How to Filter, Export and Report on Your Asset Inventory

Prerequisites

To export asset data, you'll need:

• A Shelf account with access to the assets you want to export
• Appropriate permissions to view the assets in your workspace

How to Filter and Export Assets

Filtering Your Assets

1. Navigate to the Assets page in your Shelf workspace
2. Click the "Filter" button in the top-left corner to open the filter panel
3. Select your desired filters:
   • Category: Filter by asset type (e.g., "S-Gloves", "Microscopes", "IT Equipment")
   • Custodian: See assets assigned to specific team members
   • Status: Filter by availability ("Available", "In custody", "Checked out")
   • Tags: Filter by custom tags you've applied to assets
   • Location: View assets in specific locations
4. Apply multiple filters simultaneously to narrow down your results
5. Your asset list will update in real-time to match your filter criteria

Note: When filtering by custodian, be aware that Non-Registered Members (NRMs) are displayed differently from registered users. For accurate custodian filtering, ensure you're selecting the correct user type. NRMs do not have associated emails with them so that is an easy way to make a distinction.

Exporting Filtered Assets

1. After applying your desired filters, select the assets you want to export:
   • Check individual asset checkboxes
   • Use the master checkbox to select all visible assets
   • Click "Select all X entries" to include all filtered assets across all pages
2. Click the "Export selection" button that appears in the top-right corner
3. The system will generate and download a CSV file containing your selected assets with all visible columns

Customizing Your Export

The CSV export will include the columns currently visible in your asset view:

1. Click the "Columns" button in the top-right corner
2. Select "Fixed columns" to choose which columns to display
3. Arrange columns in your preferred order
4. Apply your selections

Your export will now include only the data columns you've selected to display in the interface.

What's Included in the Export

The CSV export can contain various information fields for each asset, including:

• Name: Asset title/name
• Category: Type or classification of the asset
• Status: Current status (Available, In custody, etc.)
• Custody: Person currently responsible for the asset
• QR ID: Unique QR code identifier
• Tags: Associated tags for categorization
• Value: Monetary value of the asset
• Location: Where the asset is stored or used
• Description: Detailed information about the asset
• Custom Fields: Any additional fields you've created

The export will include all columns currently visible in your asset view at the time of export.

Practical Applications

This export functionality is particularly valuable for:

• Inventory Management: Keep track of all assets across multiple locations
• Financial Reporting: Generate reports for accounting and budgeting purposes
• Insurance Documentation: Maintain records for insurance claims
• Auditing: Provide comprehensive asset information for audits
• Analysis: Analyze asset distribution, usage patterns, and values
• Maintenance Planning: Track assets requiring maintenance or calibration

Common Filtering and Reporting Scenarios

Finding All Assets Assigned to a Specific Custodian

1. Click the "Filter" button
2. Select "Custody" from the filter options
3. Choose the custodian you're interested in from the dropdown
4. Apply the filter to see all assets currently assigned to that person
5. Export the filtered list for reporting purposes

Generating a Report on Assets by Category

1. Click the "Filter" button
2. Select "Category" from the filter options
3. Choose your target category (e.g., "S-Gloves", "Microscopes")
4. Apply the filter to see all assets in that category
5. Export the filtered selection for your report

Finding Available Assets in a Specific Location

1. Apply multiple filters simultaneously:
   • Filter by "Status" and select "Available"
   • Filter by "Location" and select your desired location
2. The resulting list shows all available assets in that location
3. Export this data for inventory management

Tracking Assets Needing Maintenance

1. If you have custom fields for maintenance dates:
   • Filter by these fields to identify assets due for maintenance
   • Export the list to create a maintenance schedule
2. Alternatively, use tags to mark assets needing attention, then filter by those tags

Troubleshooting Filtering Issues

If you encounter unexpected results when filtering:

1. Check for Multiple Filters: Ensure you don't have conflicting filters applied
2. Verify User Types: When filtering by custodian, remember that registered users and Non-Registered Members (NRMs) are handled differently
3. Clear All Filters: If your results seem incorrect, try clearing all filters and starting again
4. Refresh the Page: Sometimes a simple refresh can resolve display issues
5. Verify Data Entry: Ensure your asset data is entered consistently to enable accurate filtering

Related Articles

• ‍How to enable Advanced Index
• Using Batch Actions in Shelf
• Understanding Sorting in Shelf

Need Assistance?

If you're experiencing issues with filtering or exporting your assets:

1. Check our other knowledge base articles about the Advanced Asset Index and Understanding Sorting in Shelf
2. Contact our support team for personalized help
3. For feature requests or improvement ideas related to filtering and reporting, email us at support@shelf.nu

We're continuously improving our filtering and reporting capabilities based on user feedback. If you've identified a potential issue or have suggestions for enhancements, please let us know!

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