Bar code assisted workflows

Background

At PAHMA, we're planning for three large moves (whole rooms and whole buildings) of objects next year, and we want to manage the moves (including the pre-move inventories and containerization of objects, as well as the movement of objects to new normal/home locations). While the pre-move transition to barcodes will require much additional time and effort, our goal is to make this and future object movements (and inventories, spot checks, etc.) much quicker and easier, with our move- and inventory-related data being more complete and more accurate.

We want our preps, collections managers, and registrars to be able to digitally capture move-related data, but we want to minimize the risk to objects that inevitably comes with lugging additional gear into collections areas, having wires hanging/swinging near objects, and having one's hand(s) preoccupied with computers and barcode scanners.

We want to have a way to allow move- and inventory-related data to be gathered and stored quickly enough so as not to be an impediment to efficient inventorying, packing, and moving. Ideally, we'd interact directly with CollectionSpace, but if quick transactions (e.g., recording that an object is at a location) are not very rapid (ca. 1 second) when interacting directly with CollectionSpace, we'd need to save the data in a way that is very fast, and then do regular batch updates (at least nightly) to CollectionSpace.

We originally considered using lightweight tablets (iPads) that could be mounted on collections carts (and be removed when necessary), that would use a web-based interface supported by a wireless network, and that would be paired with a lightweight, battery-powered scanner 'fobs' (example1, example2, example3) that communicate wirelessly (Bluetooth) with the tablets.  After discussing this with the Development team, several problems were highlighted: the reliance on wireless connectivity (if the network goes down, all work stops), reduced volume of work (work only progresses as fast as the web-based solution allows), and the expense of developing a web-based solution for the iPad.

As a result, we redirected our attention to network-independent bar code scanners with data storage capacity and a programmable interface.  We looked at the many makes and models available and decided to test the AML M5900 (details).  We purchased an M5900 with the optional 2D scanning capability and charging/docking station that allows easy up- and download of data.

Chris Hoffman used the Windows-based programming utility supplied with the M5900 to create a simple interface that allows a 2D location barcode to be scanned, followed by up to 100 1D object barcodes, with as many additional location (and corresponding objects) scanned as desired.  The data is stored in an orderly CSV format, along with a timestamp for each scan.

Storage locations would be encoded with a Data Matrix 2D symbology, and objects would be bar coded with a Code 128 1D symbology, each with included text. Examples are shown below:

        

NB: until updated, the ?1D symbol above is actually code 39, not code 128.

Collecting data with the M5900 scanner

1. Turn on the M5900.
2. Select "Run Program" from the main menu and push the Enter button.
3. Scroll down to the "PAHMA Location" program (NB: other programs can be deleted to reduce scrolling button clicks).
4. Under "Select Data File", "Create New" should be selected.  Press Enter.
5. Type in an appropriate data file name (NB: we need to select a preferred name format for users to follow).
6. If cursor is located under "Enter Location:", you are ready to scan a storage location bar code.
7. If the cursor is located under "Enter Object No.:", scroll up and hit "Func", "6" and you are ready to scan a storage location bar code.
8. Scan a storage location bar code
9. Scan all of the object bar codes at that location
10. To move to a new location, scroll up and hit "Func", "6", and then you can scan another storage location bar code.

Downloading data from the M5900 scanner

After collecting data with the M5900, this data will need to be loaded onto a computer to begin its journey into CollectionSpace.  These are the steps:

1. Connect the AML ACC-5925 cradle (pictured below) to its AC power adapter and to a Windows computer via USB.
   
2. Make sure the PC has the latest version of the M5900 Program Generator installed (v. 1.1.0, available here)
3. Launch the M5900 Program Generator
4. Insert the M5900 into its cradle
5. Verify that USB communication is established by selecting (on the Program Generator screen) "New Program" >> "Tools" >> "M5900 Serial Port Configuration" (Comm. status should say "Ready")
6. On the Program Generator screen, select "Tools" >> "Get capture data from M5900"
7. On the Program Generator screen, click "OK" to continue.
8. On the M5900 (which should automatically be on the "QuickTrans" option), select "Send" and select the file to send.
9. Choose a filename for the CSV file.

Lessons learned from trials with untrained individuals

1. The tab-up-and-hit-Funct-6 step really confuses people.  People either:
   • forget to tab up and just hit Funct-6 (which didn't appear to erase the last object scanned);
   • forget to either tab up or hit Funct-6 (thus entering locations as objects, thus recording objects in different locations as being at same location)
   • tab up and forget to his Funct-6 (thus sometimes incompletely overwriting location)
   • tried to tab and Funct-6 between objects in the same location (no harm, just more work)
2. People were scanning too fast for scanner (thus skipping objects)
3. People were not taking trays out of cabinets
4. People were taking codes out to scan
5. People were not finding/scanning all bar codes
6. People would sometimes scan object before location
7. People would hold scanner too close to 2D codes
8. People would hold scanner too far from 1D codes
9. People didn't realize that scanner can read through plastic
10. People didn't realize they didn't have to align scanner with code
11. People didn't realize they didn't have to wave scanner
12. Scanner awkward to hold at times (a trigger grip would really help)
13. People didn't realize that "beep-beep" meant "error", while "beep" meant "OK"

Dealing with the scan speed limitation issue

The scanner was dropping data if the user scanned too quickly.  The handheld unit signalled apparent success with a beep, but we later discovered that objects which were scanned too quickly (measuring time since previous scan) never got saved to the .CSV data file.  The problem was reported to AML, and AML technician Rick Shimmel revised the PAHMA Locations.ap5 program file to hopefully be less pace-limiting.  To test this, we set up an experiment to scan objects in at several regular frequencies (measured in scans per minute): 40, 60, 90, 120/minute.  These are the results: