---
title: Equipment Pools
slug: equipmenttrack/equipment-pools
description: Set up and manage equipment pools in Unaric Equipment Track. Share uncountable assets across teams or locations while maintaining accurate availability in Salesforce.
docTags: 
createdAt: 2024-03-01T20:01:33.019Z
---

Use the **equipment pools** feature to manage non-serialized equipment, such as cable cords, as a single record of identical, non-serialized equipment units. Equipment pools eliminate the need to create individual records for each unit, saving time and database space. Use cases include:

- When you don't need to track the specific location of each unit within the pool.
- When all units within the pool are considered functionally equivalent.

**Benefits**

-  Simplify your equipment database by avoiding duplicate records for identical items.
- Track the total quantity available within the pool instead of individual units.
- Loan or reserve equipment from the pool without needing to specify a specific unit.

## How it works

### Inventory tracking

When **Equipment Pool** is enabled for an equipment record, the system shifts from tracking individual, serialized units to managing aggregate quantities. The **Quantity on Hand** field tracks an aggregate total: Whenever someone loans or reserves equipment from a pool, they specify the desired quantity they need rather than selecting a specific, individual unit.

### Concurrent loans and validation

Equipment Pool equipment records support multiple active loans running at the same time. However, you need to keep an eye on your numbers because the system does not validate quantities. This means it is entirely possible to loan out more equipment than you actually have recorded on hand.

### Tracking

The **Current Loan** section of the Equipment record behaves as a quick snapshot, displaying only the latest active loan record that has not yet been returned. If you need to see the bigger picture, the **Equipment Loan **related list stores everything else, showing all other active and historical loans.

### Return process

Loans for Equipment Pool equipment cannot be bulk-returned or automated; instead, you must go into each individual loan, navigate to the **Equipment Loan Detail** page, and use the **Return Loaned Equipment **button.

### User interface changes

Enabling the Equipment Pool alters the user interface for both mobile and web screens when interacting with the Equipment record. Once enabled, the standard loan screens will specifically ask for a **Quantity** to associate with the loan. Furthermore, both mobile and web screens will unlock the ability to make manual adjustments to the overall **Quantity on Hand**, an option that remains hidden for standard, non-pooled equipment.

### Quick overview

| **Feature**     | **Standard Equipment**    | **Equipment Pool (Checked)**                                    |
| --------------- | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Tracking method | Individual Serial Numbers | Depends on the** Quantity on Hand** fied(Total units) |
| Loan logic      | Unique per unit           | Allows multiple active loans simultaneously                     |
| Auto-return     | Supported                 | Disabled (Must return individually)                             |
| Loan input      | Select specific unit      | Specify Quantity                                                |

## Create equipment pools

:::hint{type="warning"}
Changing the setting on the **Equipment Pool** should be done with careful consideration. Ideally, there should be no outstanding loans when you change Equipment Pool from true to false or vice versa.
:::

When creating or editing an **Equipment** record, check the **Equipment Pool** checkbox to designate it as a pool of identical items.

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## Loan equipment pools

When processing a loan for a record with** Equipment Pool** checked, ELTON will ask for a quantity value. This quantity value will always be a positive number. This quantity value will be stored with the Loan record and the **Quantity on Hand **of the related **Equipment** record will be reduced by that amount. 

## Return equipment pools

The **Return Loan feature** functions differently for **Equipment Pool** records.

1. The** Return Loaned Equipment** button displays a message that tells the user to select the loan they are returning. Navigate to the **Equipment Loan** record and press the **Return Loan** button on the **Equipment Loan Detail** screen.
2. When the loan is returned the system will not ask for the **Returned Quantity** (utilizing the **Loaned Quantity**) and will increase the **Equipment** record by the loaned quantity. If a loan has returned fewer items than loaned, you must return the loan (returning the full amount) and then enter a **Quantity Adjustment** to record the shortfall.