Operation Inventory

Need

How do you feel about bureaucracy? It seems to me that almost each of us immediately has an associative row of “roads”, “fools” and other native Russian troubles. And I was no exception, until I became a sort of supply manager in our small team.
Suddenly it suddenly turned out that with an increase in the number of “inventory units”, whether it be a system unit, a monitor, a printer or a coffee machine, the need for accounting arises by itself. And if there is a need, you need to look for the most effective solution. I would like to share my decision with you.

My wards have become devices. But not a voltmeter, a washing machine or a screwdriver, but an expensive electronic measuring equipment. Generators, spectrum analyzers, circuits, signals, oscilloscopes, etc. But, in terms of the problems that arise, my zoo is not much different from the patrimony of the system administrator of average rank. About a hundred cars, each of which you need to know:

• where she is now and who dragged her there;
• what characteristics it has;
• what additional options are installed;
• what are the external interfaces;
• what other inventory items are included, etc.

Naturally, to keep in mind the answers to all these questions is impossible. Need to write down. And of course, that is not on paper. No, I'm not a zealous fighter for the environment. Just paper is already perceived as an anachronism, and I have forgotten how to write with a pen.
In addition, access to information should be fast, at any time of the day or night, and from any place.

Electronic Document Management ™

The solution turned out, in my opinion, simple, elegant and effective. The corporate wiki has a page with a description of each device. A label with inventory and serial numbers, a name and a QR code leading to the device page is pasted on each device:
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How it works

The user's main tool is a phone with a QR code scanner installed (for example, QR Droid for Android), as well as a corporate wiki.

If you have a device

We approach the device, scan the shortcut using the phone, the browser opens a page with a description, we find out all the necessary information. The last thing your phone sees before going to the description page:

If you are in the laboratory (server, warehouse, etc.), but there is no necessary device

There is a plate with QR codes in which all the instruments from this laboratory are collected. Come to the list of devices, look for the necessary in it, scan the code, find out the fate of the device. If you do not like to use the phone, you can go to the computer and perform the next step.

If there is a serial number of the device

Go to the corporate wiki and find the device by serial number.

What is required from users

For the system to work, staff will have to make a little effort if someone drags the device from room to room. You need to make this information on the page description of the device. Or at least report it to the farm.
I draw your attention to the fact that the entire history of instrument movement is formed on the wiki.

Creating a QR code

I created QR codes using the qrencode program, it is in repositories. I think some analogue can be found for windows.
Usage example:

qrencode -o ~/PicName.png -s 6 'http://www.srns.ru/wiki/R&S_RT-Z10_I/N_210134000623_()' 

After the execution, we get PicName.png with the desired image , which will be a link. The option -s 6 sets the scale. It's simple.
Naturally, pictures for all devices are generated at once using an elementary script.

Lyric conclusion

Last time I have senile optimism. A faith appeared, bordering on the hope that the age of the Internet and IT should finally overcome this orgy of paperwork, coordination, and attendant corruption, that Russia has been plaguing Russia for so many years.