Instrument Inventory Data Definitions
Welcome to Instrument Inventory
In the Instruments feature set, admins and teachers can keep a living record of all the instruments owned, managed, and used by their programs.
Within the Instrument Inventory, each instrument is an individual record which can contain a number of datapoints:
General Information (fields marked with a * are required for all instruments)
- *Manager (name of program)
- *Instrument Type and Subtype
- *Make (brand)
- *Model
- Serial Number
- Case ID
- Owner Identifier (internal identifier, such as a district inventory ID)
- Barcode
- Assigned To (student)
- Location
- Repairs
- Inspections (condition)
- Year of Purchase
- Purchase price
- Current Value (calculated automatically using type, age, and initial value)
Manager
In our system, all instruments are designated a Manager. An instrument’s Manager is the organization responsible for the day-to-day management. Managers are defined in CutTime as the program in which the instruments are housed and used by students. Instruments can be transferred between Managers as long as both Managers are in the same district. In cases where instruments are purchased by the district but not distributed to a particular school, the Manager would be the district until management is assigned to a school.
Instrument Type and Subtype
Instrument Type and Subtype describe the instrument. An example of a Type would be Saxophone, while a Subtype would be Eb Alto. Types and Subtypes can be chosen from a pre-curated list, which can be seen on the Instrument Inventory Import Overview help document.
Make and Model
The Make is the instrument’s brand, such as Selmer or Bach. The Model is a more detailed identifier, which could be in the form of a model code or word, such as “52JU” or “TR600”. If the Make or Model are not known, it's recommended to enter "Unknown" for that datapoint.
Serial Number, Case ID, Owner Identifier, and Barcode
The Serial Number is set by the manufacturer and usually physically engraved or printed on the instrument. Serial numbers should always be unique - if two or more instruments have the same serial number, they are most likely either duplicate entries for the same instrument or the number recorded is something other than the serial number. Serial numbers are typically numerical but may also contain letters or other characters.
Case ID can be used to more quickly identify an instrument for day-to-day use instead of using the serial number. For example, a group of ten trumpets might be identified as TPT1, TPT2, …TPT10. If Case IDs are used, it is strongly recommended that serial numbers are also recorded so that instruments are not mixed up between cases.
Owner Identifier is an open field where the user can enter in an alternative identifier. An owner identifier would typically be a school district’s internal inventory ID. Adding an owner identifier to instruments can allow instruments to be more easily identified and located for internal district audits.
Barcode is a number sequence that corresponds to a linear barcode (NOT a QR code). If your inventory has existing barcodes and you would like to transfer them into the new system, you can enter them here to gain access to barcode scanning functionality.
Assigned To
If student profiles are added, instruments can be assigned to students to maintain an accurate record of the inventory’s current location and assignment history.
Location, Repairs, and Inspection
An instrument’s Location is the location where it is permanently housed when not in use. Examples of locations might be Storage Room A, Marching Band Trailer, Orchestra Room, or Backstage. The purpose of having a Location added for an instrument is so that it can be more easily located when it is needed for use or audit. A location is NOT “Checked out to a student” or “Out for repair”.
Repairs can be tracked for all instruments. Repairs contain six possible data points - Repair Vendor, Cost, Start Date, End Date, Details, and Attachments (optional, for files such as receipts and photos). As more repairs are added onto an instrument, the cost of those repairs will be added into a Total Cost Spent on Repairs, which can be referenced by the Owner.
Inspections are records of an instrument’s Condition. An inspection contains four possible data points - Condition, Date, Details, and Attachments (for photos or other relevant files). There are six possible conditions - Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, Needs Repair, and Unrepairable. For the latter three conditions, details must be added to elaborate on why the instrument has been designated Poor, Needs Repair, or Unrepairable.
Year of Purchase, Purchase Price, and Current Value
For users who would like to use the system to help inform purchasing decisions, all instruments can have a valuation that is determined automatically based on three pieces of information: instrument type, age, and initial value. If all three of those data points are present for an instrument, the system will use Conn-Selmer’s depreciation guidelines to calculate that instrument’s current value.
Year of Purchase is a record of when the instrument was purchased by the district. The system assumes that the instrument was new when it was purchased. If an instrument is acquired secondhand, the year of purchase would correspond to the year that the instrument was originally purchased or manufactured.
Purchase Price is the cost of the instrument when it was purchased. As with the Year of Purchase, the system assumes that the instrument was new when it was purchased. If an instrument is acquired secondhand, the initial value would correspond to the price that was paid for the instrument when it was originally purchased.
If instrument type, year of purchase, and initial value are all entered for an instrument, the system will show a Current Value. Note that instruments do not all depreciate in value at the same rate - while some instruments may lose 100% of their original value over 10 years, others may take 15 before their value reaches $0. The Current Value does not necessarily represent the price at which an instrument could be purchased or sold, but it should provide meaningful insight into an instrument’s value for the purposes of district-level accounting.