Equipment Tracking

What equipment exists in our organization, and where!

Overview

The equipment tracking system provides comprehensive inventory management for all organizational property. This powerful tool allows you to catalog, search, and track equipment ownership, condition, and location.

For SJAA, this includes (but is not limited to):

• Optical Equipment: Telescopes, binoculars, eyepieces, finderscopes, filters
• Mounts and Accessories: Telescope mounts, tripods, counterweights, adapter rings
• Imaging Equipment: Cameras, autoguiders, filter wheels, field flatteners
• Electronics: Computers, tablets, projectors, batteries, cables, power supplies
• Event Equipment: Tents, tables, chairs, signs, banners
• Educational Materials: Books, star charts, demonstration models
• Anything else that is property of the club and worth keeping track of

Permissions

Managing equipment requires the write permission. Permissions can be assigned by administrators with the permit permission. Once you have the appropriate permission, navigate to the Equipment page by selecting “Equipment” from the main menu.

Permission Levels:

• Read: View equipment inventory and search
• Write: Add, edit, and delete equipment entries
• Permit: Assign equipment management permissions to others

Equipment Page Overview

The Equipment page provides a search interface at the top and a list of equipment below. The page updates dynamically as you search and filter.

Understanding Equipment vs. Instruments

The system uses a two-level structure to efficiently track equipment:

Instruments

An instrument is a type or model of equipment. It represents the general category and specifications:

• Kind: The category of equipment (e.g., “Telescope”, “Eyepiece”, “Camera”)
• Model: The brand and specific model (e.g., “Meade LX500”, “Orion 80mm Binoculars”)

Think of an instrument as the “what” - what type of item it is.

Equipment

An equipment record represents a specific physical item. Multiple equipment records can share the same instrument:

• If you have two identical Orion 80mm binoculars, they’re the same instrument but two different equipment entries
• Each equipment entry tracks the specific item’s owner, condition, location, and images

Think of equipment as the “which one” - which specific instance of that instrument.

Example:

Instrument: Telescope / Celestron NexStar 8SE
  └─ Equipment #1: Owned by John Smith, located at site A, excellent condition
  └─ Equipment #2: Owned by Imaging Program, located at site B, needs cleaning

This structure allows you to:

• Track multiple identical items separately
• Search for all equipment of a particular type
• Avoid re-entering instrument specifications for each item

Creating Equipment Entries

Step-by-Step Process

1. Click “New Equipment” on the Equipment page

2. Define the Instrument

   • Kind: Select or enter the equipment category
     • Examples: Telescope, Mount, Camera, Eyepiece, Binoculars, Tripod, Battery
     • The system auto-suggests existing kinds as you type
   • Model: Enter the brand and model name
     • Examples: “Celestron C8”, “Orion SkyQuest XT10”, “Canon EOS 6D”
     • Be specific to help identify the exact equipment type

3. Assign Ownership

   Equipment can have two types of owners (both optional):

   • Person Owner: The individual who physically possesses or is responsible for the equipment

     • Select from the dropdown of all members
     • Use this for equipment loaned to members
     • The person can see this equipment in their profile

   • Group Owner: The program, committee, or organizational unit that owns the equipment

     • Select from the dropdown of all groups
     • Examples: “Imaging Program”, “School Outreach”, “Star Party Team”
     • Use this for equipment that belongs to a program rather than an individual

   • Both: Equipment can have both a person and group owner

     • Example: An Imaging Program camera currently checked out to Jane Doe

   • Neither: Equipment with no owner is tracked as general club property

4. Add Description

   • Note: Enter any relevant information about this specific item
     • Condition: “Excellent”, “Good”, “Needs repair”, “Minor scratches on tube”
     • Location: “Stored in cabinet A”, “At Houge Park site”
     • Serial number: “SN: 12345678”
     • Accessories included: “Includes hard case and foam inserts”
     • Usage restrictions: “For advanced users only”
     • Maintenance history: “Collimated 11/2024”, “Cleaned mirrors 06/2024”

5. Upload Images

   • Click the image upload field
   • Select one or more image files (JPEG, PNG, etc.)
   • Multiple images can be attached to document:
     • Overall condition
     • Close-up details
     • Damage or wear
     • Included accessories
     • Setup or configuration
   • Images are automatically resized for optimal storage
   • Thumbnails are generated for quick viewing

6. Add Tags

   • Tags help organize and group equipment
   • Enter multiple tags to make equipment easier to find
   • Tag examples:
     • By set: “Loaner Kit #1”, “School Outreach Set”
     • By condition: “Needs Repair”, “Excellent Condition”
     • By location: “Storage Unit A”, “Houge Park”
     • By use case: “Beginner Friendly”, “Advanced”, “Solar Safe”
     • By availability: “Available for Loan”, “Display Only”
   • Tags are searchable and filterable
   • Equipment can have multiple tags

7. Save

   • Click “Create Equipment” to save the entry
   • The equipment appears in the inventory list
   • You can edit it at any time

Searching and Filtering Equipment

The Equipment page provides powerful search capabilities:

Filter by Person Owner

• Select a person from the dropdown
• Shows all equipment owned or checked out to that person
• Useful for:
  • Tracking what equipment is loaned out
  • Finding all items a specific member has
  • Inventory audits per person

Filter by Group Owner

• Select a group from the dropdown
• Shows all equipment owned by that program or committee
• Useful for:
  • Program-specific inventory (e.g., all Imaging Program gear)
  • Budget tracking per committee
  • Equipment allocation across programs

Filter by Instrument Kind

• Select a kind from the dropdown (e.g., “Telescope”, “Camera”)
• Shows all equipment of that type
• The dropdown includes all kinds currently in the database
• Useful for:
  • Finding all telescopes
  • Counting equipment by category
  • Category-specific inventory checks

Filter by Tags

• Select one or more tags
• Choose “And” or “Or” operation:
  • And: Equipment must have ALL selected tags
  • Or: Equipment must have ANY selected tags
• Useful for:
  • Finding equipment in a specific set
  • Filtering by condition or availability
  • Location-based searches

Combining Filters

• All filters work together
• Example: Find all telescopes owned by the Star Party Team that are tagged “Available for Loan”
• Clear filters by refreshing the page or selecting empty values

Viewing Equipment Details

Click on any equipment entry to see its detailed page:

Equipment Detail Page Components

Header:

• Model name: Large heading showing the instrument model
• Kind: In parentheses next to the model (e.g., “Telescope”, “Camera”)
• Action buttons: Edit, Delete, Back to list

Equipment Information:

• Owners: Links to person and/or group owners
• Notes: Full description and condition notes
• Tags: All tags applied to this equipment
• Donation Information: If donated, shows donation value and history

Image Gallery:

• All uploaded images displayed as thumbnails
• Click any thumbnail to view full-size image in a lightbox modal
• Zoom in to see details
• Navigate between images in the lightbox

Related Information:

• Donation History: If this equipment was donated, links to donation records
• Other Equipment: Links to other equipment using the same instrument

Equipment Images

The image system provides rich visual documentation:

Uploading Images

• Formats Supported: JPEG, PNG, GIF, and other common image formats
• Multiple Images: Upload as many images as needed
• Automatic Processing: Images are automatically resized and optimized
• Thumbnails: Preview thumbnails generated automatically

Image Gallery Features

• Thumbnail View: All images shown as small thumbnails on equipment page
• Lightbox Modal: Click thumbnail to view full-size image
• Zoom In: Full-size images allow inspection of details
• Navigation: Navigate between images using modal controls
• Responsive: Images scale to fit different screen sizes

Best Practices for Equipment Photography

• Overall shot: Include one photo showing the entire item
• Detail shots: Close-ups of important features, labels, or damage
• Serial numbers: Photograph serial number plates for records
• Accessories: Show included cases, cables, or accessories
• Condition issues: Document any scratches, dents, or wear
• Proper lighting: Use good lighting for clear, accurate photos
• Size reference: Include a ruler or common object for scale if helpful

Managing Equipment Ownership

Assigning to a Person

When equipment is assigned to a person:

• The equipment appears in their profile
• They can see it in their “Equipment” section
• Useful for tracking loaned equipment
• Helps members remember what they have

Assigning to a Group

When equipment is assigned to a group:

• The equipment appears on the group’s detail page
• Helps track program budgets and assets
• Useful for organizational inventory
• See Groups for more information about groups

Transferring Ownership

To transfer equipment from one person/group to another:

1. Click “Edit” on the equipment detail page
2. Change the person or group owner
3. Save the changes
4. The equipment now appears under the new owner

Equipment Without Owners

Equipment with no assigned owner:

• Represents general club property
• Available in the pool for assignment
• Stored at the club’s main location
• Can be searched and viewed like any equipment

Tags and Organization

Creating Tags

Tags are created automatically when you enter them on equipment:

• Enter a new tag name when editing equipment
• The system creates the tag if it doesn’t exist
• Tags are reusable across all equipment

Tag Strategies

By Collection/Set:

"Loaner Set #1"
"Beginner Telescope Kit"
"School Outreach Bundle"

By Location:

"Storage Cabinet A"
"Houge Park Site"
"Observatory"
"Transport Case #3"

By Condition:

"Excellent Condition"
"Needs Cleaning"
"Repair Required"
"Calibration Due"

By Availability:

"Available for Loan"
"Display Only"
"Staff Use Only"
"Event Equipment"

By Purpose:

"Solar Viewing"
"Deep Sky"
"Planetary"
"Astrophotography"
"Education"

Equipment and Donations

Equipment that has been donated to the organization is tracked with donation records:

Viewing Donation Information

On the equipment detail page:

• Donation summary appears if the equipment was donated
• Shows total donation value
• Links to detailed donation records

Donated Equipment Workflow

1. Equipment is donated (recorded in Donations)
2. Donation record links to equipment entry
3. Equipment entry shows donation history
4. Full audit trail maintained

This integration allows you to:

• Thank donors appropriately
• Track donation value for tax purposes
• Maintain provenance of equipment
• Generate donation reports

See Donations for more information about tracking donations.

Use Cases and Examples

Scenario 1: Loaner Telescope Program

Situation: Club maintains 5 beginner telescopes for members to borrow

Setup:

1. Create instrument: Telescope / Orion StarBlast 6
2. Create 5 equipment entries for the 5 physical telescopes
3. Tag each: “Available for Loan”, “Beginner Friendly”
4. Add photos of each telescope
5. Note condition and serial number for each

When Loaned:

1. Edit equipment entry
2. Assign to person borrowing it
3. Add note: “Loaned to [name] on [date]”

When Returned:

1. Edit equipment entry
2. Remove person owner
3. Update condition notes if needed

Scenario 2: Imaging Program Equipment

Situation: Imaging program owns multiple cameras and accessories

Setup:

1. Create group: “Imaging Program”
2. For each item:
   • Create instrument (Camera / Canon EOS 6D, etc.)
   • Create equipment entry
   • Assign group owner: “Imaging Program”
   • Tag: “Imaging Program”, “Available for Events”
   • Upload photos

Searching:

• Filter by group: “Imaging Program”
• See all program equipment at once
• Track program assets for budget planning

Scenario 3: School Outreach Kits

Situation: Multiple complete kits for school visits

Setup:

1. Tag all equipment in kit #1: “School Kit #1”
2. Tag all equipment in kit #2: “School Kit #2”
3. Each kit contains:
   • Telescope (with photos)
   • Eyepieces (with photos)
   • Star charts
   • Demonstration models

Before Event:

• Search by tag: “School Kit #1”
• Verify all items present
• Check condition notes
• Assign to person leading the event

After Event:

• Update condition notes
• Remove person assignment
• Note any damage or missing items

Database Representation

An equipment record contains:

• An internal id
• A reference to an instrument (kind + model)
• An optional person owner (foreign key to people table)
• An optional group owner (foreign key to groups table)
• A note field for condition, location, and other details
• Zero or more images (via Active Storage attachments)
• Zero or more tags (many-to-many relationship)
• Zero or more donation items linking to donation records

An instrument record contains:

• An internal id
• A kind (equipment category)
• A model (brand and model name)
• Relationships to all equipment using this instrument

This structure allows efficient searching, prevents duplicate instrument data, and maintains clear ownership and organization.

See the database page for more information.