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Rapid Inventory for Android™ User Manual

Rapid Inventory simplifies stocktaking, stock control and inventory management with Android™ devices. Focusing on versatile, fast and simple operation this inventory app provides custom fields, data import and export, an integrated camera scanner and support for external Bluetooth bar-code scanners.

Introduction

Rapid Inventory is an efficient tool for inventory control, asset management and stock-taking. The app can be used without internet connection, the inventory data is stored locally on the device. The app offers adjustable item database fields and the possibility to use multiple quantity fields. This is especially helpful when managing several stores. Item data can be imported and exported from/to CSV-files, XML-files and Google docs online spreadsheets.

Rapid Inventory was designed for easy and time-saving operation on smart phones and tablets. Barcodes can be scanned immediately with the integrated camera scanner. Additionally, external Bluetooth barcode scanners are supported to improve the scanning experience.

The app displays all items in a searchable item list, the item details can be edited in the detail view. On tablets the item list and the detail view are displayed simultaneously beside each other, on phones the detail view can be opened by tapping on an item. The sort order of the item list is adjustable, in addition the item list can be filtered with the help of item labels.

Custom Fields

Rapid Inventory supports custom fields. You can remove unwanted fields or add additional ones, the only mandatory field is Barcode / Item-ID.

Open the field editor by selecting Fields in the menu. Tap on a field to edit it or add a new field by tapping the + icon. To delete a field or to change the display order of the fields in the detail view long-tap on a field name in the field list.

In order to apply the field configuration, you need to save it with the Save icon. Very Important: deleting a field also deletes the corresponding field data in the database!

Choose between the following field types:

Boolean
Displays a check-box to enter a boolean value.
Color
A RGB color value can be defined as required and appears as a color space in the details.
Date
A date picker for date-only values.
Expiration Date
The list entry is highlighted in yellow color, if the expiration date is reached or exceeded.
Image (High Resolution)
Take a full-size image from the built-in camera or browse an existing image (from local storage / Google Drive).
Image (Low Resolution)
An image field which stores a low-res image taken with the built-in camera.
Number (Decimal)
An input box for positive or negative decimal values.
Number (Integer)
An input field for a positive or negative integer value.
Price
An input field for price quotation.
Quantity
An input box for positive or negative quantities. A quantity field is displayed along with +1, -1 and +/- n buttons for fast item check in/check out. Rapid Inventory can be used to track the quantities in multiple stores, just add multiple quantity fields if required.
Selection
To choose a single value out of a list of values.
Text
A text input field.
Time
A time picker for time-only values.
Timestamp
A picker to enter both date and a time.
Description
A field to enter the description of the item. Only one description field is allowed.
Note
A field to enter a note for the item. Only one note field is allowed.
Labels
A field to tag an item with an arbitrary number of labels. You may filter the item list by labels. Only one label field is allowed.

System fields:

Total Quantity
Indicates the total of all quantity fields.
Origin
A field holding the device-id (see Settings) on which this entry was created. Only one origin field is allowed.
Creation Date
The timestamp (date/time) when the item was created. Only one creation date field is allowed.
Modification Date
The timestamp (date/time) when the item was last modified. Only one modification date field is allowed.

Import and Export Data

Rapid Inventory can import or export item data from/to CSV files, XML files and from Google Drive spreadsheets (Google Docs). For Google Drive access you need to provide your Google credentials.

Rapid Inventory offers three options for importing data (similar options are available when exporting data to Google Drive spreadsheets):

Update local items
If checked, locally stored items are updated with the data of the imported items in case of matching item IDs. If unchecked, updates of matching items are not performed.
Add to local items
If checked, new items will be added to the local store. Any external item with an item-ID not found in the local store is treated as new item. If unchecked, new items are not created locally.
Delete local items
If checked, local items without an external match will be deleted form the local store. If unchecked, no items are deleted from the local store.

Currently the following restrictions apply (will be improved in future versions):

Image fields can't be exported or imported in a convenient way.
The field configuration can't be exported or imported. You need to create the required field definitions manually.

Integrated Barcode Scanner Support

The current version of Rapid Inventory supports barcode scanning into the Barcode / Item-ID search field in the item list. In addition to the internal camera scanner Rapid Inventory offers the use of external Bluetooth barcode scanners:

Camera and Bluetooth Scanner

Built-In Camera Scanner
The internal camera scanner can be adjusted to scan bar-codes using the current device orientation. It may also be forced to scan barcodes always in landscape or portrait mode. In addition to the internal scanner any supported external barcode scanner app can be selected. See the section Camera Scanner in Settings for details.
Bluetooth Barcode Scanner
For a better scanning experience use an external Bluetooth barcode scanner: Open Settings, check Use Bluetooth Scanner and select the external scanner by tapping on Bluetooth Device. Rapid Inventory establishes a connection to the scanner as soon as Settings are closed and the item list is displayed again. A Bluetooth icon right to the search field shows the connection state.

Bluetooth Troubleshooting

If you experience difficulties when connecting or using a Bluetooth barcode scanner, ensure that

the scanner operates in SPP mode (serial port profile),
that the scanner was already paired with your Android device,
and that the operation mode of the scanner matches the Rapid Inventory settings (client/server or master/slave operation and allowed insecure connection).

If a single barcode scan is recieved over and over check the configuration of the scanner (disable any special protocol on the scanner). If incomplete barcode data is received, use Advanced Settings to adjust the rules for handling incoming barcode data. A single bar-code scan is defined by

the maximal number of bytes in the barcode (packet size),
the time required for receiving it (number of milliseconds measured from the first byte of the barcode)
or by a delimiting character sequence (which is a regular expression).

If at least one of the three parameters is fulfilled, Rapid Inventory assumes the barcode is read completely and populates the search field.

Add, Edit, Label and Remove Items

Add

To add an item tap on the Add button, complete the item details and tap the Save button. The field Barcode / Item-ID is mandatory and is automatically populated with the content of the search field. Please note, that the setting Unique Item-IDs controls whether Rapid Inventory enforces unique item-IDs or not.

Edit

To edit an existing item, tap on its entry in the item list and use the detail view to enter the required values. If the setting Auto Edit is enabled, the item data can be changed immediately. Otherwise you need to activate the edit mode by clicking on the edit-icon. Use the option Auto Close to instruct Rapid Inventory to switch back to the item list immediately after you have saved your changes with Save.

Tag

In Edit-mode you may tag items with custom labels. Make sure a field of type Label is configured with the Fields function (see menu). A single label field can store any number of tags for an item. The item list can be filtered by any combination of labels.

Delete

To delete an item long tap it in the item list or use the Delete button in the detail view.

Search, Filter and Lists

Search

To locate an item just type a complete (or partial) search text into the search field on top of the item list. Rapid Inventory instantly updates the list and displays only items with a matching item-ID or a matching description. Use the setting Auto Open to open the detail view automatically in case of an exact match. Exact match means that exactly one item matches the search criteria.

Filter by Label

The item list can be filtered to display only items with matching labels. To adjust this filter tap on the bottom of the item list.

List Setting

Can be opened by pulling it from the left edge of the screen. Configure the displayed fields in the list and determine the list sorting.