Room Assignments
Manage1to1 supports two different ways to associate devices and carts with rooms. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right approach for your equipment management needs.
Two Types of Room Assignments
1. Checkout to Room (Temporary Assignment)
When you check out a device or cart to a room, you're creating a temporary assignment that tracks when equipment is being used in that location.
How it works:
- Creates a checkout record (like checking out to a user)
- The room "has" the equipment until you check it back in
- Appears in checkout history and reports
- Can be checked in at any time
Best for:
- Carts that rotate between rooms
- Temporary equipment placements
- Tracking equipment usage by location
- Shared resources that move around
Example: A mobile laptop cart is checked out to Room 205 on Monday, then checked in and checked out to Room 301 on Wednesday. Each checkout creates a history record.
2. Home Room (Permanent Location)
A home room is a device's permanent location - where it belongs when not checked out to a user. This is set on the device profile, not through the checkout process.
How it works:
- Set on the device's profile as its "home" location
- Doesn't create checkout records
- Indicates where the device should be returned
- Persists until you change it
Best for:
- Computer lab machines that never leave the room
- Permanently installed equipment
- Devices that have a "home base"
- Tracking where devices belong (vs. where they currently are)
Example: All 30 computers in the Science Lab have their home room set to "Science Lab A". Even when students use them, the home room doesn't change - it indicates where the devices belong.
Comparing the Two Approaches
| Aspect | Checkout to Room | Home Room |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Track current usage | Track permanent location |
| Duration | Temporary (check in/out) | Permanent (until changed) |
| History | Creates checkout records | No checkout records |
| How to set | Checkout process | Device profile edit |
| Best for | Mobile equipment | Fixed installations |
| Applies to | Devices and Carts | Devices only |
When to Use Checkout to Room
Use room checkout when equipment temporarily moves to a location:
Scenario 1: Rotating Cart Schedule A science cart rotates between three teachers' rooms:
- Monday: Check out cart to Room 205
- Tuesday: Check in, then check out to Room 301
- Wednesday: Check in, then check out to Room 118
- Each checkout creates a history record showing the rotation
Scenario 2: Special Event Setup Extra laptops needed in the gym for testing week:
- Check out devices to "Gymnasium"
- Testing week ends
- Check devices back in
- Devices return to available pool
Scenario 3: Substitute Teacher Coverage A cart is moved to cover a classroom:
- Check out cart to the substitute's room
- When regular teacher returns
- Check cart back in
- Cart is available for next assignment
When to Use Home Room
Use home room when equipment permanently belongs in a location:
Scenario 1: Computer Lab 30 desktop computers are permanently installed in Lab A:
- Set each device's home room to "Computer Lab A"
- Devices never physically leave the room
- No checkout needed - they're always "home"
- Home room helps with inventory verification
Scenario 2: Classroom Sets A teacher has 25 iPads that stay in their room:
- Set each iPad's home room to "Room 205"
- Devices belong to that room permanently
- If a device needs repair, check it out to the user taking it
- Home room reminds you where it should return
Scenario 3: Library Stations Research computers at library tables:
- Set home room to "Library Media Center"
- Devices don't leave the library
- Helps identify devices during inventory
Combining Both Approaches
You can use both checkout and home room together:
Example: Teacher Laptop with Home Room
A teacher laptop has:
- Home Room: Room 205 (where it belongs)
- Checkout: Ms. Johnson (who is using it)
The home room tells you where the device should be. The checkout tells you who currently has it. When Ms. Johnson returns the device, you know it goes back to Room 205.
Example: Lab Computer Used by Student
A lab computer has:
- Home Room: Computer Lab B (permanent location)
- Checkout: (none - used in room, not checked out)
The device stays in its home room. Students use it there. No checkout is needed because the device doesn't leave the room.
Setting Up Home Rooms
To set a device's home room:
- Navigate to the device's profile page
- Click Edit Device (or the edit section)
- Find the Home Room field
- Select the appropriate room from the dropdown
- Save the changes
The home room is saved on the device record. It doesn't create a checkout or affect the device's current status.
Home room assignment from the device profile is a feature currently being implemented. Contact your system administrator for current availability.
Checking Out Carts to Rooms
Carts can be checked out to rooms just like they can be checked out to users:
- Navigate to the cart's device page
- Click Check Out Cart
- A modal appears with both users and rooms listed
- Rooms are identified with a "Room" badge
- Click the checkout button next to the room
- The cart is now assigned to that room
What happens:
- Cart shows as checked out on the cart list
- Cart appears in the room's detail page
- All devices in the cart are considered "in" that room
- Checkout history records the room assignment
Learn more about cart checkouts →
Common Questions
Q: Can a device have both a home room AND be checked out to a user? Yes! The home room indicates where the device belongs. The checkout indicates who currently has it. They serve different purposes.
Q: Do home room assignments show in checkout history? No. Home room is a property of the device, not a checkout event. Only actual checkouts (to users or rooms) appear in checkout history.
Q: Can I check out a cart to a room AND a user at the same time? No. A cart can only be checked out to one destination at a time - either a user OR a room, not both.
Q: What happens to home room when I check out a device? Nothing. The home room stays the same. It's a permanent setting that tells you where the device belongs, regardless of where it currently is.
Q: Should I set home rooms for all devices? Only for devices that have a consistent "home" location. Devices that move frequently or don't have a fixed base don't need home rooms set.
Q: Can I bulk-set home rooms for multiple devices? Currently, home rooms are set individually on each device profile. Bulk assignment features may be added in future updates.
Best Practices
✅ Do:
- Use checkout for temporary, trackable room assignments
- Use home room for permanent device locations
- Set home rooms for lab computers and fixed installations
- Check out rotating carts to their current room
- Review room assignments during inventory
❌ Don't:
- Confuse home room with checkout - they're different concepts
- Set home rooms for devices that don't have a fixed location
- Forget to check in carts when they leave a room
- Leave devices checked out to rooms they've left
Summary
| Need to... | Use... |
|---|---|
| Track where a device belongs | Home Room |
| Track where a device currently is | Checkout to Room |
| Move a cart temporarily | Checkout to Room |
| Mark permanent lab equipment | Home Room |
| Create checkout history | Checkout to Room |
| Set default return location | Home Room |
Understanding when to use each approach helps you maintain accurate equipment tracking and simplifies inventory management!