PAHMA bar code scanner requirements

The following requirements for a programmable bar code scanner are based on conversations with Michael Black.

(See http://wiki.collectionspace.org/display/deploy/Bar+code+assisted+workflow for more workflows, based on an initial idea about building an iPad app.)

Handheld programmable wireless barcode scanner that can read 1D and 2D barcodes

Multiple people using scanner can sync files to a shared or separate computers; data files can be aggregated and processed (imported to another system for upload).

Note to Michael: I think we can match on the long location strings, e.g., "Kroeber 105, Cabinet 5, Drawer 2", but if there were a unique code or number in there, we could parse it and use that as the short identifier, e.g., "Kroeber 105, Cabinet 5, Drawer 2 (01234)".

Museum inventory and tracking programs

Do Inventory

Steps:

1. Scan first location (e.g., 2D barcode of "Kroeber 105, Cabinet 5, Drawer 2")
2. Scan first item (1D barcode of largely unique museum number, e.g., "3-01245" or in the future "11.XX.01245")
3. (option: Type in note related to first item)
4. (option: Display item description via lookup file)
5. Scan additional items in location (from one to 100 items per location)
6. End
7. Scan second location (e.g., 2D barcode of "Kroeber 105, Cabinet 5, Drawer 3")
8. Scan first item in location
9. Scan additional items in location (from one to 100 items per location)
10. End

Resulting data: We would prefer a table with two columns (or optionally three including the note): location# item# (note)
loc1 item1 (note1) (date-time scanned)
loc1 item2 (note2) (date-time scanned)
loc1 item3 (note3) (date-time scanned)
loc2 item4 (note4) (date-time scanned)
loc3 item5 (note5) (date-time scanned)
loc3 item6 (note6) (date-time scanned)

Alternatively, we could probably parse something that looked like:
loc1
item1
(note1)
item2
(note2)
item3
(note3)
loc2
item4
(note4)
item5
(note5)

(In parsing this data, we will fork out data that meet certain conditions, e.g., item exists in different location already, item already scanned to same location, note says "curator check", and so on. We will also create reports that can be used to check situations that would still allow data to be imported into CSpace.)

Move item(s) to new home location

Steps

1. Scan new home location
2. Scan item1
3. (Scan additional items)
4. End

Resulting data: Prefer a table with two columns: new-home-location# item#

Move item(s) to a temporary location

Steps

1. Scan temporary location
2. Scan item1
3. (Scan additional items)
4. End

Resulting data: Prefer a table with two columns: temporary-location# item#

To do a bulk move of objects to a new home location

Steps

1. Scan location containing items to be moved
2. (Option: Show count of objects in that location)
3. Scan new home location
4. End

Resulting data: Prefer a table with two columns: old-home-location# new-home-location#

(Data import will find items in old-home-location and move them to new-home-location)

To do a bulk move of objects to a temporary location

Steps

1. Scan location containing items to be moved
2. (Option: Show count of objects in that location)
3. Scan temporary location
4. End

Resulting data is a table with two columns: old-home-location# temporary-location#

(Data import will find items in old-home-location and move them to temporary-location)

Other workflows to be developed

Pack objects into a container (mobile storage)

Set or change the parent location for a container (mobile storage)

Ship objects and/or containers