- 1.2.1 Object Manager Access
- 1.2.2 Objects Setup
- 1.2.3 Object Custom Fields
- 1.2.6 Object Classes, Groups and Accessories
- 1.2.7 Virtual Objects (Allow Multiple Check Outs)
1.2.1 Object Manager Access
Access to the Dispatch Module is permission based. See this article.
To be able to manage Objects in the Object Manager the User needs the following permissions:
1.2.2 Objects Setup
Objects (equipments, kits, etc.) can be created manually or imported into the Object Manager via a *.csv file. Supported Categories for importing: Rooms, Machines and Other.
To use the EMT, Inventory Numbers should be assigned to all Objects that are supposed to be checked in or with barcode scanning.
Go to the Object Manager click on the drop down icon at the upper left corner and select: New In > now select the Category/ Type. In the example the Category/ Type is called Equipment/ Machines. These Types can be renamed in the Toolbox > Settings tab > Server Setup > Rename Object Types.
The Modify Object window opens. Add a name and the Rates. Usually in rental businesses the Day Rate is the default one. Please check mark Day. Add a Note that can be printed on any Dispatch Note or any Quote and Invoice and/or add a Confirm Note that will popup every time the Object is booked.
Add the Inventory number if barcode scanning is needed.
Allow Multiple Check Outs (Virtual Object): Check this if the Object is a consumable Object. See further information here. Click on the Advanced button to add the Object to an Object Class or to add an Accessory. Specific Objects can be added as an Accessory or an Object Class.
Is Expected To Be Returned When Checking Out
This is to inform the Dispatch module if it should warn / check if an Object was returned. Tick it off if the Object is a consumable that won’t return because it will be totally used (e.g. gaffer tape).
1.2.3 Object Custom Fields
Object Custom Fields allow to add more inventory data to an Object and they can be created in the Object
Manager. Click on the drop down menu > Setup Object Custom Fields. Several Templates can be created if
needed. Example Custom Fields could be:
- Serial number
- Vendor
- Warranty expiration date
- Purchase date
- Images (allows to upload images)
- Thumbnail (allows to upload a thumbnail in 144x144 pixels --> recommended size)
- Purchase price *
- Price to pay if lost **
* The Purchase Price can be entered e.g. 3500 (use "," as thousand separator but don’t use decimal numbers). Later if equipment is not returned the Item/ Object Status can be set to Ignore (select in the original Dispatch Out > right mouse click > Ignore: Yes). This way when printing a Report from the Dispatch, the ‘Ignored’ items can be filtered and from here a print out of ‘Lost Items’ with a total Purchase Price value of all ‘Ignored’ items can be created.
** Or add a ‘Price to pay if lost’ to distinguish between Purchase Price and the price a client has to pay if he lost the equipment.
You can also add fields like weight, dimensions etc. that can be used later to print a Carnet List.
Once the Object Custom Fields are setup, create one example Object and assign the Object the correct template and then export the Object into a spreadsheet. Take this csv file to create the importer file for all equipment.
1.2.4 Add Thumbnails and Images to Objects
To be able to add Thumbnails or Images to Objects, certain Object Custom Fields have to be setup. Go to Menu > Object Manager > Click on the button: Setup Custom Fields.
Create a new Object Custom Field Template (Menu button: “New”) and add the “Thumbnail” Custom Field Type and the Images Custom Field Type (click the green + icon). The label names of these Custom Fields are fixed and can’t be changed.
Only one "Thumbnail" can be uploaded to the Object, but various "Images". Set the allowed file extensions on the Object Custom Field Template on the "Thumbnails" field e.g. type like this “png,jpg,jpeg”; if kept empty all file extensions are allowed.
To delete, rename or download a file uploaded to "Thumbnail" or "Image" fields, click on the file so it gets highlighted in yellow and click on the paper clip icon to select the next action: Download, Delete, Rename, see picture. "Thumbnails" (as *.png or *.jpg) can be added at a max size of 144x144px. "Images" don’t have a file-amount or size restriction.
To be able to see the Thumbnails in the Object Manager before version 7.1 enable the setting in the drop down menu > Settings > Show Thumbnails.
After 7.1 > Object Manager > Menu > Edit View > Thumbnails - make sure to put it into the "Show" window.
Alternative way to add images or thumbnails to Objects: From the Object Manager window, highlight the Object > Upload Files To Custom Field > Images > Thumbnail. Using this option will delete any previous uploaded picture and replace it.
If there is no option to add a Thumbnail or Image, please check if the Object has an Object Custom Field Template assigned which contains the Thumbnail and the Images Custom Field types. Please note, multi selection of Objects won’t work for uploading images. If the same Thumbnail or Image should be applied to various Objects, an Object Custom Field Template can be assigned to an Object Class. All Members of the Object Class will get the same Thumbnails/ Images.
If an Object belonging to an Object Class doesn’t display the Thumbnail even though a
Thumbnail has been added to the Object Class, check whether the Object has the Object
Custom Field Template assigned to it or not.
Uploaded Images and Thumbnails are stored in the farmerswife server > files > "file_custom_fields" folder.
1.2.5 Import Equipment
To import equipment please refer to the Import/Export Objects Article. Here is a short explanation how to handle the import.
Difference to the other import is that first all Objects (equipment) need to be imported. The Object Classes will be generated automatically in a next step. And in a second import, kits (through Groups) are imported.
First import of Equipment:
- Create one Object in the farmerswife database inside of the Object Manager and choose the
option to export this item. Or take the Object Importer csv file example attached to this article.
- Copy & paste in or fill in the missing Objects into that list.
- When saving the Excel or Numbers file to a csv file (as needed for the import), please make
sure you select the option to save it as a Windows Comma Separated (csv) file if you work on
a Mac, otherwise the import won’t work.
- Make sure that in the Object Manager > drop-down menu > Import/ Export farmerswife Objects Format CSV file > Update Object Name If Matches When Importing is turned
OFF the first time you import. If this enabled, in a list of 10 HD Cams it would only import 1 HD Cam, since it will combine all matching Object with the same name. This setting was developed for clients tat use the same csv file, without farmerswife's ID numbers and re-import the same csv file more than once. To prevent doubling up Objects with the same name, this setting was added. This setting can always be turned off if you respect the import and export workflow in farmerswife. Do a first import. If changes are needed on the Object, please do an export of all the equipment and do the changes inside of the newly exported csv file and take this as your original Object importer file.
- Now start importing by clicking on the drop-down menu or do a right-mouse click in the
Object Manager, and select Import/Export farmerswife Objects Format CSV File > Import.
- Select the csv file and make sure the column separator is set correctly. Easy rule: if it doesn't
work with a comma, try the semicolon.
- The "Default Type To Create New Objects In When Not Defined In File" window will just refer
to the fact that if the column Type in the csv file is not filled, where to import the equipment.
If the column Type is filled, it doesn't matter which option is chosen in this window.
- farmerswife will show how many Objects have been imported or updated and the Object Manager will show the latest imported Objects. Please check the numbers of items you want to import in the Excel file and compare to the updated Object message you will receive in farmerswife.
Creating Kits
- Export the list of Object Classes, and add the name of the kit (Group) each Object Class belongs to under the column Group. If belonging to more than one kit, use comma to separate the names.
- Add as many kits as necessary. E.g. if you have up to 3 Sony Camera Kits, create them like
this: Sonny Camera Kit 1, Sonny Camera Kit 2, Sonny Camera Kit 3.
- Once done, import as explained above.
Modify Equipment, Kits...
To modify equipment, export the needed equipment and modify the exported csv file. Don't
alter the ID* column. Then re-import again.
1.2.6 Object Classes, Groups and Accessories
Object Classes allow to group Objects of the same kind and rate into one Class which makes it easier to book available equipment. As an example in the farmerswife client application drag the Object Class HD Cams onto the highlighted days in the Long Form and let farmerswife pick the available HD Cam for those days from the member list.
TIP!! Auto Creating Object Classes
When setting up the database an easy way to create Object Classes for a huge list of equipment is to use the Toolbox setting in Toolbox > Settings tab > Server Setup > Auto Build Object Classes When Server Starts. This setting will create a new Object Class if there are at least 2 Objects with the same name and adds those Objects into that newly created Object Class as members. 
- Prepare the equipment csv file and import the equipment into the Object Manager. After the successful import please tick the Toolbox Setting “Auto Build Object Classes When Server Starts”. Logout of the client application and log in again. In the Object Manager farmerswife now created the new Object Classes and added the members. Untick the Toolbox Setting again. Object Class names can be edited later if needed.
- If needed, go to Object Manager > Type > select Classes > highlight all Classes and export them. Now, go through them and do name adjustments or delete the ones you don't need and re-import the file. Make sure not to touch the ID* column. It is easier to clean up or rename Object Classes than to prepare a special csv file manually with all Object Classes.
- Object Classes can be added to the Classes (Availability) Tree in the Long Form. Add any Object Class to the tree and get an overview how many members of that specific Class are still available for a specific date. Numbers in the day cell indicate how many members are still available on that day.
Groups and Accessories
Equipment can be rented on its own or in Kits. To create Kits there are two options.
Groups
Create a Group in Object Manager > New In > Groups. Groups can consist of specific Objects or be made out of Object Classes. In the moment of booking the Group farmerswife takes one available member of that Object Class to complete the Group Booking.
If an Alexa Kit is created via a Group the suitcase where the Alexa Kit is inside can get the
Groups barcode (Group’s inventory number).
Current known limitations in iOS: When booking a Group or creating a Checkout through the iOS and add a Group, no Group Children are booked.
--> Workaround: First create a Booking in the client application then create a Dispatch from the Booking.
Accessories
To create a Kit using Accessories, enable the Server setting: Financial Tab > Ignore Accessory Rates = Yes. This way the rate is set on the main Object and the Accessories rates will be ignored thus allowing a Kit price. Accessory Objects will never have a rate when using this option but will have a rate when booked individually.
Create a new Object and add Accessories to it by clicking on the Advanced button.
In the Accessories column select whether to add a specific Object or an Object Class.
Be aware that this setting could clash with other workflows in the Production or Post Production if an Object is Accessory to another Object.
Current known limitations: When creating a Checkout directly from the Dispatch Module without a previous Booking, then only Objects are booked with the main Object. Involved Object Classes are not booked.
In the iOS: When booking an Object with Accessories or creating a Checkout through the iOS, no Accessories are booked.
--> Workaround: First create a Booking in the farmerswife client then create a Dispatch from the Booking.
Please consult your Project Manager in regards whether to use Groups or Accessories to
create Kits in farmerswife. Below some things to consider:
- Group’s children (equipment) can be hidden in the Edit Project window, so only the Group
name is visible.
- Groups have an own selector filter in Toolbox > Objects tab and can be found easily.