How does Scanlily prevent double-booking of production equipment?

Scanlily provides a calendar-based reservation system showing equipment availability across all productions. Production coordinators see which cameras, lenses, lights, and audio gear are reserved for specific dates before making bookings. The system prevents double bookings by displaying conflicts when attempting to reserve already-booked equipment. Automated notifications alert managers when gear becomes available or when reservations change, keeping everyone synchronized.

How does AI image recognition speed up equipment inventory creation?

When adding equipment, scan a QR code, take a photo, and Scanlily's AI automatically identifies the item and suggests names and descriptions. Photograph a cinema camera and it recognizes "Blackmagic Cinema Camera" or similar without manual typing. For items with UPC or EAN barcodes, scan the barcode to instantly import product specifications, images, and pricing from a database of 500+ million products. This AI-assisted approach reduces inventory creation time by 70% compared to manual data entry.

Why is Scanlily easier to use than Cheqroom for media production?

Scanlily is QR-centric with fewer steps for every action. To reserve equipment, find the item, click Reserve, and select dates - no need to first create a "Reservation" entity then add items like Cheqroom requires. Scan QR codes when adding, reserving, picking up, and returning equipment, streamlining the entire workflow. The mobile app is as fully-featured as the web interface, unlike Cheqroom which is web-browser-focused. Only allowable actions appear, so users don't encounter error messages from attempting impossible actions like reserving already-checked-out equipment.

How does preventative maintenance scheduling work?

Set reminders for equipment maintenance, sensor cleaning, lens calibration, battery replacement, and firmware updates. The system sends email and app notifications when maintenance is due. Flag equipment as needing service, broken, or requiring battery charging. These visible status markers prevent malfunctioning gear from being assigned to productions. Track complete maintenance history including dates, costs, parts replaced, and technician notes, helping identify high-maintenance equipment and inform replacement decisions.

Can freelancers access equipment information without creating accounts?

Yes, because Scanlily QR codes are URLs, anyone can scan them with their phone camera without installing apps or creating accounts. For items marked publicly viewable, scanning displays equipment specifications, availability, user manuals, setup instructions, and operation videos through a web browser. Attach instruction videos to cinema cameras, lighting rigs, or audio mixers so freelance crew members get instant access to documentation on set without system training.

How does Scanlily track equipment across multiple production facilities?

Scanlily supports unlimited locations including studios, equipment rooms, storage facilities, vehicles, and shoot locations. When crew members move equipment, they scan QR codes to update locations. GPS tracking records where gear was last scanned, helping recover equipment left at location shoots. View equipment on a map to see exactly which studio, van, or storage area holds specific cameras or lights. Track complete movement history showing everywhere equipment has traveled.

What are the three booking modes and when do I use them?

Checkout mode works like library checkout - take equipment immediately with a system-determined due date. Simple Reservation mode reserves equipment on a calendar for specific dates without formal pickup/return tracking, useful for blocking equipment availability. Reservation with Pickup mode includes multiple stages: reserve online, pick up equipment, return it, with notifications at each stage. Choose the mode matching your workflow - most production companies use Reservation with Pickup for formal equipment management.

How does equipment checkout accountability work?

Crew members scan QR codes on equipment to check out gear, recording who took it, when, for which production, and when it's due back. The system tracks equipment status in real-time, showing managers who has what gear at any moment. Automated overdue notifications alert managers and users when equipment should have returned. Digital signatures can be collected during checkout for high-value equipment, creating formal accountability.

Can I organize equipment into production-ready kits?

Yes, create containers grouping related equipment together. A "Documentary Kit" might include a camera body, three lenses, batteries, charger, memory cards, and audio recorder. Reserve or check out the entire kit as a package. Containers can nest inside other containers - for example, a "Lighting Package" container might hold multiple light fixtures, each with their own nested items. Scanning a container QR code shows all contained equipment.

How much less expensive is Scanlily compared to Cheqroom?

Scanlily costs approximately 1/10th the price of Cheqroom for comparable equipment quantities. While Cheqroom pricing reaches hundreds of dollars monthly for mid-sized inventories, Scanlily provides the same core booking, tracking, and maintenance features at dramatically lower cost. This makes professional equipment management accessible to smaller production companies, independent filmmakers, and educational institutions that find Cheqroom prohibitively expensive.

What is the attachments feature and why does it matter?

Attachments create a timestamped activity stream for each equipment item. Attach notes, reminders, documents, images, websites, purchase receipts, warranty information, user manuals, and audio recordings. When you purchase a cinema camera, attach the receipt, warranty doc, and user manual immediately. Each attachment shows who added it and when, creating a complete equipment history. This documentation proves invaluable for warranty claims, insurance, and resale.

Does Scanlily work offline during location shoots?

Yes, the mobile app includes offline functionality for areas with poor connectivity. Workers can scan QR codes, check out equipment, flag status issues, and access stored information without internet connection. Changes sync automatically when connectivity is restored, ensuring data accuracy without requiring constant internet access during remote location shoots or in buildings with weak cell coverage.

How does the spreadsheet view help manage large equipment inventories?

The web spreadsheet displays all equipment in a familiar grid format allowing bulk edits. Update multiple equipment items simultaneously, change fields across entire categories, sort and filter equipment, and export data for accounting or reporting. Print custom QR labels for equipment in batch rather than one at a time. This bulk management capability becomes essential when managing hundreds of cameras, lenses, lights, and audio gear across multiple production facilities.

What are Item Types and why are they better than Cheqroom's approach?

Item Types are reusable field templates for equipment categories. Create an "Cinema Camera" Item Type defining fields like sensor size, recording format, lens mount, frame rates, and battery type. Assign this type to all cinema cameras, ensuring consistent data entry and standardized reporting. Cheqroom requires manually setting up fields for each item individually, increasing time spent per item and making reporting more complex due to field inconsistencies across equipment.

Can production teams restrict equipment access by department or project?

Yes, organize users into groups with specific access permissions per equipment category. Grant camera department access to cameras and lenses but not to grip or lighting equipment. Restrict read access so teams only see equipment they can book, preventing confusion from viewing unbookable items. Shared Access Teams allow multiple users to jointly receive notifications for equipment, useful for production coordinators working together on scheduling.

How does Scanlily help with insurance documentation for expensive gear?

Track purchase costs, current values, and replacement costs for all equipment. Store serial numbers, purchase dates, receipts, and photos for insurance records. Generate reports showing total equipment value by location or category. When gear is damaged, stolen, or requires insurance claims, you have immediate access to complete documentation including purchase information, usage history, and current valuation. This detailed record-keeping can save thousands of dollars during insurance claims.

What happens when equipment breaks on set?

Crew members immediately flag items as broken using their mobile device. Set the status to "Broken," "Need to Service," or custom status flags. Add notes or photos documenting the damage. These visible alerts prevent the broken equipment from being assigned to other productions. Production managers see flagged equipment when planning future shoots, ensuring only functional gear gets sent to set. Record repair costs and maintenance history for future reference.

How quickly can new production assistants learn to use Scanlily?

Most users are checking out and returning equipment within minutes of their first use. The workflow is intuitive: scan QR code, confirm action, done. Because QR codes are central to the design and only allowable actions appear, there's minimal learning curve compared to Cheqroom's more complex interface. Freelancers can scan public QR codes without any training, immediately viewing equipment information and availability.

Scanlily and Media Production

Equipment Management Built for Media Production

Scanlily is a QR-code and AI-powered equipment management system designed for film, video, and broadcast production. Track cameras, lenses, and lighting across shoots, enable gear checkouts and reservations, and stay ahead of maintenance needs - at a fraction the cost of Cheqroom with a simpler, faster workflow that production teams actually want to use.

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A powerful QR code based equipment management system

Scanlily is designed for the fast-paced media world where equipment is always in action and on the go.

Reservations made easy

Scanlily’s Checkout mode allows equipment to be checked out like a library book. Scanlily’s Reservations modes are likewise simple to use. With Scanlily, you will always know who has what and when it's due back.

Know where your gear is

Keep tabs on your cameras, lenses, and lights. With Scanlily, misplacing essential gear becomes a thing of the past, ensuring no delays in your creative projects.

Person behind a video camera on a tripod

Eliminate double bookings

Ever had that moment when gear essential for your project was taken by someone else for a different project? Avoid such mix-ups with Scanlily’s clear and efficient reservation system, ensuring your equipment is always available when needed.

Quickly obtain gear status

Have you ever started a project only to discover that gear is damaged or batteries are drained? With Scanlily, your users can flag items as broken in real time. You can get reminders about charging.

Item screen showing clicked-on Flag field and possible flag values displayed

Be on top of scheduled maintenance and replacements

Set alerts for replacement, maintenance or upgrades, keeping your equipment and batteries functional.

Montage of screens showing an item reservation and the resulting notifications

Empower your team

Allow your crew and freelancers to check equipment availability and status or instructions themselves. Due to Scanlily’s option of making items public, freelancers don’t even need the app or an account on the system. They just scan with their phone's camera and a web page displays anything you want to convey about your gear.

Item quantity, price and cost totals at the bottom of the item list page

Know the value of your assets

Monitor the cost of equipment purchases, as well as their current and replacement values. This is crucial for budgeting as well as for insurance purposes. Instantly see the total asset value. Create depreciation reports.