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Managing Cart Devices

The Cart Devices page is where you add and remove devices from a cart, monitor capacity, and manage slot assignments. This is your workspace for building and maintaining cart inventories.

You access this page by clicking the View or Devices button on any cart from the View Carts list, or after creating a new cart.

Permission Required

To view cart devices, you need the View Carts permission assigned to your administrator role.

Additional permissions may be required for specific actions:

  • Edit Carts - To add or remove devices from the cart
  • Checkout Device - To check out the cart to a user

Understanding the Cart Devices Page​

The page is divided into three main sections:

  1. Cart Summary - Shows cart details, capacity, and checkout status
  2. Add Device Form - Where you attach devices to the cart (if you have permission)
  3. Assigned Devices Table - Lists all devices currently in the cart

Together, these sections give you everything you need to manage the cart's device inventory.

Cart Summary Section​

The left side of the page displays key information about the cart:

Basic Information​

  • Name: The cart's name (like "English Lab Cart A")
  • Asset Tag: The physical cart's tracking number (if assigned)
  • Capacity: Current device count vs. maximum capacity
    • Example: 15 / 30 means 15 devices out of 30 capacity
    • Shows Unlimited if capacity is set to 0
  • Mode: How the cart manages devices

Understanding Cart Modes​

The Mode field tells you how the cart operates. There are three possible modes:

Unlimited capacity, no slot tracking

  • Cart can hold any number of devices
  • Devices don't need specific slot assignments
  • Most flexible option

Limited to X devices, no slot tracking

  • Cart has a maximum capacity (like 30 devices)
  • Devices can be added in any order
  • Once full, you must remove a device before adding another

Limited to X slots, one device per slot

  • Cart has numbered slots (1, 2, 3, etc.)
  • Each device must be assigned to a specific slot
  • Good for carts with physically numbered charging bays
  • Helps ensure devices are returned to the correct position

Checkout Status​

If the cart is currently checked out, you'll see an info message showing who has it:

This cart is currently checked out to Smith, John.

This means all devices in the cart are assigned to that person. You can still view the cart contents, but you may not be able to modify the cart while it's checked out.

Quick Actions​

The Cart Summary section also provides action buttons (depending on your permissions):

  • Edit: Opens the cart settings where you can change name, capacity, building, etc.
  • Check Out Cart: Assigns the entire cart to a user (appears when cart is available)
  • Check In Cart: Returns the cart to inventory (appears when cart is checked out)

Learn more about checking out carts →

Adding Devices to a Cart​

The Add Device to Cart form appears on the right side of the page if you have the Edit Carts permission.

How to Add a Device​

  1. Click in the device identifier field (it has focus by default for quick scanning)
  2. Scan the device barcode, or type the asset tag or serial number
  3. If the cart requires slot assignment, select an available slot from the dropdown
  4. Click Add Device

The page will reload and the device will appear in the Assigned Devices table below.

Device Identification​

You can add devices using any of these identifiers:

  • Asset tag (your school's inventory number)
  • Serial number (manufacturer serial)
  • Barcode (if you're using barcode scanners)

The system will find the device regardless of which identifier you use.

Slot Selection (When Required)​

If your cart uses slot tracking, you'll see a Select slot dropdown next to the device identifier field.

How slot selection works:

  • The dropdown shows only available (empty) slots
  • Occupied slots don't appear in the list
  • You must select a slot before adding the device
  • Each slot can hold only one device

Example: If your cart has capacity 30 and slots 1-10 are occupied, the dropdown will show slots 11-30.

Scanning Workflow

The device identifier field is automatically focused when you load the page, making it fast to scan multiple devices. After adding a device, the page reloads and the field is focused again - ready for the next scan. This makes adding 20-30 devices quick and efficient.

Capacity Warnings​

The system prevents you from exceeding a cart's capacity. When a cart reaches its limit, you'll see a warning message.

When Cart is at Capacity (No Slot Tracking)​

If the cart has reached its maximum device count, you'll see:

⚠ This cart is at capacity. Remove a device to add another.

The Add Device form remains visible, but adding a device will fail until you remove one. This ensures carts don't exceed their physical limits.

When All Slots are Full (With Slot Tracking)​

If every slot is occupied, you'll see:

⚠ All slots are currently in use. Remove a device to free up a slot.

The slot dropdown will be empty, and you cannot add devices until you remove one from a slot.

Unlimited Capacity Carts​

If the cart capacity is set to 0 (unlimited), these warnings never appear. You can add as many devices as needed.

Assigned Devices Table​

The Assigned Devices table lists every device currently in the cart. This is your inventory view showing what's actually in the cart.

Table Columns​

The table displays different columns depending on the cart mode:

ColumnWhen ShownWhat It Shows
SlotOnly if slot tracking is enabledThe slot number this device occupies (1, 2, 3, etc.)
Asset TagAlwaysDevice's inventory tracking number (clickable link to device profile)
SerialAlwaysManufacturer serial number
Model NumberAlwaysDevice model (like "iPad Air 5th Gen" or "Chromebook 14 G6")
StatusAlwaysCurrent device status (Active, Available, Lost, etc.)
ActionOnly if you have Edit Carts permissionRemove button to detach the device

Empty Cart Display​

If the cart has no devices assigned, the table shows:

No devices are currently assigned to this cart.

This appears when you first create a cart or after removing all devices.

Viewing Device Details​

Click any Asset Tag in the table to open that device's profile in a new page. This lets you quickly check device details, checkout history, or incidents without leaving the cart management page.

Removing Devices from a Cart​

To remove a device from the cart, click the Remove button in the Action column for that device.

Removal Process​

  1. Click the Remove button next to the device
  2. Confirm the removal in the popup dialog
  3. The page reloads and the device is removed from the cart

The device is not deleted from your inventory - it's simply detached from this cart. The device returns to "available" status and can be assigned to another user or cart.

When Removal Isn't Available​

You won't see Remove buttons if:

  • You don't have the Edit Carts permission
  • The cart is checked out and your district has configured restrictions on modifying checked-out carts

Slot Assignment After Removal​

If the cart uses slot tracking, removing a device frees up that slot. The slot becomes available in the dropdown for adding new devices.

Example: Remove device from Slot 5 → Slot 5 appears in the "Select slot" dropdown → You can add a different device to Slot 5

Removing Devices from Checked Out Carts

Use caution when removing devices from carts that are currently checked out to users. Removing a device changes what the user has access to. Make sure you communicate with the user if you're making changes to their assigned cart.

Common Workflows​

Scenario 1: Building a New Cart from Scratch​

You've just created a 30-device iPad cart and need to add all the devices:

  1. Open the cart's device management page
  2. Have all 30 iPads physically in front of you
  3. Scan the first iPad's barcode (or enter asset tag)
  4. If using slots, select Slot 1
  5. Click Add Device
  6. Page reloads, ready for the next device
  7. Scan the second iPad
  8. Continue until all 30 devices are added
  9. The capacity will show 30 / 30 when full

Scenario 2: Swapping Out a Broken Device​

A device in the cart is damaged and needs to be replaced:

  1. Open the cart device page
  2. Find the broken device in the Assigned Devices table
  3. Note the slot number (if applicable)
  4. Click Remove next to the broken device
  5. Confirm removal
  6. Add the replacement device using the same slot number
  7. The cart now has the working device instead of the broken one

Scenario 3: Preparing a Cart for Deployment​

At the start of the school year, you need to verify a cart's inventory:

  1. Open the cart device page
  2. Review the Assigned Devices table
  3. Physically check each device against the list
  4. Remove any devices that are missing or no longer in the cart
  5. Add any devices that are physically in the cart but not in the system
  6. Update the cart capacity if needed (Edit button)
  7. Once verified, check out the cart to the teacher

Scenario 4: Managing Slot Assignments​

You have a cart with 30 numbered charging bays and need to reorganize:

  1. Open the cart device page (slot tracking must be enabled)
  2. Current devices show their assigned slots in the table
  3. To move a device to a different slot:
    • Remove the device from its current slot
    • Re-add the device and select the new slot
  4. Use the Assigned Devices table to verify slot assignments
  5. Ensure students know which slot number matches their device

Scenario 5: Checking Cart Capacity Before Adding Devices​

A teacher wants to add 5 more devices to their classroom cart:

  1. Open the cart device page
  2. Check the Capacity field in the Cart Summary
    • Example: Shows 25 / 30 (5 slots available)
  3. Since there's room, proceed to add the 5 devices
  4. After adding, capacity shows 30 / 30 (now full)
  5. If capacity was already full, you'd need to either remove devices or increase the cart capacity (Edit → change capacity setting)

Tips for Managing Cart Devices​

✅ Do:

  • Use a barcode scanner for quick device addition (much faster than typing)
  • Keep the Assigned Devices table accurate - it's your source of truth
  • Use slot tracking for carts with physical numbered bays
  • Verify capacity matches the physical cart size
  • Check cart contents before checking out to a user
  • Remove damaged or missing devices promptly to keep inventory accurate

❌ Don't:

  • Add devices to the wrong cart - always verify you're on the correct cart page
  • Forget to assign slots when slot tracking is required
  • Exceed capacity by removing and immediately re-adding different devices rapidly (defeats the purpose of capacity limits)
  • Leave devices in a cart that are physically elsewhere
  • Modify checked-out carts without communicating with the user who has it

Understanding Permissions and Access​

Your ability to manage cart devices depends on your role permissions:

View Carts Permission​

With View Carts only, you can:

  • See the cart summary
  • View the list of assigned devices
  • Click device links to view device profiles
  • See who the cart is checked out to

You cannot:

  • Add devices to the cart
  • Remove devices from the cart
  • Edit cart settings
  • Check out or check in the cart

Edit Carts Permission​

With View Carts + Edit Carts, you can:

  • Everything from View Carts, plus:
  • Add devices to the cart
  • Remove devices from the cart
  • Edit cart settings (name, capacity, slots, etc.)

Checkout Device Permission​

With View Carts + Checkout Device, you can:

  • Check out the cart to a user
  • Check in the cart when it's returned

Common permission combinations:

  • View only: See cart contents but can't modify
  • View + Edit: Manage cart inventory but can't assign to users
  • View + Edit + Checkout: Full cart management (most common for cart administrators)

If you need additional cart permissions, contact your system administrator.

Common Questions​

Q: Can I add the same device to multiple carts? No. A device can only be assigned to one cart at a time. If you try to add a device that's already in another cart, you'll get an error message.

Q: What happens if I scan a device that doesn't exist? You'll see an error message saying the device wasn't found. Double-check the asset tag or serial number, or verify the device exists in your inventory.

Q: Can I change a device's slot assignment after adding it? Yes, but you have to remove the device from the cart and re-add it with the new slot number. There's no direct "edit slot" function.

Q: Does removing a device from a cart check it back into inventory? Removing a device from a cart just detaches it - it doesn't change the device's checkout status. If the device was checked out to a user as part of the cart, it will still show as checked out until the cart is checked in.

Q: Why don't I see the Add Device form? You need the Edit Carts permission to add or remove devices. If you only have View Carts, you can see the device list but can't modify it.

Q: Can I add devices to a cart that's currently checked out? This depends on your district's configuration. Some districts allow modifications to checked-out carts, while others restrict changes. If you're blocked, check in the cart first, make your changes, then check it back out.

Q: What's the difference between cart capacity and slot tracking?

  • Capacity: Maximum number of devices the cart can hold (can be unlimited)
  • Slot tracking: Whether devices must be assigned to specific numbered positions

You can have capacity without slots (just counts devices), or capacity with slots (each device has a numbered position).

Q: How do I enable or disable slot tracking? Click the Edit button on the cart device page, then toggle the Slot Assignment setting. Note that changing this setting may affect existing device assignments.

Next Steps​

Now that you know how to manage devices in a cart, you might want to learn about:

Managing cart devices is the core of cart inventory management. Keeping your cart contents accurate ensures smooth device distribution and helps track your 1:1 program inventory!

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