Hi Rob and David, 
 
    As an FYI in TMS 2010 we have added the Crates Assistant to the
Authorities Menu in the Objects and Shipping Modules.   So the access to
the Crates Assistant will be much more direct than in TMS 9.35.  You
will no longer need to access from location transactions or shipment
steps.  Thanks.
 
Bob
 
From: The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Rob Morgan
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 3:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Crates as objects or containers
 
Hello David,
 
I don't know if there is a better solution.  We manage our crates via
the crates table, but the GUI only accesses the crates table from
locations or shipment steps.  So, I end up going directly into the
Crates table (from the backend) and manage the crate data and print
reports as needed.  It's difficult for our packer to manage crates via
the GUI.
 
What I would love is a Crates module that directly accesses the fields
in the Crates table.
 
-          Rob (Baltimore)
 
From: The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Aylsworth, David
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 1:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Crates as objects or containers
 
Does anyone else out there create object records for crates?  We started
doing this a few years ago, mostly so we could put them into a "Crates"
department and allow our art handlers to create, edit, and delete
records as they were needed.  They also can link the objects that belong
in that crate to the crate, and link images of the crate to the record.
 
Obviously this partially duplicates the function of the "containers" in
the shipping module, and our exhibition registrars will often make
duplicate records so that they can manage the crates in a shipment while
our art handlers can manage the crates as empty things needing to be
schlepped around town.
 
We're not happy with the duplication, but being able to keep track of
the locations of an empty crate seems really difficult to do if it's not
an object in itself.
 
Has anyone else managed a more elegant solution?
 
Thanks,
David
 
David Aylsworth
Collections Registrar
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
telephone:  713-639-7824
fax:  713-639-7780