Packagings
The Administration › Packagings screen manages packagings: your plant's reusable physical containers, such as gas recovery cylinders, bins or pallets. Each packaging has a code, a type (which gives it its icon) and, if it carries a QR sticker, a QR label that lets you find it by scanning.
The screen has two tabs: Packagings and Packaging Types.
Packagings are used in two places:
- Degassing: each degassing records the Cylinder the gas was recovered into. The cylinder is chosen among all packagings, whatever their type, by typing its code or label, or by scanning its label. See Degassing.
- Outbound batches: an outbound batch can state its Packaging, with the Packaging weight (kg). The Scan a packaging's label button finds the packaging by its label, then by its code. See Outbound batches.
A packaging records neither an empty weight nor a capacity. The packaging weight is entered on each outbound batch (Packaging weight (kg)), and remains editable on the shipment while it is a draft (Pack. weight (kg) column). It is mandatory as soon as a packaging is chosen: "The packaging weight is mandatory when a packaging is selected."
Before you start
- You need the Packagings permission (see Administration overview).
- Every packaging belongs to a type: create at least one packaging type before the first packaging. A new organization has no packaging types and no packagings.
- To scan a label with the camera, the device needs a camera and the browser must be allowed to use it. See QR codes and external identifiers.
View packagings
- Open Administration › Packagings. The Packagings tab is shown.
- To search, type in Search by code or label: the search covers the code and the QR label.
- To show a single type, choose it in the All types list.
The list shows the Icon (the type's), the Code and the Type of each packaging.
Create a packaging
- In the Packagings tab, click New packaging.
- Enter the Code (for example the number painted on the cylinder).
- Choose the Type. If only one type exists, it is already selected.
- If the packaging carries a QR sticker, fill in the QR label (see below).
- Click Save.
If no type exists yet, the window shows "Create a type first - every packaging must belong to one." Click Create a type to switch to the Packaging Types tab.
Link a QR label
The QR label field accepts the label in three ways:
- With the camera: click Scan, then hold the label inside the frame ("Hold the label stuck on the packaging inside the frame.").
- With a handheld scanner: put the cursor in the field and scan; the scanner ends with Enter, which confirms the label.
- With the keyboard: type the code printed under the QR, then press Enter or leave the field.
RecyTrax checks the label right away. While it checks, the Save button waits. Once a label is linked, the button becomes Change; the X in the field (Remove the label) removes it.
If the label is refused, a "Label “code” not associated" box appears with the reason, and the field goes back to its previous value:
| Reason shown | What to do |
|---|---|
| "This label is already on packaging code. Labels must be unique: stick another label on the packaging and scan it." | Each label can only be linked to one packaging. Use a new sticker. |
| "This is a RecyTrax code (a batch), not a label. Scan the label stuck on it." | You scanned the QR code of a batch printed by RecyTrax. Scan the packaging's sticker. |
| "The label couldn't be checked. Check the connection, then scan it again." | The connection was interrupted. Try again. |
Create a cylinder from the degassing workstation
An operator with the Degassing permission can create a cylinder without going through administration:
- by typing a code that does not exist in the Cylinder list, then choosing Add cylinder “code”;
- by scanning the label of an unknown cylinder;
- by choosing New cylinder in the list.
The New cylinder window opens with the code or label already filled in; it is the same window as New packaging. At least one packaging type must exist: otherwise the window shows "Create a type first - every packaging must belong to one." and only a user with the Packagings permission can create it. The degassing workstation does not allow editing or deleting a packaging.
Edit or delete a packaging
- Edit: click the pencil icon at the end of the row, change the code, type or label, then click Save.
- Delete: click the trash icon, then confirm with Yes in the "Are you sure you want to delete 'code'?" window. RecyTrax does not check whether the packaging has already been used. Its code and label become available again.
Manage packaging types
The Packaging Types tab lists types with their Icon, their Name and the number of Packagings of each type. Search with Search by name.
- Click New packaging type.
- Enter the Name (for example "Cylinder", "Bin", "Pallet").
- Choose an Icon with Select an icon (optional; see The icon picker). The icons offered include tanks, extinguishers, pallets, bins, boxes, carts and so on.
- Click Save.
To edit a type, use the pencil icon. A type can only be deleted if it contains no packaging: while it does, the trash icon is greyed out and RecyTrax answers "This packaging type still has packagings assigned to it."
Fields
Packaging
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Code | Packaging identifier, up to 32 characters. Unique within your organization (ignoring capitals and spaces at the start and end). | Yes |
| Type | The packaging type; it gives the packaging its icon. | Yes |
| QR label | The code of the QR sticker stuck on the packaging. Unique among packagings (ignoring capitals). Optional. | No |
Packaging type
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Up to 128 characters. | Yes |
| Icon | Shown next to each packaging of the type. | No |
Rules and messages
| Message | Cause |
|---|---|
| "The code is required." | The code is empty. |
| "A packaging with this code already exists." | Another packaging already has this code. |
| "A packaging type is required." | No type is chosen. |
| "The selected packaging type no longer exists." | The type was deleted in the meantime. |
| "This packaging no longer exists." | The packaging was deleted in the meantime. |
| "The name is required." | The type name is empty. |
| "This packaging type still has packagings assigned to it." | Deleting a type that contains packagings. |
| "This packaging type no longer exists." | The type was deleted in the meantime. |
| "No packaging has the label or code “text”." | When scanning in an outbound batch: neither a label nor a code matches. |
| "No cylinder has this label or code." | When scanning at degassing: neither a label nor a code matches. |
Frequently asked questions
Where do I enter the empty weight of a cylinder or bin?
On the outbound batch, in Packaging weight (kg). The packaging itself does not keep a weight.
The degassing "Cylinder" list also shows bins and pallets. Is that normal?
Yes. Degassing offers every packaging, whatever its type. Give your cylinders an easily recognizable code (for example "CYL-012") and a "Cylinder" type with a distinct icon.
The scan does not find my cylinder.
Check that the label is really linked to the packaging: look it up in Administration › Packagings with Search by code or label. The scan first looks for a label, then for an identical packaging code. A RecyTrax batch QR code is not a packaging label.
Can two packagings share the same label?
No. A label can only be linked to one packaging. Remove it from the old packaging (Remove the label) or use a new sticker.
Can a degassing operator create a cylinder?
Yes, from the degassing workstation, with the Degassing permission, provided at least one packaging type exists. They cannot edit or delete packagings.
Why can't I delete a packaging type?
It still contains packagings (Packagings column). Change their type or delete them first.