In this article, we explain the different equipment types in Rentman.

Using Rentman, you can create different combinations of equipment. Using equipment combinations helps you stay organized and lets you generate packing slips, quotations, contracts, and invoices with a clear and organized equipment list. It also allows you to plan faster and is useful for not forgetting items when packing for (and from) a project.

Video tutorial

Here is a video tutorial you can watch to learn how to create equipment combinations. In this video tutorial, we go over different equipment types and how to create them in Rentman.

Equipment types

Equipment in Rentman can be categorized as physical items or virtual combinations.

Physical item Virtual combination

When creating new equipment, the default properties are set to a physical item.

For example, a physical item can be a speaker, a lamp, or a cable.

• Each physical item can have multiple serial numbers. When you have five of the same speakers, you have five serial numbers of one item. We sometimes call these "individual items." Read more about serial numbers in this article.
• A physical item can also have content. If you have a combination of items that you usually rent out together, you can create an item with content; for example, a box with multiple mounted amplifiers - these items cannot be rented separately but only as a fixed combination.
• When you create an item with content, all pieces of equipment in the combination are taken out of stock. These items can't be planned individually on projects anymore.
• You can change the content of an item in the category Equipment module. You can also modify the content from your project's equipment tab. Note that modifying the content in the project's tab doesn't affect the default content.

A virtual combination is a flexible combination of items. You create a virtual combination when you sometimes rent out the items together, but at other times you rent them out separately.

A good example is a virtual combination containing speakers, subwoofers, and full-range cabins. You will mostly rent them out together, but sometimes you want to rent them out individually.

• You choose the standard content of a virtual combination in the category Equipment module.
• You can change the content of a virtual combination for all individual projects that it is planned on.
• When you plan a virtual combination on a project, all items in the virtual combination are taken out of stock.
• When some items in the virtual combination are rented out, the virtual combination will be marked as having a shortage.
• If you subrent items that are missing from a virtual combination, the shortage will be solved.

Common questions about new equipment types

Create single physical equipment

1. In the categoryEquipment module, click on + Add equipment button or double-click an existing item.

2. Under Physical/Virtual, select Physical and fill out the essential equipment data.

3. Complete your physical item by adding and filling in the information in the various tabs.

4. Click Save

Create a physical combination

1. In the category Equipment module, choose  + Add equipment  or double-click an existing item.
2. Under Physical/Virtual, select Physical and fill out the essential equipment data.

3. Go to the Default content tab.

4. Click on Allow content

5. Search for an item, and double-click it to add the item to your physical combination.

6. Complete your physical combination by adding and filling in the information in the various tabs.

7. Click  Save

For a list of available options in all tabs, read our article about adding your equipment. 

Would you like to serialize the content of your physical combination? Read this article.

Create a virtual combination

1. In the category Equipment module, choose  + Add equipment  or double-click an existing item.
2. Under Physical/Virtual, select Virtual and fill out the essential equipment data.

3. Go to the Default content tab.

4. Search for an item, and double-click it to add the item to your virtual combination.

5. Complete your virtual combination by adding and filling in the information in the various tabs.
6. Click  Save

For a list of available options in all tabs, read our article about adding your equipment. 

Add an accessory

1. In the category Equipment module, double-click an existing item, physical or virtual combination.
2. Go to the Accessories tab.
3. Search for an item and double-click to it as an accessory.
4. Click  Save

Options

To choose an option, double-click on a cell in the list and select "Yes" or "No".

• Automatic
  • If you select "Yes", the accessory will always be added along with the item, without a warning message.
  • If you select "No", you will receive a warning message when you add the item that your accessory is linked to. It will ask you whether you want to add the accessory, or not.
• Skip if already present
  If the accessory is already planned on your project as a separate item, it will not be added twice when you add the item that this accessory is linked to.
• Always add as new row
  
  • If you select "Yes", the accessory will always be added as a separate line in the equipment planning.
  • If you select "No", If an accessory is planned multiple times on a project. The total amount of this accessory will to be put on one line.
• Free
  The customer will not be charged money for this accessory.

Change the type of an equipment item

To change an equipment item’s type, follow this article’s instructions.

Show or hide content on documents

Items that are in a physical or virtual combination will be grouped together on your packing slips, quotations, contracts, and invoices.

You can choose to show or hide the content of individual physical and virtual combinations on your packing slips, quotations, contracts, and invoices.

1. Go to the Default content tab of your physical or virtual combination.

2. To show content, choose Yes in the columns Show on quotes and Show on packing list. (Double-click to edit a cell).

3. To hide content, choose No.

You can also choose to show or hide the content of equipment combinations when generating relevant documents. For example, when generating an invoice, in the Advanced settings, you have the option to display or hide all content or use the default settings of virtual or physical combinations.

Frequently asked questions

How do I see which combination an item is assigned to?

This information can be viewed in the "Details sidebar" of the equipment item under the "Structure" section. This sidebar is available in various overviews.