Loaner Return Dates

The Loaner Return Dates feature allows you to set an expected return date when checking out a loaner device. Manage1to1 automatically sends reminder emails to the user as the return date approaches, and continues sending daily reminders if the device becomes overdue.

Enabling Loaner Return Dates

1. Navigate to Settings → System Settings → Inventory tab
2. Scroll to the Loaner Return Dates section
3. Toggle Enable Loaner Return Dates on
4. Select your preferred default return period
5. Save settings

Default Return Period Options

When checking out a loaner device, the return date is pre-filled based on your default return period setting:

Option	Description
Same day	Device is due back by end of the current day
Next school day	Due the next weekday (skips weekends)
1 week	Due in 5 school days (skips weekends)
Custom	Due in a custom number of school days that you specify

tip

All return period calculations automatically skip weekends. A device checked out on a Friday with a "next school day" return period will be due on Monday.

The default return date can be changed during checkout — it's just a starting point. Administrators can select any date when checking out the device.

How Checkout Works

When loaner return dates are enabled and you check out a loaner device to a user:

1. The checkout form includes a Return Date field pre-filled with the default
2. Adjust the date if needed for this specific checkout
3. Complete the checkout as normal

The return date is stored on the checkout record and used for automated reminders.

info

The return date field only appears for devices marked as loaners. Regular device checkouts are not affected by this feature.

Automated Reminders

Manage1to1 automatically sends email reminders to the user based on how far out the return date is:

Loan Duration	Reminders Sent
Same day / next day	No advance reminder (user was told at checkout)
2-5 days	Day before + day of
1-2 weeks	3 days before + day before + day of
2+ weeks	1 week before + 3 days before + day before + day of
Overdue	Daily reminder until the device is returned

Reminders are sent via the Loaner Return Reminder email template, which you can customize in Settings → System Settings → Email Templates.

Customizing the Reminder Email

The reminder email template supports the following merge fields:

Merge Field	Description
{$firstname}	User's first name
{$lastname}	User's last name
{$device_barcode}	Device asset tag / barcode
{$device_serial}	Device serial number
{$return_date}	Expected return date
{$reminder_status}	Current status (e.g., "Due Tomorrow", "Overdue")

Returning a Loaner

When a loaner device is checked in (returned), the return date tracking is complete. No further reminders will be sent for that checkout.

Extending Return Dates

If a user needs more time with a loaner, you can extend return dates individually or in bulk from the Loaner Status report:

1. Navigate to Reports → Loaner Status Dashboard
2. Select one or more loaners using the checkboxes
3. Enter the number of school days to extend
4. Click Extend and confirm

Return dates are extended by school days (weekends are skipped automatically). For example, extending by 2 school days from a Thursday would push the return date to Monday.

Loaner Reports

Two dedicated reports are available when loaner return dates are enabled:

Loaner Status Dashboard

Navigate to Reports → Loaner Status Dashboard for a full-page view of all active loaners. This report includes:

• Summary cards showing total loaners out, overdue count, due today, and due within 3 days
• Filter buttons to quickly view only overdue, due today, or due soon loaners
• Bulk extend — select multiple loaners and extend their return dates at once
• Export — download the data as CSV, Excel, or copy to clipboard

Loaner Checkout History

Navigate to Reports → Loaner Checkout History to see a historical record of past loaner checkouts. Each entry shows:

• The device and loaner number
• Who it was checked out to and which building
• Checkout and check-in dates with total duration
• Whether the device was returned on time or late (with number of days late)

This report is useful for identifying patterns — for example, users who frequently return loaners late or devices that are checked out for unusually long periods.

Dashboard Widget

When loaner return dates are enabled, a Loaner Devices widget appears on the admin dashboard showing at-a-glance counts for loaners out, overdue, due today, and due soon. Click the links in the widget to jump directly to the Loaner Status report.

The widget can be shown, hidden, or repositioned using the Customize dropdown on the dashboard.

Device Profile

When a loaner device is currently checked out with a return date set, the Device Snapshot sidebar on the device profile shows the return date with a color-coded status badge:

• Overdue (red) — the return date has passed
• Due Today (yellow) — the device is due back today
• Due Soon (blue) — the device is due within 3 days

Tips

• Set realistic return periods — if most loaners go out for 1-2 days, use "next school day" as the default
• Customize the email — update the template to match your school's tone and include help desk contact info
• Overdue reminders are daily — students and staff will receive a reminder every day until the device is returned
• Loaner return dates are optional per checkout — even with the feature enabled, you can clear the return date field during checkout if a specific loaner doesn't need tracking