Inventory How To / Best Practices

• Login to the inventory: https://dvc.stagestock.com/inventory/

  • Username: freeviewer

  • Password: givemestuff
    
    

• On the top left, select the companies whose inventory you want to search
  
  

• Use the search bar to browse the inventory
  
  

• Use “advanced search” to further filter the search results
  
  

• Use description tags to search in specific collections.
  
  

• Once you’ve found items you’d like to borrow/rent, take note of the “category” aka the item’s owner, and the item name/number. Reach out to the owning company/companies to discuss the rental. Their contact information can be found here: Company Database

To enter items, begin by logging in to your account at https://dvc.stagestock.com/inventory/, on the iPhone app, or on the Android app. If you or your company needs an account, you should contact info@philadelphiscenicworks.org. In general we recommend using the app to enter new items, because it handles photos better than the website. You use the phone app (on android or apple) to take pictures and enter items one by one in the space the item is stored. That way you can reference the item as you enter the details.

Adding an Item

Click ‘Add Item” in the top right corner, below your account name.

Add the details of your item according to the following guidelines. In general, it’s fine to leave fields blank if you don’t know the info or it isn’t relevant.

We do get a lot of questions about the level of detail to enter. While we ultimately leave that up to you, we actually suggest spending your time entering more items (with less detail) rather than more information for fewer items. You never know exactly what items or considerations someone might be interested in and what features they might care about. If you spend a lot of time measuring, entering a lot of detail, etc. you won’t be getting in as many items. However, once someone expresses interest in an item, you can then take the time to provide the detail requested on that specific item.

Picture: Start by uploading photos of your item. Here are some helpful tips:

• Multiple photos can help users get a better sense of your item

• Have the main photo more zoomed out showing the whole item, and do a few closer to show off details

• Try to include a reference object in your photo to give a sense of scale.

• You can also upload a PDF of the item manual.

Item title: This is the name of your item. The more descriptive the better.

Category: This is the company that owns/manages your item. If you have manager access to multiple companies, make sure you have the correct company selected.

Condition: While these are subjective and especially difficult when many of our items are purposefully distressed, here is a rough reference. 

• New - the quality you would expect if you bought it at a store, or with imperfections or wear-and-tear that takes time to notice up close

• Good - decent condition, would probably look new on stage, but has some imperfections, lack-of-structure, wear-and-tear, etc. that is easily spotted up close

• Fair - the items has imperfections, wear-and-tear, etc. that would be noticeable from the stage. It’s still usable, but could benefit from some love.

• Poor - In your judgement, the item is not in good condition and would need some repair/work before being usable
  
  Please feel free to elaborate on the condition in the description.
  If the item is in “fair” or “poor” condition, think about whether you would let a borrower/renter do repairs on this item.
  
  

ID: This is automatically generated for the next item in the sequence.

Description: This is a html-rich field, and so it provides the most flexibility. It is also included in the search. 

• • • This is a great place for a link to the item's manual. 

    • For electrical items, please list whether (or not) you can offer any technical assistance.

    • For costumes, it is recommended that you copy one of the costume template items on the inventory to utilize the measurements chart. 

Visibility: This is a software feature that has been designed for a potential future software upgrade where the inventory could be viewed by people without a log-in, but that feature has never actually been built out. We recommend “shared publicly” in case they ever do build out the feature. However this drop down has existed for at least 3 years with no movement on that feature.

Alterations: Select whether your company would be ok with a renter/borrower modifying this item. There is a box next to this field that allows you to add a note. Perhaps you are fine with a costume being altered as long as the alterations are undone before the return. This is a perfect place for that information.

Quantity: The number of (essentially) identical items you have.

Keep it mind that each item’s owners get to set their own policies about purchasing/renting/etc. The next two “value” categories are meant to give searchers a rough idea of what the owner is looking for. Some owners might stick to this religiously, while other owners might give bulk discounts, trade discounts, relationship discounts, etc. Both “replacement value” and “rental value” also have an option to add a special note to clarify your policy for any of your items.

Replacement Value: This is the value you would expect a borrower/renter to pay if they damage or lose the item. If you're willing to sell the item, it is probably also the sale price.

Rental Value: This is a cost of the rental. Your rental policies and rates are up to you. You can set a daily, weekly, monthly, or flat rate for each item. You can also choose not to charge for a rental. There is a limitation of the software that only lets you set one rate. Please make your policies and additional rate options known in the “rental value notes” section.  If you need guidance, we generally, recommend that you set a flat rate for the rental of a regional production and clarify in the notes how long the flat rental can be. For example, many companies will charge a flat rate of up to eight weeks to accommodate rehearsals, fittings, performances, and strike.

Designer: Include, if known. If a designed item, such as a complete costume look, is being used outside the context of its original design, please remember that design is almost always the intellectual property of that designer, and permission/royalty should be negotiated.

Date Acquired: You can include the date the item was acquired.

Vendor: It can be helpful to include purchasing information, such as the vendor, if you know it. As the software only allows admins to add vendors (don’t ask me why) we recommend using the vendor note (the box next to the field) to add the store name or online link. This can be incredibly helpful if someone needs more of the item, or needs to look up item specs before borrowing/renting from you.

Description Tags: You can add tags to group items in various collections across various companies. You can tag show-specific items as well. Common full system tags:

• Item for Sale - this is an item that you’re willing to sell (not just offer for borrow/rent)
  
  

• Free for Non-Profit - This is an item the owner is willing to give, for free, to another nonprofit
  
  

• Technical Support - The item owner is willing to provide technical assistance with this item
  
  

• Production Groups - These tags are used for good items 

  • Little Shop of Horrors
    
    

• More descriptive, categorical tags

  • Every color has a tag: Red, Green, Blue, etc.

  • Localized/cultural items have tags: Australian, Indian, etc.

  • Greenery - fake plants, grasses, etc.

  • Chair

  • Stool

  • Fabric 

Location: The storage location where you keep this item. This is helpful both for the owner of the item to track all of the items, but also for the searcher of the inventory to know where all the items are. Locations can only be added by system admins; to request a new location, please email info@philadelphiascenicworks.org.

• For items that can be altered, the renter should list which alterations are permissible.

• Electronic items should come with printed manuals or links to online manuals. Link in Description or PDF attached in images section.

• Item(s) should be assessed in person with both parties in attendance to agree on the condition of the item before it leaves the shop.

• All items should have a rental agreement that also addresses the loss or damage of the item. 

• Blank_Equipment Rental Agreement

• This is a blank rental agreement that can be copied and used for companies that do not already have one in place.

• Suggested rental price should be 20% of the value for each item for an eight week flat-rate-rental

• Suggested rental price should be $0 for companies who have a yearly operating budget of less than $150,000, with perhaps a flat fee/donation to cover the costs of pulling & restocking the items

• If an item is being loaned free of charge, all the above suggestions are still recommended.

• A word about equity & deposits:

  • If you’re letting companies borrow, you may want to still charge a deposit equivalent to 25% of what the rental cost would have been. This can be on top of the total cost OR it can be the final payment.

  • Small companies may not have the cash flow to give a lot of money as a deposit. Some alternative ways to guarantee:

    • Get a credit card number

    • Have the company write a check that isn’t cashed

    • Offer an item of collateral

    • Consider whether you actually need a deposit. If you’re renting a piece of expensive, mission-necessary equipment (like your lighting console) you probably do. If it’s a costume from your stock that you may never use again, maybe you don’t.