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.

Accessories

Optional items that you can add to single physical equipment, physical combinations, or virtual combinations.

A good example is a rain cover for your equipment - this accessory belongs to one of your equipment items

You can choose to charge money for an accessory or to provide it free of charge.
You can choose to skip the accessory if it's already planned on your project as a separate item.
You can choose to receive a warning message about adding accessories when you add the item it belongs to.

Create single physical equipment

In the categoryEquipment module, click on + Add Equipment button or double-click an existing item.
Under Physical/Virtual, select Physical and fill out the essential equipment data.
Complete your physical item by adding and filling in the information in the various tabs.
Click Save

Create a physical combination

In the category Equipment module, choose + Add Equipment or double-click an existing item.
Under Physical/Virtual, select Physical and fill out the essential equipment data.
Go to the Default content tab.
Click on Allow Content
Search for an item, and double-click it to add the item to your physical combination.
Complete your physical combination by adding and filling in the information in the various tabs.
Click Save

physical combination.gif

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

In the category Equipment module, choose + Add Equipment or double-click an existing item.
Under Physical/Virtual, select Virtual and fill out the essential equipment data.
Go to the Default content tab.
Search for an item, and double-click it to add the item to your virtual combination.
Complete your virtual combination by adding and filling in the information in the various tabs.
Click Save

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

Add an accessory

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

Go to the Default content tab of your physical or virtual combination.
To show content, choose Yes in the columns Show on quotes and Show on packing list. (Double-click to edit a cell).
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.

sow:hide content.gif

Frequently asked questions

When do I create a physical combination, and when a virtual combination?

It depends on how you organize your inventory. Physical combinations are great for equipment items that are always rented out together, while virtual combinations are more useful when the equipment items are sometimes rented out together but other times individually.

Accessories are always linked to a single physical item or virtual and physical combinations - they will, however, be added to projects and documents separately. They will not be linked anymore as soon as they are added to a project.

When I add an accessory to an item, is that accessory also automatically added to the virtual combinations that this item is part of?

No. Each item type has its own accessories. In some cases, people might add a microphone as an accessory to a CD player when the CD player is also part of a DJ kit where the microphone is already in the contents of that virtual combination. It would not make sense if the microphone is also added as an accessory to that virtual combination.

Can I change the equipment type when my equipment is already planned on a project?

No. You can only change the equipment type when your equipment is not planned on any project. This is because it would also change the project type of your existing projects, project templates, subrent, etc., so you would end up with projects with incorrect equipment.

How do I create equipment combinations in my equipment file when importing equipment?

In your equipment file, you can only specify the type of your equipment in your Type column. You add content in Rentman in the Default content tab of your combination. This also means that all content of your combinations is imported as a separate item first and that you add these items as Default content later on.

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.

How do I add accessories to my equipment file when importing equipment?

In your equipment file, you can only specify the type of your equipment in your Type column. You add accessories in Rentman in the Accessories tab of your equipment. This also means that all accessories belonging to your combinations are imported as separate items first and that you add these items as accessories later on.

Is there a way to see which items are part of a virtual combination?

Yes, you can apply a filter to your Equipment overview.

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Create Equipment Combinations