What this screen is for
How many cylinders each customer is still holding, broken down by cylinder type, with the date of their last movement. Cylinders remain your property while they are out on loan, so this is a list of assets sitting in other people's premises.
When to use it
Check it before issuing more to a customer who is already holding several, when chasing empties back, and whenever a customer closes their account — the holding figure is what has to be returned or charged for. The last-movement date is the other half of the picture: a large holding that has not moved for months is a different problem from one that turns over weekly.
What you see on this screen
Three figures open the screen: Cylinders out (how many of yours are with customers), Customers holding (how many people have them) and Negative balances, which turns amber while any exist.
A negative balance almost always means an opening balance was never recorded rather than a mistake, and a note above the list says so instead of leaving you to puzzle at a minus sign.
The table lists one row per customer:
- Customer — the name, with their phone number beneath; click through for their full history.
- By cylinder type — a chip for each type they hold with the count against it, since a customer may be holding two sizes. Settled appears where they hold nothing.
- Last movement — the date of their most recent issue or return, with the total number of entries beside it.
- Holding — the overall count they are holding, in amber where it is negative.
Settled customers are hidden by default: the question this screen answers is who owes you cylinders, and padding the list with zeroes answers it worse.
Filters and actions
A search box matches customer name or phone. A Show settled customers tick brings the zero balances back into view, and Clear resets both. History opens the full movement log and Record Issue / Return opens the entry screen.
Related
- Record Issue / Return
- Cylinder History
- Cylinder Deposits