the middle when two sets of teachers want to USE the laptops simultaneously?

Good luck Mushroom. I have genuine sympathy for you.

[CC]

Talking of piggy in the middle we only have one data projector and one laptop since the Staff room was broken into. Trying telling 5 teachers that the data projector is booked!!! Now that starts some fun.

[Dee]

I am also in charge of one of those laptop trolley thingies and it is a bit of a pain - more the chargers getting tangled etc. I don't have trouble with them being returned and we have a booking system on the intranet as well as a sign out book kept with me in the prep room.

Mine are luckily stored in the physics storeroom so I don't trip all over it.

It does have its advantages I have one of the laptops permanently booked out to me......

Dee

[Ocean Breeze]

My thoughts only

Any piece of equipment that is large enough to be barcoded, is large enought to do a head count.

Nor recommended for any glassware items! Tends to come off in the washing up sink!

Would be a pain to keep track of deleting and incoming items

Barcode on some of the items would peel loose with normal use, also interfere with the functioning of some items....depending on how picky you want to go

eg can barcode electonic balances
do not barcode 250 ml glass beakers

magnets?? microscope slides?? electrodes?? marshmallows??

[sunray18]

As long as the barcode on the marshmallows is edible!

[Shas]

I'm with Smiley, barcode the teachers and be done with it!!!

[dolphinscales]

My thoughts only

Any piece of equipment that is large enough to be barcoded, is large enought to do a head count.

Nor recommended for any glassware items! Tends to come off in the washing up sink!

Would be a pain to keep track of deleting and incoming items

Barcode on some of the items would peel loose with normal use, also interfere with the functioning of some items....depending on how picky you want to go

eg can barcode electonic balances
do not barcode 250 ml glass beakers

magnets?? microscope slides?? electrodes?? marshmallows??

While I understand it has it's funny side I was not, strangely, going to put the barcodes on the individual glassware but in fact like they do in the shops for such items, on the shelf they sit on and yes do a manual count - the barcodes my HOD envisioned was placed at the place of storage and just meant, like in the stores, we scan the barcode then put in the device how many of each. Meaning less print outs (less environmental impact!!) ect. It also means less time wasting hunting down the item on paper work ect.