Equipment Management

The equipment management module helps administrators track lab instruments, shared equipment, and research infrastructure. It provides an inventory of all equipment, supports reservation scheduling, and tracks maintenance and calibration schedules. Admin role is required for managing equipment; all workspace members can view and reserve available equipment.

Accessing Equipment Management

Navigate to /admin/equipment from the admin sidebar.

Equipment inventory list with status and location columns

Equipment Inventory

The equipment page lists all registered equipment in your workspace. Each entry includes:

• Name -- The equipment name or model (e.g., "Zeiss LSM 900 Confocal Microscope").
• Category -- Classification (Microscopy, Centrifugation, Sequencing, Spectroscopy, etc.).
• Location -- Building, room, and bench/bay where the equipment is located.
• Status -- Available, In Use, Under Maintenance, or Decommissioned.
• Custodian -- The person responsible for the equipment.

Use the search bar and category filter to find specific equipment.

Adding Equipment

1. Click + Add Equipment on the equipment page.
2. Enter the equipment details:
   • Name, manufacturer, and model number.
   • Serial number and asset tag (for institutional tracking).
   • Category (select from your workspace categories or create a new one).
   • Location (building, room, bench).
   • Purchase date and cost (links to the purchasing module if the requisition exists).
   • Custodian (the responsible person, selected from workspace members).
   • Description and usage notes.
3. Optionally upload the user manual, operating procedures, or training materials as attachments.
4. Click Save.

Equipment Detail Page

Click on any equipment item to see its detail page, which includes:

• Full specification and description.
• Current status and reservation calendar.
• Maintenance history and upcoming maintenance dates.
• Usage log showing who used the equipment and when.
• Attached documents (manuals, SOPs, training certifications).

Equipment detail page with reservation calendar and maintenance history

Reservations

Workspace members can reserve available equipment:

1. Open the equipment detail page.
2. Click Reserve and select a date and time slot on the reservation calendar.
3. Add a note describing the intended use.
4. Click Confirm.

The reservation appears on the equipment's calendar and on the user's personal calendar. Conflicting reservations are prevented automatically.

Maintenance Scheduling

Track maintenance and calibration schedules:

1. On the equipment detail page, click + Add Maintenance Schedule.
2. Set the maintenance type (Routine Calibration, Preventive Maintenance, Repair).
3. Set the frequency (monthly, quarterly, annually) or a specific next-due date.
4. Assign the responsible person (internal staff or external service provider).
5. AcaTrove sends reminders when maintenance is due.

After maintenance is completed, log the results (passed, failed, repaired) and upload any calibration certificates.

Decommissioning Equipment

When equipment is retired:

1. Open the equipment detail page and click Decommission.
2. Enter the reason (end of life, replaced, irreparable) and the decommission date.
3. The equipment is marked as Decommissioned and removed from the active inventory, but its history is preserved.

Tips

• Require users to complete training before allowing reservations for complex equipment. Attach training materials to the equipment page so they are easy to find.
• Use maintenance scheduling to prevent equipment downtime during critical experiments.
• Link equipment purchases to requisitions in the purchasing module for a complete financial trail.