Lab equipment database

Lab equipment database: Hi, I’m looking for a system to inventory all of our equipment.

Ideally it would also allow us to store commonly ordered practical activities so that they can be retrieved and reused. But at a simple level, I want to record the location and quantities of all of our stuff.

I found this www.quartzy.com, it looks good, but has much more of a commercial/research lab focus.

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Publication Date: 18 August 2014
Asked By: Anonymous
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Answer by labsupport on question Lab equipment database

Answer reviewed 20 February 2023 There are a variety of options currently being used in schools.
  • Many schools have set up their own inventory system using MS Excel and MS Access programs,
  • some have also added bar codes to their systems to enable easy stocktakes.
  • Some schools are developing school-wide intra-net options for whole school inventories.
There can also be a mix of options being used within a school. For example:
  • many schools use one Excel spreadsheet for equipment and another for chemicals, which allows sorting of entries such as equipment location or chemical DG class.
  • Some keep an Excel database of commonly ordered practical activities i.e., name of activity, equipment/chemicals required and their location if stored as a kit.
  • Some schools use RiskAssess for ordering equipment and archiving information regarding activities.
  • For chemicals, some schools use chemical management systems, such as ChemAlert or Chemwatch and
  • some government school sectors have templates. For example: https://education.qld.gov.au/initiatives-and-strategies/health-and-wellb...
There are also a couple of commercial products specifically developed for school science departments available, which we understand are pre-populated with school science equipment and will therefore need to be tailored for your school situation. For example: *Note: Science ASSIST provides these links as a service but is not an endorsement of these companies.   

Lab equipment database

Hi, For equipment location and quantities of the lab items simple and fast way is to use MS excel. For equipment request sheets, easy and simple option is use of MS excel. With MS excel you can prepare and re-use recorded repeat equipment request sheet (with expt name as each excel sheet) according to your own system requirement. That is the easiest way to prepare and re-use the repeat request sheets every year.I used MS excel this way for long time and then switched to MS access database which is more useful and powerful database tool. If you are looking for advanced features for system of recording and using request sheet with report, summary and various queries etc. than MS Access database can satisfy the all requirements. I used MS Access database to prepare own database and am still using it for many years and I found it very useful for our equipment request sheets with all advanced functionality integrated into it. I hope it assists With regards N Trivedi
on 17 November 2015

Hi Nehal, would it be possible to view your Access database? As I am wanting to upgrade our stock recording and requisition sheets. Happy with the Chemicals on Excel though. thanks, Jenny
[email protected]

on 18 November 2015

Hi Jenny,
Thanks for the query. I am more than happy to show my labstock database.
I have sent email to your above mentioned email address. Please check if you have recd it correctly. If it is not recd then please check junk/spam folder of your inbox.
Regards
Nehal

on 07 March 2016

Hi Nehal
I was using an access data base but reached the extent of my knowledge on it (beyond queries and report building etc). I opted for a commercial program but it does not do all that I want it to do, such as record multiple serial numbers for the same item - e.g. microscope; as well as track maintenance on them. Another thing I was trying to get to work was a max/min figure.
We are working toward a new science centre for the start of 2018, and that would be an ideal time to conduct a change over.
If you don't mind could I also have a look at your data base? Naturally, the data base will always be acknowledges as yours if we decide to use it.
Many thanks,
Darryl
[email protected]

on 09 September 2019

Hi Nehal,
I am setting up Labs for a Secondary Teachers College in PNG and I have a good knowledge & experience of science
but I am not proficient at Access so I would be very grateful if you could let me use your Database?
It would mean that I can set up a system and train up local staff to carry it on as at 77 I cannot last too many more years !
Many thanks, Tony [email protected]

on 09 September 2019

Hi Tony,
This is in response to your query on ASSIST website.
Yes I am happy to help in my capacity. I have sent reply to your mentioned email address.
Please check and if not recd in your inbox please check your junk or spam folder.
I hope it assists.
Thanks
Nehal

on 22 April 2020

Hi Nehal,
Would you mind sharing your ideas with me too? Would love to see how others manage their equipment inventory.
Thanks,
Melinda
[email protected]

by Narrabundah College (ACT035) on 20 October 2023

HI Melinda,

i just came across your query of year 2020.
i have sent email to your email address if i can be able to assist you in your query about database..
Thanks
Nehal

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