06/18/2024

How to know if you need a quartermaster software

Most organizatons start with spreadsheets and emails to manage the distribution, tracking and maintaining of their equipment and supplies. These tools work well enough... until they don't. Unfortunately, some agencies only learn this after significant losses of time and money or worse. Make sure you have the right-sized system for your needs before learning the hard way.

3 yes or no questions to help you identify if it's time to upgrade your quartermaster system

____Is your organization managing consummable inventory and serialized asset distribution? 

____Do you issue a lot of equipment and/or supplies or issue items to a lot of people (maybe both)?  

____Is there high-risk to your organization or community if your assets fail or get lost? (i.e. do you manage mission-critical operations) 

Count how many “yes” answers you have. 

ONE "YES" ANSWER

Free tools may work for you! 

Agencies often start by using tools like email, a shared Excel file, text, or even post-it notes for people to request and fulfill items from their agency warehouses. The person who fulfills the requests may ask people to use email because it keeps a searchable historic record, or they may even create an online form using something like Google Forms that populates requests in a Google Sheet. In many cases, this information is being captured in a shared spreadsheet using sharepoint. Team members often continue to use text in a pinch, and those with shared files still email or text because they have questions about the items or trouble accessing the documents. People may also call when they're not sure of the specifics of the item they are supposed to be requesting, or they may, flatout, request the wrong item, which is then corrected in an exchange between the requester and the fulfiller. This may all still be manageable in a small system because the fulfiller can manually update the request and item info in the spreadsheet. A column should be included in this document that identifies whether the request came in via email or text, in case the fulfiller needs to reference the original request at a later date. As long as the fulfiller is dilligent about inputting information into the spreadsheet, most information can be tracked down using the spreadsheet's search function.

This process can work when there aren’t many items to track or requests to fulfill. However, as agencies grow and assets and inventory become more complex, these traditional tools cause problems. Requests get lost and unfulfilled. Items get lost or stolen and no one realizes it. Replacement and repair projects take too long because necessary parts aren’t in stock, and cost overruns soar without the transparency to notice. Supervisors may not be aware of exactly what and how many items are being requested for their department, and information can easily be deleted by accident without recovery. Hours, even days, are wasted looking for things, following up on things, waiting for things, fixing inaccuracies, etc. Too often, agencies wait until they experience significant losses before seeking out other software solutions. In many cases, more advanced solutions are implemented by new employees brought in to replace individuals who simply didn't have the right tools working for him or her.

TWO "YES" ANSWERS

A software combination + workarounds might do it. 

Using a ticketing system and an inventory management software can solve some of the spreadsheet/email/text process issues. Ticketing software solutions can provide a request process -- when someone needs something, they log in to the application and submit the order. The person responsible for fulfilling the order then manages the items requested through a separate equipment and inventory tracking system. Approval processes can be implemented in most ticketing software to require supervisor signoff before the request is fulfilled, keeping supervisors informed. Most ticketing software also allows requestors to check ticket status and receive automated alerts of changes related to their order, all without having to bother and wait for a response from the fulfiller. As the order is fulfilled, the person issuing the item completes the ticket in the system and either notes the relocation of the equipment or adjusts inventory levels in the separate inventory management solution, including a note of who requested the item and perhaps their department and/or location. 

Capturing all of these transactions in disparate ticketing and inventory systems can be more effective than tracking information from emails, texts, and/or spreadsheets. Yet, systems that have complex organizational structures—with a lot of assets, inventories and users—may experience challenges using this method. Working in two separate systems means repeating multiple tedious steps for the same transaction, which can lead to inaccurate and missing data. It also requires searching through two systems, and knowing what can be found where, when trying to track down information at a later date. If multiple users are issuing and tracking through the tool, you may have one who captures service request data in the ticketing system and another who tracks it in the inventory manager. The gaps between the software tools create vulnerabilities that can result in significant losses of equipment, time, and money. If you are experiencing issues managing disparate software solutions, consider an all-in-one solution. 

See how fire and police asset and inventory distribution differ to better understand how quartermaster software can help these types of agencies

THREE "YES" ANSWERS

You should be using a quartermaster software. Here's why.  

The more types of assets and inventories you manage, the more users requesting and fulfilling with their own different specifications and permissions, and the higher the risk associated with mismanagement of inventories and assets, the more a quartermaster software will help you. Going beyond a standard inventory or ticketing solution, a best-in-class quartermaster software can create an online store-like environment for users to request equipment and supplies. When someone needs something, they log in to their quartermaster application on their computer, tablet or phone and see only the items they have permission to request. That's an important feature when your warehouse stocks a multitude of items for a variety of users and locations, and when particular variations of items are needed in specific settings or roles. Search filters are also vital, allowing people to find what they need quickly without endless scrolling and page clicking. Users can request both serialized assets and consumable inventory in the same transaction, filling their shopping cart with all their needs and submitting a single, clean order.  A variety of sub-hierarchy detail is automatically captured in the request, so that the order is not just being "placed" by an individual, it’s also being tracked to their department, their location, their shift, their vehicle, other bundled assets or inventory that will be configured and used with the items, and more, according to how you set-up your hierarchies and tracking fields. All of this is extremely important for future planning and accountability, which saves agencies enormous amounts of time and money. And with everything running in an all-in-one solution, there are no duplicate steps to waste time or increase errors. These are just a few of the functions and benefits of a purpose-built quartermaster software.

For a more, visit what quartermaster software is and how to find the right one

If your distribution needs have outgrown your software capabilities, it's important that you upgrade to a system that will work for you before it's too late.

Mcmtech provides premier quartermaster software, including the only one that can integrate with radio systems.

Schedule a demo today.

Updated July 2, 2024, 5:19 pm