"Location Update" allows for the bulk change of location for assets in the statuses of “In Repair,” “In Use,” and “Available” to a different “Room,” “Staff,” or “Student.”
- Navigation:
- Admin View
- Quick Links
- Location Update
"Location Update" is performed through an Excel file import to mass collect or distribute assets.
This feature is only accessible for "Admins" in the "Admin" view. All other user roles will not have access to "Location Import" to collect or distribute assets in bulk.
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Navigating to the Location Import Tool
"Admin Admin" users can update tag location in bulk with the “Location Import” too, located in the left navigation panel under "Admin Tools." No other user roles will see this additional menu option.
Clicking Location Import will open a modal pop-up to start the import process.
"Import Details" on the left of the modal describes important details of this feature.
- Import Type: Will always be set to "Location Import"
- Required Fields:
- Support Status Changes: Will accept changes in status for “In Repair,” “In Use,” and “Available”
- Tags in the following statuses are not allowed to be bulk location updated: “Lost,” “Stolen,” “Pending Lost,” “Pending Stolen,” and all “Transfer”
Preparing your .XLS or .XLSX Import File
A template file is available from the modal to download and fill with the location change information. Access the template by clicking on the here hyperlink.
The template file includes columns A-F, and row 1 includes headers of the required fields for "Location Import."
To import your prepared Excel file to Asset Management, use the following steps:
- Select Browse to locate and select your file.
- Click Import.
- System validations are run. If there is an error in your file, you will receive a red validation error. All errors must be addressed before the system can start to process the import.
- The file is added to the "Import History" grid, with the most recent file added at the top.
| Validation Type | Action |
|---|---|
|
File length > 100 characters
|
Error message: "File name maximum length is 100 characters long." |
| File length <= 100 characters | File is processed. |
|
File with only columns and no records |
Error message: "No data found in the 'SY Location' sheet." |
|
File with columns and no record with format |
Error message: "No data found in the 'Sheet1' sheet." |
| File with non-matching column titles | Error message: "The columns are not named correctly or are in the wrong order." |
|
File with invalid formats
|
Error message: "Invalid file format." |
Import History: Error and Success Files
As an "Admin," you have access to detailed error reports and a successful task file. These files provide valuable insights into the outcome of the "Location Import" process, enabling you to address any errors and providing a record of successful task completion.
Error Report
At the completion of the "Location Import" process, if any records are an issue, the server generates an error report in the same format as the import file This report will contain an additional column G, “Exception Reason(s)”. "Exception Reasons" are defined in detail later in this article.
Correction and Re-upload
With the error report in hand, you can easily identify the specific errors that occurred during the import. This allows you to make the necessary corrections to the file and repeat the upload process, ensuring accurate and successful bulk location updates. Please remove the last column of the error file before retrying, and make sure your file is still in .xls format.
Successful File
Clicking the Green Page Icon, located under "Actions," opens the "Successful Task File." This file serves as confirmation of a successfully completed location update file import. It provides you with a record of the asset details, serving as a reference for future tracking and verification purposes. If there have been no successful location changes, a "Success" file will not appear, only an error file.
Exception Reasons
Tag and/or Serial (required column in file)
| Validation Type | File Type | Error Message |
|---|---|---|
| Blank/missing | Error file | Tag or Serial must be present. |
Invalid
|
Error file | Tag does not exist. |
| With special character " |
|
|
Same "Serial" for two "Tags" in Asset Management
|
Error file | Serial must be assigned to an active tag. |
| "Tag"/"Serial" is archived | Error file | Tag is archived. |
| "Tag"/"Serial" with "Component," with and without accessories | Error file | Tag is a component of Parent Tag (####). |
|
"Tag"/"Serial" with restricted funding source |
Error file | Tag has restricted funding source. |
| "Tag"/"Serial" duplicate within file |
|
|
| Duplicate "Tag" and "Serial" in different rows of same "Tag" | Error tag | The asset for this Tag or Serial Number is found more than once. |
With valid "Tag"/"Serial"
|
Success file |
|
Location ID (required column in file)
| Validation Type | File Type | Error Message |
|---|---|---|
| Blank/missing | Error file | Location ID is missing from file. |
| Invalid/Does not exist at any "Site" | Error file |
|
| With special character " | Error file |
|
| Inactive – Same "Site"/"Warehouse" | Error file |
|
| Inactive – Different "Site" | Error file |
|
| Inactive – Different "Warehouse" | Error file |
|
| "Staff"/"Student" only at Site A, not at Site B | Success file |
|
|
"Staff"/"Student" common in two Sites, A and B
|
Success file | Tag from Site A or B is displayed at common Staff/Student present at both Site A and B. |
Site ID (required column in file)
| Validation Type | File Type | Error Message |
|---|---|---|
| Blank/missing | Error file | Site ID is missing from file. |
| Invalid | Error file | Site ID does not exist. |
| With special character " | Error file | Location Import does not support double quotes for Site ID. |
| Inactive – Site | Error file | Site ID is not active. |
| Inactive – Warehouse | Error file | Warehouse ID is not active. |
Location Type (required column in file)
| Validation Type | File Type | Error Message |
|---|---|---|
| Blank/missing | Error file | Location Type is missing from file. |
| Invalid – Site/Warehouse |
|
|
| With special character " | Error file | Location Import does not support double quotes for Location Type. |
Status (required column in file)
| Validation Type | File Type | Error Message |
|---|---|---|
| Blank/missing | Error file | Status is missing from file. |
| Invalid | Error file | Tag Status is not supported. Supported Status are "In Use," "Available," and "In Repair." |
|
With any special character
|
1, 2, and 3: Success File 4: Error File |
1 and 2: Special characters will be removed first and if status is valid, record is processed 3: Record is processed 4: Tag Status is not supported. Supported Status are "In Use," "Available," and "In Repair." |
|
Not Allowed Status for current location import scope
Below statuses will never be part of Location import scope
|
Error file | Same exception for all: Tag Status is not supported. Supported Status are "In Use," "Available," and "In Repair"; Tag does not exist. |
|
Tag already in not allowed status
|
Error file |
|
|
Tag status is "Available" for "Staff"/"Student"
|
Error file |
|
Overall Record Validation
| Validation Type | File Type | Error Message |
|---|---|---|
| All columns blank/missing | Error file |
|
| Invalid | Error file |
|
| With special character " | Error file |
Location Import does not support double quotes for Tag. Location Import does not support double quotes for Serial. Location Import does not support double quotes for Site ID. Location Import does not support double quotes for Location ID. Location Import does not support double quotes for Location Type. Location Type is not supported. Supported Location Types are "Room," "Staff," and "Student." Tag Status is not supported. Supported Status are "In Use," "Available," and "In Repair." Tag does not exist. Site ID does not exist. |
| Duplicate entire record in file | Error file | Record is duplicated. |
|
Record already exists in database (or) was already imported earlier i.e., A "Tag" or "Serial" already exists within Asset Management with the same status, location ID, site ID, and location type. |
Success file | Record is skipped for validation and appears in success file. |
Tag and Serial Validations
"Tags" and "Serials" must be linked to a single, active asset. At least one of the "Tag" or "Serial" columns must contain a value, although both can contain values. If "Tag" is null and "Serial" is specified, the row must be marked as an exception if that "Serial" is linked to multiple assets.
Note: Serial numbers for assets are allowed to be duplicated and there is no validation requiring them to be unique. If only the serial number is used in the "Location Import" file and there are multiple matching assets in your data, an error message will appear.
Duplicate Detection
If a "Tag" or "Serial" is present multiple times in the import file, all occurrences of those records will be marked as duplicates. However, if the entire row is identical, only the first occurrence will be retained, and the subsequent fully identical rows will be marked as duplicates.
Parent Tag and Component Tag Handling
When the location of a parent tag is changed, the component tags will be assigned accordingly. However, the location of a component tag cannot be changed in the bulk upload, and the error message will indicate: "Tag is a component of Parent Tag (###)."
Location and Site Validations
The "Location ID" and "Site ID" must be linked to each other in the database and must be active. Additionally, the status specified must be valid for the "Location Type" (e.g., "Room," "Staff," or "Student").
Status Change Error Handling
If the asset's current status is "Pending Transfer," "In Transit," "Pending Lost," or "Pending Stolen," the status change error will display as: "Unable to change status for tag in status of [status name]. Row [Row Number]."
Warehouse Location Handling
The bulk location change feature is not applicable to warehouse containers. Warehouse locations can only be assigned to staff and rooms, not to students. Untagged inventory management is not included in this import process.
Department Tag Assignment
"Admin Admin" users, who have access to all departments and tags, can assign department tags without any restrictions.
Component & Parent Tags
- Parent Tag: When the location of a parent tag is changed, the system will automatically assign the new location to all associated component tags. This streamlined process eliminates the need for manual adjustments, allowing for efficient management of parent and component tags.
- Component Tag: In the bulk upload process, the location of a component tag cannot directly be changed. If an attempt is made to change the location of a component tag, an error message will be displayed to the client: "Tag is a component of Parent Tag (###)." This message indicates that the location change should be performed on the parent tag instead.
Restricted Funding Validations
When performing the bulk location import, if a tag has a restricted funding source that prohibits its movement to a particular site, the system will generate an error.
The error message displayed for such case will read: "Tag has restricted funding source."
The process for validating the tags against the funding source and site matches the process for "Quick Transfers."
This validation enhancement helps maintain data accuracy and adherence to funding restrictions while performing bulk location changes. By preventing tags with restricted funding from being moved to incompatible sites, you can ensure compliance and avoid potential complications.
Note: Missing leading zeros will cause an error. When working with Excel files, it is important to note that leading zeros may be dropped by Excel. This behavior is not specific to our software but rather an inherent characteristic of Excel. To ensure the preservation of leading zeros in your "Tag," "Serial," or "ID" fields, we recommend following the steps outlined below:
- Using Custom Number Format: Excel provides a custom number format feature that allows you to display leading zeros. You can apply this format to the specific cells or columns where leading zeros are required. Microsoft provides detailed instructions on using a custom number format to display leading zeros in Excel, which can be found in their support documentation, "Using a Custom Number Format to Display Leading Zeros."
- Opening Files with Leading Zeros: If you need to open a file that contains leading zeros, such as a downloaded file from our software, you can follow these steps:
- Save the downloaded file in .txt file format.
- Open Excel and choose the File menu.
- Select Open and navigate to the location where you saved the .txt file.
- In the "Open" dialog, select the file and choose the Open button.
- The Text Import Wizard will appear. Select the appropriate options, ensuring that you choose Tab as the delimiter if the file is tab delimited.
- Click Finish to import the file into Excel. This process will help retain the leading zeros.
- Please keep in mind that whenever you export data from our software into an Excel or CSV file, the leading zeros may no longer be present due to Excel's default behavior. To preserve the leading zeros, it is crucial to follow the steps outlined above.