Products and units, in one paragraph
A product is something you rent out (Standard Unit, ADA Unit, 20 yd
Roll-Off, Frame Tent). It carries the name, type, prices and picture. Under
each product are its units: the actual pieces of equipment, each with its
own unit code (like 1019 or S-1596), status, location and history. Bookings
reserve units, and every count on the Inventory page is a count of units.
Two kinds of product work differently and have their own articles:
Kits.
not coded units). See Items tracked by count.
Add a product
button is New Add-on).
for equipment a Product Category (Sanitation, Roll-Offs, Waste
Containers, Events) that narrows the Product Type list. Add-ons are
always type Add-on. A roll-off type also shows roll-off defaults; see
Per 28-Day Cycle, Per Month, Per Day, Per Event,
Tiered Rental (Day/Week/Month), Per Trip / Per Pull,
Per Service, Flat Rate and Per Hour. Exactly one rate is the
default.
(required for equipment). If you have none yet, choose Create your first
facility without leaving the form. Then Initial stock and
Low stock alert.
on only for small pieces nobody labels one by one; see
codes from. The panel shows the range, how many codes are in use and the
next available code, and tells you which numbers these units will get.
Tick Start numbering at to continue an existing fleet's numbers.
Color and Qty. Each row creates that many units tagged with that
manufacturer and color. The total fills Initial stock for you.
Create Add-on).
If you enter a quantity, a series is required, because every unit needs a
code. If a step fails partway, nothing is left behind, so trying again won't
create a duplicate.
Bringing in a labelled fleet
If your units already carry numbers or QR labels, use Import Units
instead of typing them. Import Units & Existing Codes takes a pasted
list in any format, or a CSV or Excel file (Download Template,
Upload CSV / Excel), and keeps your unit numbers and codes as they are.
Edit, convert, retire or delete a product
Open a product and use its ⋯ menu:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Edit Product | Product Name, Unique Product Name (from manufacturer), Manufacturer, Product Type, Description, rates, Low Stock Threshold, and the Tracking section (switch between coded units and tracking by count). |
| Convert to Add-on / Convert to Equipment | Moves the product to the other tab. |
| Disable tracking / Enable tracking | Hides the product from active inventory and from the quote and job pickers, and brings it back. |
| Retire Product | The same as disabling tracking, from the destructive end of the menu. Units, jobs and invoices stay. |
Products with tracking off are listed under Inactive equipment (or
Inactive add-ons): on a desktop through the count beside Hide
Inactive in the toolbar's ⋯, on a phone in the ⋯ menu. Use
Enable, Enable Selected or Enable All to bring them back.
Delete Product lives at the bottom of Edit Product under Danger
Zone and needs you to type "delete". It removes the product and its units.
A product that is a part of a kit can't be deleted.
Inside a product
A product's tabs are Overview, Stock List, Workshop,
Variations, Storage Sites and Retired Units. (A kit shows
Overview and Parts; a counted product shows Overview, Stock and Storage
Sites.)
Overview shows the price, whether any are available, and:
Series changes it; Clear removes it.
available stock is at or below it), and how many are Available, On Rent
and in Maintenance. Stock History lists stock adjustments; View
Units opens the Stock List.
previews the codes before you confirm.
turnaround days, needs cleaning after each rental) and Shipping
(weight and size for load planning). See Item movement
and Load plan.
Availability Tracker in the header shows what is free today and on
future dates; see Availability, Facilities and Deployed Units.
The Stock List: every unit of a product
The Stock List tab lists each unit with Unit Code, Storage
Location, Unique Product Name, Status, Variations, Tracked
and Tool Number. Click a unit code to open the unit.
Indefinite, Maintenance, GPS tracked.
branch each yard shows its branch.
Each unit's ⋯ offers Edit Unit, Mark as Indefinite (for a unit
on rent with a job behind it) and Delete Item.
Select units to get the bulk bar: Set attribute, Bulk Edit (Set
Unique Product Name, Change Status, Change Condition, Transfer
Location, Set Manufacturer, Set Color, Set Size, Set
Material), Clear Selection and Delete Selected.
Unit statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Available | In your yard and free. |
| On Rent | Out with a customer, from a job or a rate card. |
| Maintenance | In the workshop, not available. |
| Retired | Permanently out of service. |
With item movement on, a unit that came back needing attention shows why,
in place of Maintenance: Needs cleaning, Damaged, Missing or
At the laundry. See Item movement and
Jobs move units between Available and On Rent for you. You change status by
hand in Edit Unit, whose Status choices are Available, On
Rent, Maintenance and Retired / Stolen / Damaged. Edit Unit also
holds Unique Product Name, Manufacturer, Condition (Excellent,
Good, Fair, Poor, Needs Repair), Storage Location, Tool Number,
Vendor ID, Plastic Code, Mfg Date, Mold Cavity and
Notes. Choosing Maintenance asks for a Reason, an Expected Return
Date and Maintenance Notes.
The unit page
Opening a unit shows its tabs Overview, Service history, Photos,
Notes and Documents, with product and unit details, its current
location, and its tracker card when it carries a GPS tag. The ⋯ menu
holds Edit Details, Profile Photo, Add / View Photos, Print
QR, Maintenance Updates (while in maintenance) and Delete Unit.
Service history is explained in Unit Service History.
Variations
Variations are the properties that tell units of one product apart:
color, size, condition, manufacturer, material, tank capacity, or one you
name yourself. On the product's Variations tab, click Add Variation,
pick a Variation Type (or Custom…), add its values, and decide
whether it is a Required Variation (every unit must have it set when
edited). Units created with a manufacturer and color on the Add Product form
already carry those two.
Set a variation on many units at once with Set attribute or Bulk Edit
on the Stock List. The Stock List's Variations filter and the
Availability Tracker's Filter Variations both narrow by them, and a
booking can ask for a variation (for example white chairs).
Retire and reactivate a unit
To retire a unit, open Edit Unit, set Status to Retired / Stolen /
Damaged, and give a Reason (End of Life, Stolen, Damaged Beyond
Repair, Lost, Sold, Other), a Retirement Date and notes. Retired units
leave the Stock List and availability, and appear on the product's
Retired Units tab.
To bring units back, select them on Retired Units, open Bulk Edit
and choose Restore Status (Un-retire). The retirement reason and date
are cleared.
Retire a unit when that piece is gone or done for good. Disable tracking on
a product when you stop offering the whole product. Use Maintenance when a
unit will come back.
The Workshop
The Workshop tab on Inventory (titled Equipment Workshop) and the
Workshop tab inside a product show units in for repair. Workshop Tracker
lists what is in the shop now, with In Shop, Awaiting Parts, Avg
Days in Shop and Pending Chargebacks, and Workshop History lists
finished work. A unit enters the workshop when you set its status to
Maintenance in Edit Unit. Mechanics see Inventory for this reason.
Unit codes, internal labels and printed tags
Unit codes come from asset tag series, set up in Settings → Asset
Tags under Asset Tag Numbering. A series has a Series name,
Letter prefix, Digits, Starting number and optionally a Range
end; Next number shows where it continues. A new company can start
with Use classic 4-digit ranges (one range per equipment type) or
Start custom for lettered codes. Changing a series never renumbers
existing units. Each product picks its series (when you add it, or with
Set Number Series on its Overview).
There are two different things called tags:
unit tags: pick units and print 4 × 2.5 in tags, eight to a page, on your
own printer. These are internal inventory labels.
polyester tags PortaPro prints from your unit list and mails to you. You
order them per series (each line starts at that series' untagged count),
can show your company name or logo, and pay at checkout with Order
tags. Order history lists paid orders.
Both carry the same QR code for a unit, and scanning either opens that unit.
Find a unit by scanning
opens the unit. It matches printed tags, unit codes, QR codes, barcodes,
serial numbers and tool numbers. If nothing matches, it searches products
for what was scanned.
molded tool number on a unit and opens the unit with that tool number, or
searches products for it.
scanned or photographed unit instead of opening it.
Scan Consumable, Scan Asset and OCR Tool Number; on a desktop
it opens the scanner directly, which also works with a USB or Bluetooth
barcode scanner. A unit opens its page, a customer's on-site component
opens that component, and a consumable opens it in your supplies.
