Keeping track - inventory systems?
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Lights and Sound
Forum Discription: Technical discussion
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1984
Printed Date: 5/11/25 at 7:15am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Keeping track - inventory systems?
Posted By: mikepatterson
Subject: Keeping track - inventory systems?
Date Posted: 8/22/06 at 10:40pm
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Anyone have recommendations on inventory/maintenance programs and/or software to track and maintain light & sound equipment? TIA Mike |
Replies:
Posted By: jtonner
Date Posted: 8/23/06 at 11:47am
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Most professional inventory programs are overkill for most community theatres, and the quality ones are expensive. I would suggest using an Excel spread sheet. Give each item a specific number for tracking purposes. These can be as basic as L001 for a lighting instrumen and M001 for a microphone. You can advance your part number a little by adding some descriptive numbering. For instance, LFR001 for a Fresnel, etc. Once they are marked, then just enter them into a spread sheet. Your columns could read; Part Number, Description, Storage Location, Purchase date, Original Cost, Last maintenance date, Last maintenace description, Last Physical Inventory Date (if you are going to use any type of software, you should schedule a complete inventory of your equipment at least once a year). In addition if you really want to get ambitious, you can set up a separate sheet for each item instead of a straight listing This would be easy to maintain, and it could be transported from member to member of the original builder of the spread sheet leaves the group. By the way, I am an Inventory Manager for a company, so I do have experience in tracking inventory. This is how I would handle it. John ------------- John |
Posted By: mikepatterson
Date Posted: 8/23/06 at 6:28pm
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OK, I had already started building a spreadsheet but thought there might be a better way. Thanks! Mike |
Posted By: tcpmatt
Date Posted: 11/06/06 at 6:06pm
| Microsoft Access has a built in inventory program that you can use, it also has a catagory for when bought, cost and from whom. |
Posted By: avcastner
Date Posted: 5/20/07 at 11:33am
Also, once you start to use Access, you can customize to whatever you want. I use it all the time. It is one of my favorite programs. ------------- |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 7/21/07 at 7:20am
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To piggy back onto Mikes topic of inventory.
What system do the other techies here use, have in
place. To file or marshal thier colour Gels of either cut, rolls or flat
stocks?
------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: gracie
Date Posted: 8/26/07 at 11:06am
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Our theatre is starting work on an inventory list. Going with something similar to what John suggested, but not including the maintainance stuff. We are also going to photograph as many items as we can. I found this theatre website, which has an amazing inventory of props, costumes, and furniture pieces. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on any of the links for Props. You can see what I mean...
http://www.theatrewindsor.com/contacttickets.html - http://www.theatrewindsor.com/contacttickets.html
Joe,
We are in a similar situation as you. No organized storage of gels, etc. When we needed to get new blue gel sheets this year, no one (not even our lighting guys) knew what color we had used in the past...only that it was the darkest blue available...
 |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 8/26/07 at 12:14pm
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With gels I have found with comeatres there is not a large stock
holding of rolls of gel, rather just cut from full or half sheets
purchased as required. I have seen all sorts of storage systems, from cardboard boxes to rubbish bins & less sophisticated piles in between. A system I used for cut gels, was using open top wooden boxes, similar to a draw. With colour number# index card tab dividers. The ends of the box are the same size as the lamp colour frame, in most cases generaly there will only be about 3 or 4 different sizes needed covering Profile, Fresnel, Flood & Par. The length of the box would depend upon the amount of dfferent colour gels & the number of lamps used in the rig. I use a cutting template one for each colour frame size, It is just a piece of 5 ply or mdf, with handle grip in the centre. When cutting gel I place it on a piece of masonite, as a cutting board. Then holding the frame template down on top of the sheet of gel, Use a box cutter along the edge of the ply/mdf board. With larger rigs & where major colour change outs happen between shows & seasons, a good idea is to have a number of cardboard or plastic conduit tubes, which are easily stacked & number indexed on a shelf. When the rig colour change happens, all the old colour is rolled, with a rubber band placed round it. Then each sepeate colour roll is popped into it's apropriate colour tube, ready for the next change back to that colour. If you have the space, a mobile cabinet/cutting table, with shelf storage underneath, is ideal, also it can house, besides the gel boxes. Gobo, iris, thwakers. clamps, frames,top hats, doughnuts, chains, swatchs, spares, bubbles. tools & fittings. So everthing is one place & can be rolled out easily. Mark all the cut gels with colour numbers, using a white chinagraph pencil, in the centre of the gel. Which helps putting it away into the correct colour section of the gel box. Also it makes it easy to identify, useing a maglite from the syage, when the lamps are in the grid. ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: gracie
Date Posted: 8/26/07 at 12:44pm
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Over the past two years, we lost both of our "lighting experts" on our board of directors. They come back to help when needed, but needed a break from the expected responsibilities.
This year, someone did go on and sort out colors...placing each color in a file. Still, we have no idea of color names. Something we will have to rememdy as they are replaced.
Thanks for the suggestions. ------------- www.vermillionplayers.com - www.vermillionplayers.com |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 8/26/07 at 1:08pm
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This may help them with colours & it might be worth it to get some sample swatch books from the suppliers. different grand Gel colour
conversions;-
http://www.rosco.com/uk/technotes/filters/lee_equiv.asp - http://www.rosco.com/uk/technotes/filters/lee_equiv.asp
Lee filters with colour indicators;- http://www.leefilters.com/LP1.asp?PageID=21 - http://www.leefilters.com/LP1.asp?PageID=21 Rosco 'Supergel' colours & data
info;- http://www.rosco.com/uk/filters/supergel.asp#colors - http://www.rosco.com/uk/filters/supergel.asp#colors I see from your forumj, your group has won a heap of lanterns! ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: Nanette
Date Posted: 8/26/07 at 1:33pm
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Like Gaafa we always marked our cut gels w/ the color numbers. These were then filed in a file folder; one color per folder. The folders were in number order in a box. We used Rosco for all our gels, so we didn't need to identify the various companies. ------------- In a world of margarine, be butter! |
Posted By: gracie
Date Posted: 8/26/07 at 2:17pm
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We've sort of always been everyone takes care of their own area and didn't need to worry about having to do any crossing over into unfamiliar territory. With the semi-retirement (for lack of a better term) of our two lighting experts, that's something that's begining to change.
We have a serious need for cross-training. Our newest board president is of that opinion and is working toward that goal. Not that everyone needs to be an expert in every area, but we all need to be somewhat familiar with each area. Putting all of your eggs in one basket can lead to trouble.
Yes Joe, we did hit the jackpot with the local high school replacing their lighting system. Not that we really needed any more lights to hang (I think we have around 80 or so now). Don't know what kind of shape the ones from the HS are in, but hopefully, we'll get use out of them.
Last winter, when I made a trip to the lighting repair guys up in Chicago, I did pick up swatch books for 2 or 3 companies. I forget the names. I know Roscoe and I think...Apollo?
Great idea Nanette about sticking with one company. Will have to remember that.
Now that our season is over until next summer, we hope to get a good inventory done. Something we have needed to do for a long time. The two things I know won't get inventoried are costumes and sets. Way too much to even begin. It would take months to inventory costumes/props. Sets...some might get done. But not a complete inventory. Too much changes. No sense in inventorying every 2x4x8. Next show, it might be cut into pieces to create legs for a platform.
------------- www.vermillionplayers.com - www.vermillionplayers.com |
Posted By: avcastner
Date Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:46pm
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To inventory gels, I have them pre cut by sizes we use, labeled by number, and stored by company, color, and then size in a filing cabinet. We also use china markers to write on the company's first initial and the number of the color, i.e., R60 for Rosco Booster Blue (or whatever it may be--I don't have my swatch book with me right now). ------------- |
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 10/25/07 at 1:42am
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I may have mentioned this here or else where - I'm sure that other bloke 'Gaafa' might have done so as well, at odd times? But it is probably worth mentioning again. If you have a large theatre or pro performance centre near by. It may be worth while getting to know the techies & seeing if your group can snaffle up all the old gel they throw out. When I did this game as a full time job, I would always ensure that the old gel after colour changes was not chucked out in the rubbish, but collected up to give to the local amatuer theatre groups. In fact at a number of venues, the groups supplied there own plastic rubbish bins, with a lid on. In most cases with leached out or discoloured hot spots in the gels. The outer parts could be cut down for the smaller 0.5 - 1 kW units used in comeatres. However ensure you do pick them up regularly & even if they are total rubbish, take them anyway - to keep faith with venue. This can also give you a leg in the door on bigger things they may want to throw out, such as old or updated lamps/gear & even scenery & odd things, left behind by touring company shows. It's a great door opener that can be used in the future. |