USER GUIDE
Loans
Track items you lend out and manage returns with borrower info, due dates, and automatic overdue alerts.
Overview
The Loans feature helps you track items you’ve lent to people, with return dates, borrower information, and automatic notifications when items are overdue.
Lend & Return
Full lifecycle tracking from checkout to return
Overdue Alerts
Automatic notifications when return dates pass
Stock Sync
Quantities adjust automatically on loan and return
Creating a Loan
Navigate to Loans
From your container sidebar, click on Loans.
Click Register New Loan
Click the button to create a new loan entry.
Select the Item
Click Select Item to choose what you’re lending:
- A dialog shows all available items in the container
- Items display their current stock quantity
- Click an item to select it
Enter Quantity
Specify how many units you’re lending — must not exceed available stock.
Add Borrower Information
Set Return Date
Click the date selector to choose when you expect the item back — optional but recommended.
Add Notes
Use the notes field for any special conditions, terms, or instructions.
Save the Loan
Click “Register Loan” to create the entry.
Automatic Stock Adjustment: When you create a loan, the system automatically decrements the item’s quantity by the loan amount. The quantity is restored when the loan is returned.
Loan Status
Each loan has a status that tracks its lifecycle:
The item is currently lent out and not yet returned.
- Shows in the active loans list
- Quantity is deducted from available stock
- Can trigger overdue alerts
The item has been returned to inventory.
- Marked when you process the return
- Quantity is added back to stock
- Includes actual return date
An active loan where the expected return date has passed.
- Automatically flagged by the system
- Can trigger alert notifications
- Shows prominently in the loans list
Tracking Loan Status
The Loans screen shows all loans with the following columns:
Filtering Loans
Returning Items
Find the Loan
Locate the loan entry in the active loans list.
Click Return
Click the Return button on the loan.
Confirm Return
Confirm that the item has been returned.
Stock Updates Automatically
Always process returns promptly to keep your inventory counts accurate. If you receive an item back, mark the loan as returned immediately.
Setting Return Dates
Return dates help you track when items should come back, get overdue notifications, and plan equipment availability.
Choosing a Return Date
You can only select future dates. Past dates are not allowed since you can’t schedule a return in the past.
Getting Notifications
Invenicum can send alerts for loan-related events:
Overdue Alerts
- An alert is automatically created when return date passes
- If the borrower has an email, a notification can be sent
- The loan appears in the overdue filter
Return Reminders
Set up alerts to notify you before return dates arrive.
Configure notifications in Alerts
Tip: Ask borrowers for email addresses. This enables automated reminders and reduces the number of overdue items.
Loan History
View past loans to see who borrowed items previously, track return patterns, and verify lending history.
Viewing History
In the Loans screen, toggle to show Returned loans
View all completed loans with:
Borrower Information
Store key details about who you lend to:
Name required
The person or department borrowing the item.
"John Smith""Marketing Department""Conference Room Setup"Email optional
- Automated overdue notifications
- Return reminders
- Receipt confirmations
Phone optional
Backup contact method if email doesn’t work.
Notes optional
- Special instructions
- Conditions of the loan
- Damage or wear notes
Best Practices
Set Realistic Return Dates
Give borrowers enough time, but don't make dates so far out that you forget about the loan.
Collect Contact Info
Always get at least a name and email. This makes following up on overdue items much easier.
Check Stock Before Lending
Make sure you have available units before promising to lend something out.
Use Notes for Conditions
Document any existing damage or special instructions in the notes field.
Review Overdue Loans Weekly
Set aside time each week to follow up on overdue items before they become lost.
Return Items Promptly
When items come back, process the return immediately to keep inventory accurate.
Quantity Handling
Available Stock
When selecting an item to loan, you see:
- Total quantity in inventory
- Currently available (not loaned out)
- Maximum you can loan
Partial Loans
For non-serialized items:
Serialized Items
For serialized items (laptops, monitors):
- Each item: one active loan at a time
- Quantity is always 1
- Either available or loaned out
Common Scenarios
Employee Equipment Loans
Scenario: Employee needs a laptop for remote workCreate Loan
Select the laptop, enter employee name and email.
Set Return Date
Set return date to when they’re back in office.
Add Notes
”Remote work setup — returns when back from assignment.”
Short-Term Equipment Checkout
Scenario: Someone needs a camera for the dayCreate Loan
Select camera, enter borrower’s name.
Set Return Date
Set to end of day or next morning.
Quick Return
Mark returned as soon as camera comes back.
Bulk Supply Lending
Scenario: A department needs 50 pensCreate Loan
Select “Pens” item, set quantity to 50.
Department Info
Enter department name as borrower.
No Return Date
Leave empty if these are consumable supplies.
Common Questions
What if someone returns an item late?
Simply click Return when they bring it back. The system records the actual return date, so you can see it was overdue.
Can I edit a loan after creating it?
You can view loan details, but editing active loans is limited. To modify, return the old loan and create a new one.
What if an item is lost?
You can:
- Leave the loan active (it will remain overdue)
- Create an alert to track the missing item
- Adjust the item’s quantity manually if needed
- Add notes documenting the loss
Can I loan items across containers?
No, loans are container-specific. Items can only be loaned from the container they belong to.
What happens if I delete an item with active loans?
Typically, the system will prevent deletion if there are active loans. Return all loans first, then delete the item.
How do I see all items a person has borrowed?
Filter the loans list by borrower name to see all active and past loans for that person.
Can I generate a report of loans?
Yes, the Reports feature includes loan reports showing active, overdue, and historical loan data. See Reports for details.
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