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Dashboard
All docs pages
  • Getting started
  • Assets
  • Labels, QR and NFC
  • Checkouts, tickets, borrowing and events
  • Maintenance and licenses
  • People, departments and locations
  • Reports and audit log
  • Settings

Docs

  • Getting started
  • Assets
  • Labels, QR and NFC
  • Checkouts, tickets, borrowing and events
  • Maintenance and licenses
  • People, departments and locations
  • Reports and audit log
  • Settings

Getting started

Create an account, set up your organization, and find your way around the dashboard, scanning and the phone app.

On this page

  • Overview
  • Create your account
  • Set up your organization
  • Your dashboard
  • Customize the dashboard
  • Scan a QR code or NFC tag
  • Use it on your phone
  • Roles and feature toggles

Overview

Hound keeps track of your equipment: where it is, who has it, when it is due back and what needs attention. This page takes you from a new account to a working dashboard, and the other pages cover each feature in depth. Think of it as a good dog for your gear room: it never forgets where anything was buried.

  1. Create your account and your organization.
  2. Answer the short setup questions (a first location, department and asset).
  3. Look over the dashboard, then invite your team from Users (admins only).
  4. Add more assets, print labels and start checking assets out.

Tips

  • Most pages work the same on a phone and on a computer. Where they differ, the page says so.
  • What you see in the menu depends on your role. If a page in these docs is missing for you, ask an admin.

Related: Create your account, Assets

Create your account

Signing up creates your login and your organization in one go. You become its owner.

  1. Open the sign-up page and fill in Organization name, First name, Last name, Email, Password and Confirm password.
  2. Tick the box to agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
  3. Select Create organization.
  4. Open the verification email we send you and select Verify email. If it does not arrive, use Resend verification email on the sign-in page.
  5. Sign in with your email and password. If you forget the password, select Forgot password? on the sign-in page.

Tips

  • Invited by someone else? Use the link in your invitation email instead of signing up. You join their organization.
  • If you belong to more than one organization, switch between them from the organization switcher in the top bar.
  • If your account uses a second sign-in step, you are asked for a code after your password.

Related: Invite people

Set up your organization

The first time you sign in as an owner, a short wizard asks for the basics so the app has something real to show.

  1. Your first location: enter a Location name and an Address.
  2. Your first department: enter a Department name and pick its Location.
  3. Your first asset: enter an Asset name, pick a Category and optionally an Alias.
  4. Select Save and continue on each step. Use Back to change an earlier answer.
  5. On the last screen, select Go to my assets.

Tips

  • The wizard suggests what to do next: invite your team, add more assets, and review categories and labels in Settings.
  • You can rename or add locations, departments and categories later. Nothing you enter here is permanent.

Related: Locations, Categories, labels, manufacturers and suppliers, Organization and hierarchy labels

Your dashboard

The dashboard is the first page you see. It shows what needs attention today, built from widgets.

What you will find

Dashboard widgets
WidgetWhat it shows
At a glanceChecked out, due within 1h, overdue, to approve (when borrow requests are on) and total assets. Select a tile to open the matching list or report.
Live eventThe event running right now, if there is one.
Due backItems due back today and overdue, grouped by person.
ApprovalsBorrow requests waiting for you.
Recent activityThe latest checkouts, check-ins and transfers.
UtilizationCheckouts per day over the last 30 days.
My itemsWhat is checked out to you and when it is due.
Quick actionsShortcuts to the things you do most.
Upcoming eventsThe next events you can see.

Tips

  • Tiles that need action, like Overdue and To approve, glow so you notice them.
  • Widgets only appear if you are allowed to use them and the feature is turned on.

Related: Customize the dashboard, Checkouts, tickets, borrowing and events

Customize the dashboard

Arrange the dashboard to suit how you work.

  1. Select Customize at the top of the dashboard.
  2. Use the controls on each widget to change its size (S, M or L), move it up or down, or remove it.
  3. Select Add widget to pick from the widgets you do not have yet.
  4. Select Done to save, or Reset to default to start over.

Tips

  • Changes save when you press Done, so leaving without it discards them.
  • Some widgets only come in one size, so they have no size control.

Related: Your dashboard

Scan a QR code or NFC tag

Every asset can carry a printed QR label and optionally an NFC tag. Scanning is the fastest way to open an asset or check it out and in.

Ways to scan

  • Phone camera: point your phone camera at a QR label. The link opens the asset in the app. If you are signed out, you sign in first and then land on the asset.
  • Scan checkout or return (top bar): opens the NFC checkout panel. Choose how to scan with the NFC, Camera or Manual switch. Manual takes an asset tag or label code.

Who sees the scan button

The scan button in the top bar only appears for roles that can check assets out or in.
  1. Select the scan button in the top bar.
  2. Pick NFC, Camera or Manual under Scan with.
  3. Scan the asset. Follow the steps in the panel to check out or return.

Tips

  • If camera access is blocked, the panel falls back to manual entry and tells you why.
  • What happens when someone without access scans a label is covered in What a QR label holds.

Related: What a QR label holds, Check out and return by scan, Assign an NFC tag

Use it on your phone

The app is built phone-first, so you can run most jobs from the floor with one hand.

  1. Open the app in your phone browser and sign in.
  2. Select the menu button in the top left to open the navigation drawer.
  3. Pick a group (Inventory, Operations, People, Reports and audit) and then a page.
  4. Use the search button for the command palette, which finds assets, pages and actions.

Tips

  • On a computer, press Cmd K (Mac) or Ctrl K to open the command palette.
  • The bell shows unread notifications and glows when you have some. Select Mark all read to clear them.
  • The Help menu in the top bar lists search and, for admins, the NFC reader setup guide.

Related: Event checkout on a phone, Labels, QR and NFC

Roles and feature toggles

What you can see and do depends on your role. Admins can also turn whole features on or off for the organization.

  • Owner and admin see everything, including Users, Departments, Locations, Label maker, NFC and labels, and every Settings tab.
  • Other roles (manager, member, viewer and so on) see the pages their permissions allow. Checkout, borrow and reports access are separate permissions.
  • Everyone can change their own theme and account in Settings.

Admins only

Features such as Borrow requests, Events, Licenses and NFC tags can be switched off in Settings under Features. A feature that is off disappears from the menu for everyone.

Tips

  • Not seeing a page you expect? Check your role with an admin, then check that its feature is on.
  • Theme and account settings are per person. See Appearance for the theme.

Related: Roles and permissions, Turn features on or off, Appearance

NextAssets

On this page

  • Overview
  • Create your account
  • Set up your organization
  • Your dashboard
  • Customize the dashboard
  • Scan a QR code or NFC tag
  • Use it on your phone
  • Roles and feature toggles
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