From: David Roberts <droberts**At_Symbol_Here**DEPAUW.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Fisher ChemAssist App
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2015 10:45:01 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 2B0725A5-23DE-4BE4-B9B3-1F50ABF4FEF5**At_Symbol_Here**depauw.edu
In-Reply-To <1109037139E1524980CF9CBEB2476618B4C9F8DB**At_Symbol_Here**UMF-EX10EMB2.umflint.edu>


After years of using CHIM, which I do feel is a good program, I decided to write my own chemical inventory program. It‰??s essentially a database using a free sql server (there are many to choose from, I chose Parse). I like it because I was able to use a free app that allows me to scan barcodes using any idevice (I have i things, but it probably would work with samsung or other devices as well).

It‰??s amazingly robust and works well, but like anything it takes managing. I haven‰??t taken the time to add comments to the code (it‰??s a javascript page, meaning you can use a phone, an iPad, a computer, etc‰?| to access the database), so it‰??s not overly user friendly right now. I‰??m always way busier than anticipated so I don‰??t work on it a lot, but since it‰??s javascript it just requires a couple of html pages and a page of code.

I‰??m currently rewriting the page so that it‰??s generic, and then I‰??m going to give a copy to our local high school. They can then use it however they want (I‰??m helping them fill it with their data).

Really an inventory is just a fancy excel spreadsheet, so you need to decide what information you need, who you need to disseminate that information to, and what platform you would like to use in order to do that. It‰??s not worth $1000 a year subscription fees that most companies are now charging.

With the system I have in place, I have unlimited users and unlimited data storage (we only have about 6000 unique bottles here on our campus). We have a campus wide system (I have one authorized user in every department that has chemicals, and thus they all add information for their individual departments). I manage the overall thing, but that doesn‰??t require much extra. I can do MSDS‰??s easy enough. It doesn‰??t prefill anything (meaning we do have to put in the data), but it works and we're willing to do that. We don‰??t order a ton, we are relatively small, so it works. I feel if somebody was ambitious it would work great at a small school (I have that in place) or it would work at a huge place like IU (with some code modification that would be very possible). It obviously works at a High School, though I think it‰??s a bit of an overkill there (though the insurance companies like it).

Good luck with this. The Fisher system could be great and fine for what you need.

Dave

> On Sep 29, 2015, at 10:19 AM, Wilhelm, Monique wrote:
>
> Hello Everyone,
>
> Is anyone out there using this free Inventory Management app from Fisher. Could you please share the pros and cons? I purchase most of my chemicals from them, so it might make sense for me.
>
> Thank you,
> Monique Wilhelm
> Laboratory Supervisor/Adjunct Lecturer/Chem Club Co-Advisor
> Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
> University of Michigan-Flint
> Flint, MI 48502
>
>
>
>
> From: Fisher Science Education [mailto:education**At_Symbol_Here**fisheredu.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 7:31 AM
> To: MWILHELM**At_Symbol_Here**UMICH.EDU
> Subject: The New and Improved ChemAssist App
>
> See ChemAssist‰??s Enhancements | View this message online
>
> Our app is now cloud-based and upgraded with these new features:
> ‰?¢
> Multiple device access with enhanced security tools
> ‰?¢
> Management of multiple inventory locations in one place
> ‰?¢
> Updated GHS safety information
> ‰?¢
> Recall alerts and notices when chemicals are discontinued
>
>
> Best of all, it's free for educators.
> Exclusively from Fisher Science Education. Learn More
>
> ORDER BY CATALOG NUMBER
> ORDER CATALOGS
> REGISTER/CREATE ACCOUNT
>
> This is a Fisher Science Education marketing and promotional message.
> Please review our Privacy Policy.
> If you do not wish to receive any marketing and promotional emails, you may Opt Out here.
>
> 4500 Turnberry Drive, Hanover Park, IL 60133 USA
> å© Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. All Rights Reserved.
>
> To ensure delivery, add education**At_Symbol_Here**fisheredu.com to your address book.
>

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post



The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.