Inventory Management: Track Equipment, Rentals, and PAT Testing

Name: PlannerDay
Author: PlannerDay

Event businesses rely on equipment. Sound systems, lighting rigs, furniture, linens, décor items, vehicles – the list grows as your business expands. Without proper inventory tracking, you lose items, double-book equipment, miss safety testing, and run inefficient operations.

Inventory Management in PlannerDay brings control to your equipment and rental operations.

Who Needs Inventory Management?

Any event supplier with physical assets:

Rental companies – Furniture, linens, tableware, décor
DJs and entertainers – Sound systems, lighting, effects
Photographers – Cameras, lenses, lighting kits
Caterers – Chafing dishes, serving equipment, glassware
Planners and decorators – Props, backdrops, centrepieces
AV companies – Projectors, screens, microphones
Marquee and tent suppliers – Structures, flooring, sides

If you own equipment that goes to events, you need inventory tracking.

Feature 1: Equipment Database

Build a complete record of every item you own.

Item Records

For each piece of equipment, track:

Name (e.g., "QSC K12.2 Powered Speaker")
Description for identification
Category (Audio, Lighting, Furniture, Décor, etc.)
Item type for sub-categorisation
SKU for internal reference
Barcode for scanning
Quantity owned
Available quantity (owned minus reserved)
Minimum quantity for reorder alerts
Storage location for warehouse organisation
Condition (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, Damaged)
Rental price for client billing
Replacement cost for insurance
Purchase price for depreciation
Notes for special handling

Condition Tracking

Equipment degrades over time. Track condition levels:

Condition	Action
Excellent	Ready for premium events
Good	Standard use, no issues
Fair	Usable but showing wear
Poor	Needs repair soon
Damaged	Out of service until fixed

Regular condition reviews prevent sending substandard equipment to clients.

Images

Add photos of each item:

Identification during setup
Damage documentation
Client previews for rentals

Feature 2: Stock Availability

Know what is available for upcoming events.

Real-Time Quantities

For each item, see:

Quantity owned – Total in your fleet
Currently reserved – Allocated to upcoming events
Available quantity – What you can book

When a client asks "Do you have 10 round tables for the 15th?", the answer is instant.

Reservation System

When items are booked for events:

Quantity decreases in availability
Item shows on the event record
Return expected after event completion

Conflict Prevention

Cannot book more than you own:

System prevents over-allocation
Alerts when availability is low
Suggest alternatives when items are fully booked

Multi-Day Events

Items reserved for multi-day events:

Blocked for entire date range
Collection scheduled after final day
No double-booking across dates

Feature 3: Rental and Hire Tracking

For businesses that rent equipment to clients.

Rentable Items

Flag items as rentable:

Set rental prices (per day, per event)
Track rental history
See revenue per item

Reservation Records

For each rental:

Event linked
Delivery date
Collection date
Quantity reserved
Rental fee
Status (Reserved, Delivered, Returned)

Revenue Insights

See which items generate the most rental income:

High-performers worth buying more of
Low-performers to retire or discount
Pricing optimisation opportunities

Feature 4: Electrical Safety (PAT Testing)

For UK businesses, PAT testing is essential. For everyone, electrical safety matters.

PAT Test Tracking

For electrical items:

Is electrical flag
Requires PAT flag
PAT test status (Passed, Failed, Due, Overdue)
Last PAT test date
Next PAT test due

PAT Test Records

Log every test:

Test date
Tester name/company
Result (Pass/Fail)
Notes on any issues
Next test due (auto-calculated)

Due Soon Alerts

Dashboard highlights:

Items needing testing within 30 days
Overdue items requiring immediate attention
Compliance status overview

Filtering by PAT Status

View all items by testing status:

Passed: Safe to use
Due soon: Schedule testing
Overdue: Remove from circulation
Failed: Repair or dispose

Never send untested electrical equipment to an event.

Feature 5: Vehicle Compliance

For businesses with delivery vehicles.

Vehicle Records

Track vehicles as inventory items:

Registration number
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
MOT expiry date
Road tax expiry date
Insurance expiry date
Insurance provider and policy number
Insurance document upload

Compliance Alerts

Receive alerts for upcoming:

MOT renewals
Road tax renewals
Insurance renewals

Never let compliance lapse and risk roadside penalties.

Vehicle-Specific Fields

Vehicles have dedicated fields that other inventory items lack:

Registration number
VIN
MOT/tax/insurance dates
Service history

Feature 6: Low Stock Alerts

Prevent stockouts that disappoint clients.

Minimum Quantity Settings

For consumable or high-demand items:

Set minimum stock levels
Receive alerts when quantities drop below threshold
Plan reorders before you run out

Reorder Lists

Generate lists of items needing reorder:

Items below minimum quantity
Items with high upcoming demand
Damaged items needing replacement

Feature 7: Search and Filtering

Find items quickly in large inventories.

Search

Search by:

Item name
SKU or barcode
Description keywords

Filters

Narrow results by:

Category (Lighting, Furniture, etc.)
Condition (Excellent, Good, Fair, etc.)
Availability (In stock, Low stock, Out of stock)
PAT status (Passed, Due soon, Overdue)
Location (Warehouse A, Van 2, etc.)

Bulk Actions

Select multiple items for:

Bulk condition updates
Bulk category changes
Bulk export to spreadsheet

Real Workflow: DJ Equipment Inventory

1. Initial Setup

Add all your equipment:

2× QSC K12.2 speakers ($1,200 each)
2× QSC KS118 subwoofers ($1,500 each)
4× Chauvet SlimPAR Pro uplights ($250 each)
2× Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 decks ($2,200 each)
1× Pioneer DJM-900NXS2 mixer ($1,900)
Various cables, stands, cases

Mark electrical items for PAT testing.

2. Weekly PAT Check

Dashboard shows:

Uplights PAT tested 10 months ago: Due in 2 months
All cables PAT tested 5 months ago: Compliant

Schedule testing before busy season.

3. Event Booking

New wedding booking for Saturday 15th March:

Reserve 2× speakers, 2× subs, 4× uplights
System shows all available
Link reservation to event

4. Pre-Event Check

Day before the event:

Review reserved equipment
Check all items in Good or Excellent condition
Load into vehicle

5. Post-Event Return

After the event:

Check equipment back in
Note any damage (uplight knocked, small scratch)
Update condition if needed
Mark reservation complete

6. Damage Assessment

Scratched uplight:

Update condition to "Fair"
Add note: "Cosmetic scratch on housing"
Schedule for repair if worsening

Integration with Deliveries

Inventory connects to Delivery Management:

Delivery Jobs

When creating delivery jobs:

Link reserved inventory items
See what needs loading
Track what is out on hire

Collection Reminders

For hire items:

System tracks collection dates
Reminds you to retrieve items
Updates availability when returned

Vehicle Assignment

Assign vehicles from inventory to delivery routes:

Check vehicle compliance before assigning
Track which vehicle went where

Integration with Events

Inventory connects to event records:

Event Equipment Lists

Each event shows:

All reserved equipment
Quantities and descriptions
Delivery and collection status

Event Costing

Equipment rental fees roll into event profitability calculations.

Client History

See what equipment clients have rented previously:

Suggest similar items
Note any previous issues

Reporting

Understand your inventory performance:

Utilisation Reports

Which items are rented most often?
Which items sit unused?
Seasonal demand patterns

Value Reports

Total inventory value (replacement cost)
Depreciated value
Insurance coverage requirements

Compliance Reports

PAT testing compliance percentage
Vehicle compliance status
Upcoming testing/renewals

Getting Started

Inventory Management is available on Individual, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Setup Steps

List all equipment – Create records for major items first
Set quantities – Accurate counts for each item
Add categories – Organise logically for your business
Mark electrical items – Flag for PAT tracking
Add vehicles – Include compliance dates
Set minimum quantities – For consumables and high-demand items

Ongoing Management

Update quantities as you buy/sell/dispose
Log PAT tests as completed
Update conditions after events
Review utilisation monthly

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I scan barcodes?

Yes, add barcodes to items and use mobile scanning for quick lookup. Integration with barcode scanners available.

How do I handle broken items?

Mark condition as "Damaged" and add notes describing the issue. Remove from circulation until repaired.

Can I track items across multiple locations?

Yes, set storage locations for each item. Filter by location to see what is where.

How do reservations affect availability?

Reserved quantities subtract from available quantity. The system prevents over-booking.

What happens when items return from events?

Mark reservations complete. Quantities return to available. Update conditions if any damage occurred.

Can I export my inventory?

Yes, export to CSV for spreadsheets, insurance documentation, or accounting purposes.

Conclusion

Inventory Management brings visibility and control to your equipment operations. Know what you own, where it is, and whether it is available. Track safety compliance for electrical items and vehicles. Prevent double-booking and stockouts.

When your inventory is organised, operations run smoothly. Events get the right equipment. Clients get reliable service. You get peace of mind.

Stop losing track of equipment. Start running professional inventory operations.

Category	Examples
Equipment	Tools, technical gear, machinery
Furniture	Tables, chairs, sofas, bars
Lighting	LED uplights, fairy lights, spots
Audio Visual	Speakers, projectors, screens
Décor	Vases, candles, backdrops
Technology	Tablets, screens, charging stations
Linens	Tablecloths, napkins, runners
Other	Miscellaneous items