Collections
Collections organize data into two main types to support workflows: dynamic collections, which manage real-time tasks, and supporting collections, which provide essential background data. Users determine whether a collection is dynamic or supporting based on its role in their workflow.
Dynamic Collections: These collections handle active, task-oriented data that needs frequent updates. For example, a dynamic collection might track equipment assignments, where each item (a laptop or phone) is assigned to a person and updated as it's checked out or returned. Similarly, users can manage inventory tracking, or maintenance schedules, ensuring they stay current as tasks progress. Dynamic collections adapt in real time, reflecting the latest information based on user actions and selections within the workflow.
Supporting Collections: These collections serve as reference points, holding stable data that provides the necessary context for dynamic collections. For instance, an employee directory in a supporting collection helps users quickly assign resources to individuals by offering an easy selection list during the assignment. Likewise, supporting collections include data like locations, client profiles, and room information, which dynamic collections reference to asset tracking. Although supporting collections don’t drive tasks, they enable smooth workflows by offering the information that dynamic collections rely on.
Together, dynamic and supporting collections keep workflows efficient: dynamic collections manage live tasks while supporting collections offer the background information essential for the assignment of assets.
The table below shows how to define collection types based on their function. Dynamic collections manage tasks that need real-time updates while supporting collections and providing foundational data crucial for accuracy and efficiency in workflows.
Equipment Assignment
Tracks the assignment status of items like laptops and phones, updating as items are checked out or returned.
Lists employees, providing an easy reference for assigning equipment to individuals.
Maintenance Scheduling
Manages maintenance records for vehicles or machines, showing completed and upcoming service dates.
Provides details on locations, like buildings and rooms, where maintenance activities may occur.
Every Asset Panda module has a starter set of Collections for People, Locations, Categories, and Assets being tracked. Users can add new custom fields to the existing collections, create new collections, and link them to existing ones. Users will be able to make new linkages between collections.
People: The People collection can be used as an employee directory for the module. Users can assign assets that are pulled from this collection. Users can add whatever information they would like to capture about an employee. Eventually, the People collection will also combine employee records and users who have access to the module within one area. The name of this collection can be changed, but this collection cannot be deleted.
Location: The Place collection is not required but is available as needed. In the text combination formula data type, users can combine the hierarchy of their locations into one table. The name of this collection could be changed, but this collection cannot be deleted.
Categories: Categories are customized collections of assets that can be linked and filtered according to your needs. The name of this collection cannot be changed and it cannot be deleted.
Assets: The Assets collection is where all the tracked assets are contained. The name of this collection could be changed, but this collection cannot be deleted.
Last updated