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Checking Out Carts

Checking out a cart assigns the entire cart and all its devices to a user (teacher or staff member) or a room in one action. This is perfect for classroom sets, mobile labs, or shared device pools that move together as a unit.

Instead of checking out 30 individual devices to a teacher, you check out one cart - and all the devices in it are automatically assigned to that person or location.

Permission Required

To check out or check in carts, you need the Checkout Device permission assigned to your administrator role.

Note: Cart checkouts use the same permission as device checkouts. There is no separate "Checkout Cart" permission.

Understanding Cart Checkouts​

When you check out a cart to a user or room:

  • The entire cart is assigned to that person or location
  • All devices in the cart are considered "in use" by that person or in that room
  • The cart shows as "checked out" on the cart list and cart device page
  • The user or room becomes responsible for the cart and its contents

This is different from individual device checkouts:

  • Device checkout: One device assigned to one person
  • Cart checkout: One cart (containing multiple devices) assigned to one person or room

Checkout Destinations​

Carts can be checked out to two types of destinations:

Users (Staff or Students):

  • Teachers, instructors, substitutes
  • Administrative staff
  • Students (less common for carts)

Rooms:

  • Classrooms, labs, or other physical locations
  • Perfect for carts that stay in one room
  • Tracks which room has the equipment

How to Check Out a Cart​

There are two ways to initiate a cart checkout.

Method 1: From the Cart Devices Page​

This is the most common method when you're already managing a specific cart:

  1. Navigate to Carts > View Carts
  2. Find the cart you want to check out
  3. Click the View or Devices button to open the cart device page
  4. In the Cart Summary section, click the Check Out Cart button (red button)
  5. A modal window opens showing a searchable user list
  6. Find the user by typing their name or ID number in the search box
  7. Click the Action button next to the user's name
  8. The cart is checked out to that user

Method 2: Quick Checkout from Cart List​

Some implementations may allow direct checkout from the cart list. Check your interface for checkout buttons directly on the View Carts page.

The Checkout Modal​

When you click Check Out Cart, a modal window appears with a searchable table of staff members and rooms:

Table columns:

  • Name: Full name of the staff member or room name
  • Identifier: Local ID number (for staff) or building name (for rooms)
  • Type: Staff or Room badge
  • Action: Button to check out to this destination

Including Students: By default, only staff members and rooms are shown. If you need to check out a cart to a student:

  1. Check the Include Students toggle at the top of the modal
  2. The table refreshes to include student records
  3. Students appear with a "Student" badge

Using the search:

  • The search box is automatically focused when the modal opens
  • Type to search by name, ID, room name, or building
  • Results filter in real-time as you type
  • Use pagination controls if your district has many entries
Quick Search

Start typing immediately when the modal opens - the search field is pre-focused. This makes finding users or rooms very fast, even in large districts.

After Checking Out a Cart​

Once you check out a cart, several things happen automatically:

Cart Status Changes​

  • The cart shows as checked out on the View Carts list
  • The Checked Out column displays the user's name or room name
  • The cart device page shows an info banner with a link to the user or room

Destination Gets All Devices​

  • All devices in the cart are considered assigned to the user or room
  • The user profile (or room detail page) shows the cart checkout
  • If you view individual device profiles, they'll show as checked out via the cart

Checkout Buttons Update​

On the cart device page:

  • The Check Out Cart button is replaced with checkout information
  • A link to the user or room profile is displayed
  • A Check In Cart button appears for returning the cart
  • This makes it clear the cart is already assigned and where it went

Who Can Receive Cart Checkouts​

Carts can be checked out to staff members, students, or rooms in your system:

Staff Members:

  • Teachers, instructors, substitutes
  • Administrative staff
  • Most cart checkouts go to teachers for classroom use

Rooms:

  • Classrooms, labs, offices, or other physical locations
  • Perfect for carts that stay in one location
  • Rooms show the building name as their identifier
  • Great for tracking which room has which cart

Students:

  • Individual students can receive cart checkouts
  • Not shown by default - use the "Include Students" toggle
  • Useful for student assistants managing classroom carts
  • Less common than staff or room checkouts

Building Restrictions:

  • You can only check out carts to users and rooms in buildings you have access to
  • The cart's building assignment doesn't restrict who can receive it
  • Building permissions control who can manage the cart, not who can receive it
When to Use Room Checkouts

Room checkouts are ideal when equipment stays in a specific location rather than being assigned to a person. For example, a cart of Chromebooks that lives in the Science Lab would be checked out to "Science Lab" rather than to a specific teacher. This way, when teachers rotate through that room, the cart assignment stays consistent.

How to Check In a Cart​

When a cart is returned and needs to be made available again, you check it in. This releases the cart from the user and returns it to inventory.

Checkin Process​

  1. Navigate to the cart's device page (Carts > View Carts > click the cart)
  2. The Cart Summary shows the current checkout information
  3. Click the Check In Cart button (green button)
  4. A checkout snapshot page appears showing:
    • Cart name and asset tag
    • Who currently has the cart
    • Date issued and issuing administrator
    • Current administrator performing the checkin
    • Date returned field (defaults to current date/time)
  5. Verify the information is correct
  6. Adjust the Date Returned if the cart was actually returned earlier than now
  7. Click Check-In Cart to complete the process
  8. The cart returns to available status

Checkout Snapshot Fields​

The checkin page displays:

Cart Information:

  • Cart name
  • Asset tag (if assigned)
  • Barcode (if assigned)

Checkout Details:

  • Date Issued: When the cart was checked out
  • Issued By: Which administrator performed the checkout
  • Date Returned: When it's being checked in (editable)
  • Returning Admin: Your name (current administrator)

Adjusting the Return Date​

By default, the Date Returned field shows the current date and time. However, you can change this if:

  • The cart was physically returned yesterday but you're checking it in today
  • You need to backdate the checkin for accurate reporting
  • You're doing bulk checkins at the end of the day

To change the date:

  1. Click in the Date Returned field
  2. A date/time picker appears
  3. Select the correct return date and time
  4. Click anywhere outside the picker to close it
  5. Continue with checkin

Cart Checkout Status Indicators​

Throughout the system, you'll see indicators showing whether a cart is checked out or available.

On the View Carts List​

Checked Out ColumnMeaning
NoneCart is available for checkout
Smith, JohnCart is checked out to John Smith

On the Cart Devices Page​

When Available:

  • Cart Summary shows standard information
  • Check Out Cart button is visible (red)
  • No checkout banner appears

When Checked Out:

  • Blue info banner appears: "This cart is currently checked out to [User Name]"
  • Check In Cart button is visible (green)
  • Check Out Cart button is hidden
  • All other cart functions remain available (viewing devices, editing cart, etc.)

Understanding Device Relationships​

Cart checkouts interact with individual device checkouts in specific ways.

All Devices Move Together​

When you check out a cart:

  • All devices in the cart are assigned to the user
  • This assignment happens through the cart, not individual device checkouts
  • The devices "belong" to the cart, and the cart belongs to the user

Adding Devices to Checked Out Carts​

You can still add or remove devices from a cart while it's checked out (if you have Edit Carts permission):

  • Add a device → It immediately becomes part of the user's assignment
  • Remove a device → It's released from the cart and from the user

Checking In Individual Devices from a Cart​

If you check in a single device that's part of a checked-out cart:

  • The device is released from the cart
  • The cart checkout remains active for the remaining devices
  • The cart is NOT automatically checked in

Example:

  • Cart has 30 devices, checked out to Teacher A
  • Student breaks device #15
  • You check in device #15 individually to send it for repair
  • Cart remains checked out to Teacher A with 29 devices
  • Device #15 is now available separately
Checking In Individual Devices

When you check in a device that's part of a cart checkout, you're removing it from the cart - not just checking it in. The device will no longer be part of that cart. If you want the device to remain in the cart but just be temporarily unavailable, consider using incidents or device status changes instead.

Common Workflows​

Scenario 1: First Day of School Cart Assignment​

A teacher needs the English Lab cart for the entire year:

  1. Open Carts > View Carts
  2. Find "English Lab Cart A" in the list
  3. Verify the Devices column shows the expected count (30/30)
  4. Click View to open the cart device page
  5. Review the Assigned Devices table to confirm all devices are present
  6. Click Check Out Cart
  7. Search for the teacher's name in the modal
  8. Click the checkout button next to their name
  9. Cart is now assigned to that teacher for the school year
  10. Teacher can pick up the physical cart from the technology office

Scenario 2: Substitute Teacher Short-Term Assignment​

A substitute needs a cart for two days:

  1. Find an available cart (Checked Out column shows "None")
  2. Open the cart device page
  3. Verify the cart has devices in it
  4. Click Check Out Cart
  5. Search for the substitute teacher's name
  6. Complete the checkout
  7. Two days later, substitute returns the cart
  8. Click Check In Cart
  9. Verify the return date/time
  10. Complete the checkin
  11. Cart is available for the next assignment

Scenario 3: End of Year Inventory Return​

At the end of the school year, all carts need to be checked in for summer storage:

  1. Open Carts > View Carts
  2. Sort by the Checked Out column to see all checked-out carts
  3. Open the first checked-out cart
  4. Click Check In Cart
  5. Physically verify all devices are present in the cart
  6. If devices are missing, remove them from the cart before checking in
  7. Complete the checkin
  8. Move to the next checked-out cart
  9. Repeat until all carts show "None" in the Checked Out column

Scenario 4: Cart Reassignment Mid-Year​

One teacher's class size decreased, so their cart moves to a different teacher:

  1. Open the cart currently checked out to Teacher A
  2. Click Check In Cart
  3. Complete the checkin (cart is now available)
  4. Immediately click Check Out Cart
  5. Search for Teacher B
  6. Complete the checkout to Teacher B
  7. Notify both teachers of the change
  8. Physically move the cart from Room 101 to Room 205

Scenario 5: Shared Cart Rotation Schedule​

A mobile science lab cart rotates between three teachers on different days:

  1. Monday morning: Check out cart to Teacher A
  2. Monday afternoon: Check in cart from Teacher A
  3. Tuesday morning: Check out cart to Teacher B
  4. Tuesday afternoon: Check in cart from Teacher B
  5. Wednesday morning: Check out cart to Teacher C
  6. Use the Date Returned field to accurately timestamp each transition
  7. View the cart's checkout history to see the rotation pattern

Tips for Managing Cart Checkouts​

✅ Do:

  • Verify cart contents before checking out to a user
  • Communicate with users when checking in their assigned carts
  • Use accurate return dates for proper reporting
  • Check in carts promptly when they're physically returned
  • Review cart checkout history periodically to find forgotten assignments
  • Keep cart assignments updated when teachers change rooms or leave

❌ Don't:

  • Check out empty carts (verify devices are present first)
  • Forget to check in carts at year-end (they'll show as checked out forever)
  • Check in carts without physically verifying they've been returned
  • Reassign carts without checking them in first (always checkin → checkout)
  • Leave carts checked out to users who no longer need them

Permissions and Access Control​

Checkout Device Permission​

Both cart checkouts and cart checkins require the Checkout Device permission. This is the same permission used for checking out individual devices.

With this permission, you can:

  • Check out carts to users
  • Check in carts from users
  • View checkout history for carts
  • See who currently has a cart

Without this permission, you cannot:

  • Assign carts to users
  • Return carts from users
  • The checkout buttons won't appear on the cart device page

While checkout permission is primary, these other permissions affect cart checkout workflows:

  • View Carts: Required to see the cart list and open cart device pages
  • Edit Carts: Needed to add/remove devices from checked-out carts
  • View Devices: Lets you view individual device profiles for devices in carts

Common permission combinations:

  • View Carts only: Can see who has carts, but can't assign them
  • View + Checkout Device: Can manage cart assignments but not modify cart contents
  • View + Edit + Checkout: Full cart management (most common for cart administrators)

Understanding Checkout History​

Every time you check out or check in a cart, a record is created. This history helps you:

Track Cart Usage Patterns​

  • Which teachers use which carts most frequently
  • How long carts are typically checked out
  • Seasonal usage patterns (more checkouts during certain months)

Generate Reports​

  • Cart utilization reports
  • Teacher assignment history
  • End-of-year checkout verification

Audit Trail​

  • Who checked out a cart when it was lost or damaged
  • Which administrator assigned a cart to a user
  • Proof of when carts were returned

The checkout history is permanent - even after you check in a cart, the history record remains. This ensures you always have an audit trail of cart movement.

Troubleshooting Common Issues​

"I can't find the Check Out Cart button"​

Possible reasons:

  • You don't have the Checkout Device permission
  • The cart is already checked out (look for the Check In Cart button instead)
  • The cart has no devices in it (some districts disable checkout of empty carts)

Solution: Check your permissions, verify cart status, and ensure cart has devices.

"The user I want isn't in the checkout modal"​

Possible reasons:

  • The user is inactive or archived
  • You're searching for a nickname instead of their official name
  • The user was recently added and hasn't synced yet

Solution: Try searching by local ID number instead of name, verify user is active in the system.

"I checked in a cart but it still shows as checked out"​

Possible reasons:

  • The page hasn't refreshed - reload the cart list
  • There was an error during checkin - check for error messages
  • Browser cached old data

Solution: Refresh the page, try checking in again, clear browser cache if needed.

"Can I check out a cart to multiple users?"​

No. A cart can only be checked out to one user at a time. If multiple teachers need to share devices:

  • Check out individual devices to each teacher, OR
  • Use a rotation schedule and reassign the cart as needed, OR
  • Split devices into multiple carts for separate checkouts

Common Questions​

Q: Can I check out a cart to a classroom/room instead of a user? Yes! When you click Check Out Cart, the modal displays both users and rooms. Rooms are identified with a "Room" badge and show their building name as the identifier. Simply find the room and click the checkout button. Learn more about room checkouts →

Q: What happens to devices in a cart when I check out the cart? All devices in the cart are automatically considered assigned to the user who received the cart. They don't get individual checkout records - they're part of the cart checkout.

Q: Can I add devices to a cart while it's checked out? Yes, if you have the Edit Carts permission. Any devices you add will immediately become part of the user's assignment.

Q: What if a teacher loses a device from their cart? Open the cart device page, remove the lost device from the cart, then update that device's status to "Lost" on its device profile. The cart remains checked out with the remaining devices.

Q: How do I see all carts currently checked out? Go to Carts > View Carts and sort by the Checked Out column. All carts showing user names are checked out; those showing "None" are available.

Q: Can I change who a cart is checked out to without checking it in first? No. You must check in the cart from the current user, then check it out to the new user. This creates a proper audit trail.

Q: Does checking in a cart automatically check in all devices? Yes. When you check in a cart, all devices in the cart are released from the user assignment. They return to available status (along with the cart).

Q: Can users check out carts themselves, or do administrators do it? Only administrators with the Checkout Device permission can check out carts. Users cannot self-checkout carts.

Next Steps​

Now that you understand cart checkouts, explore related topics:

Cart checkouts simplify managing shared device collections. Instead of tracking 30 individual checkouts, you manage one cart assignment - making it easier to support mobile labs and classroom device sets!

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