How can I create an inventory checkout form that shows availability of equipment using barcodes?

Susie Wachowski

Hi Smartsheet Gurus!

I want to create a library style system where staff can request equipment through a form and know instantly if the item is available. I think this can be done using the barcode inventory management template, but I don't know how to link the barcodes to the forms. Any tips/formulas/guidance from the gurus is greatly appreciated :)

Thanks,

Susie

Brian_Richardson

It sounds like you may want to leverage the Barcode Search capability of the Smartsheet mobile app. If you setup a sheet with the inventory items listed, and include a column in that sheet with the barcode for each item, users can open the mobile app and click the Barcode button in the search box at the top of the screen to search the sheet for a matching barcode. Then they'd see any matching rows from your tracking sheet including any data like current stock. You don't have to give them Edit access, just View.

If you're wanting to capture a barcode into a form (forms are for Adding data to Smartsheet - so this would be to capture a request for processing), your users can open the form, click a field (that you already named "Barcode" or something similar) and click the Barcode scanner button to fill out that field with a barcode scan. When they submit the form, the barcode cell for their request will have the barcode info on it. You should be able then to match that to your inventory list using a formula like INDEX/MATCH and can take automation actions on their requests (ie email them with current stock, send their request for approval, etc).