Asset booking for cars
October 27, 2008 8:53 AM Subscribe
My organisation has entasked me with installing a computer-based car booking system. We have roughly 14 cars. We currently use a huge whiteboard to manage this. But we imagine it could be easier to manage if people used a computer to query a database via an asset booking GUI. At least one of the computers ought to be a touchscreen installed somewhere central with a super easy GUI for those who are not so computer-literate. Access control an advantage (registered users, etc). Ability to leave messages about what's wrong with the cars - and equally see what others have reported - a wonderful thing. Also a real boon could be the ability to tell the system, I want a car from then to then - what's available?
So..does such software exist, and if not, are my only options coding it myself or using a rentacoder site? Could existing software be modified to this purpose? How does one build a GUI for a touchscreen? Just make big buttons?
Hope someone has tried this before. Thanks as always for any and all help.
So..does such software exist, and if not, are my only options coding it myself or using a rentacoder site? Could existing software be modified to this purpose? How does one build a GUI for a touchscreen? Just make big buttons?
Hope someone has tried this before. Thanks as always for any and all help.
Or - search for "library software" - I'm sure there is something out there.
Why a touchscreen? Don't your users already have computers?
But - a touchscreen is fairly easy - it just acts like a mouse, so you build a GUI using whatever tools you would normally, except - make the buttons/input fields really large - and then try to use "pick lists", "drop-downs", "radio buttons" instead of detailed text entry.
It would be nice to actually have a couple entry points (GUI's) into the system - a touchscreen would make it difficult to allow textual reporting on "problems" with a particular car - as well, you would probably need an admin/overview interface too.
posted by jkaczor at 9:01 AM on October 27, 2008
Why a touchscreen? Don't your users already have computers?
But - a touchscreen is fairly easy - it just acts like a mouse, so you build a GUI using whatever tools you would normally, except - make the buttons/input fields really large - and then try to use "pick lists", "drop-downs", "radio buttons" instead of detailed text entry.
It would be nice to actually have a couple entry points (GUI's) into the system - a touchscreen would make it difficult to allow textual reporting on "problems" with a particular car - as well, you would probably need an admin/overview interface too.
posted by jkaczor at 9:01 AM on October 27, 2008
Response by poster: Hi...exchange/outlook a possibility, but only half of our staff has an account, and the exchange server is only available to people served certain IPs... in addition it's too much of a hack. It sacrifices too much functionality. But I guess if I don't find something better it's an option. But then I don't want to go digitizing for the sake of digitizing. If the whiteboard is more functional than the computer I am quite happy to leave things as they are.
Why touchscreen? So that those without access to a computer in their office can come to a central place in the organisation and book a car that way. These people are also likely to be the most technophobic, hence the touchscreen idea to make things easier for them.
posted by dance at 9:34 AM on October 27, 2008
Why touchscreen? So that those without access to a computer in their office can come to a central place in the organisation and book a car that way. These people are also likely to be the most technophobic, hence the touchscreen idea to make things easier for them.
posted by dance at 9:34 AM on October 27, 2008
Response by poster: I found more relevant links by searching for car reservation rather than car booking. Here's the best lead so far.
posted by dance at 10:59 AM on October 27, 2008
posted by dance at 10:59 AM on October 27, 2008
Response by poster: Currently investigating RentACoder
posted by dance at 12:53 PM on October 27, 2008
posted by dance at 12:53 PM on October 27, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
I've seen companies use Exchange/Outlook for meeting rooms, projectors, laptops, etc.
That being said - I'm sure any calendaring system could work, instead of people you just create some "vehicle" entries and then the user can select those to book appointments with.
posted by jkaczor at 8:57 AM on October 27, 2008