Purpose Statement

This article provides administrative best practices for configuring asset structures, building checklists, scheduling checks, and associating Compartments, Pouches, and Storages within the Assets module.

The order in which these components are configured matters. Following a consistent setup process helps ensure that the correct Compartments, Pouches, Storages, Equipment, and Inventory appear within scheduled checks and reduces common configuration issues for end users.

Background Information

Apparatus, Kits, and Locations can contain additional organizational structures within Assets:

• Apparatus can contain Compartments.
• Kits can contain Pouches.
• Locations can contain Storages.

These structures help agencies organize Equipment and Inventory according to where those resources are physically stored.

When administrators want Compartments, Pouches, or Storages to appear within a checklist, several pieces of configuration must work together.

A typical configuration sequence is:

1. Organize the applicable asset.
2. Create Compartments, Pouches, or Storages.
3. Assign applicable Equipment and Inventory.
4. Build the checklist.
5. Schedule the checklist to the applicable assets.
6. Associate the applicable Compartments, Pouches, or Storages with the scheduled checklist.
7. Validate the configuration from the end-user workflow.

Completing these steps in the appropriate order is particularly important when configuring nested checks.

Common Use Cases

• Daily apparatus checks that include Compartments.
• EMS bag checks that include Pouches.
• Station or facility checks that include Storages.
• Equipment condition checks.
• Inventory quantity verification.
• Required operational checks based on agency policies or procedures.

Prerequisites

Before beginning configuration, administrators should understand:

• Which assets require checks.
• How Equipment and Inventory are physically organized.
• Which Compartments, Pouches, or Storages should be included.
• How frequently checks need to occur.
• Which checklist questions personnel need to complete.
• Whether nested Compartments, Pouches, or Storages should be required.
• Which specific assets should receive each scheduled checklist.

Recommended Configuration Workflow

The following sequence is recommended when building a checklist that includes Compartments, Pouches, or Storages.

1. Organize the Asset Structure

Begin with the applicable parent asset:

• Apparatus
• Kit
• Location

Then create the applicable organizational structure:

• Apparatus → Compartments
• Kit → Pouches
• Location → Storages

Use clear naming conventions that reflect the way personnel identify these areas operationally.

For example:

• Officer Rear Compartment
• Driver Front Compartment
• Airway Pouch
• Trauma Pouch
• EMS Supply Storage
• Cleaning Supply Storage

Avoid unnecessary complexity. The structure should reflect how personnel actually locate and verify resources.

2. Assign Equipment and Inventory

After creating the Compartments, Pouches, or Storages, assign the applicable Equipment and Inventory.

This establishes what personnel should expect to find within each area.

When configuring contents:

• Use consistent Equipment and Inventory names.
• Verify expected quantities for Inventory.
• Confirm Equipment is assigned to the correct location.
• Review whether resources belong directly to the parent asset or within a specific Compartment, Pouch, or Storage.
• Keep physical organization and First Due configuration aligned.

Completing this step before finalizing checklist associations makes validation much easier.

3. Build the Checklist

Create the checklist based on what personnel actually need to verify.

Checklist questions should supplement the Equipment and Inventory contained within Compartments, Pouches, or Storages rather than unnecessarily duplicating every item.

Good checklist questions are:

• Specific.
• Actionable.
• Easy to understand.
• Appropriate for the person completing the check.
• Relevant to the check frequency.

Examples include:

• Verify apparatus fuel level.
• Confirm scene lights are operational.
• Verify refrigerator temperature is within agency requirements.
• Confirm charger is connected and operational.

Avoid vague questions such as:

• Check equipment.
• Verify everything works.
• Inspect vehicle.

4. Determine Whether Compartments Should Be Required

The Make Compartments Required setting determines whether personnel must complete the associated nested Compartment, Pouch, or Storage portions before the checklist can be submitted.

When enabled:

• Personnel must complete the required nested portions before submitting the checklist.
• The setting can help enforce agency procedures requiring full verification.

When disabled:

• Personnel can complete the checklist without completing every nested portion.
• This may be appropriate when the nested check is optional or when the checklist serves a different operational purpose.

Enable this setting based on agency policy and workflow requirements rather than enabling it on every checklist by default.

5. Schedule the Checklist

After creating the checklist, configure when and where it should appear.

The schedule determines:

• Which checklist is used.
• Which assets receive it.
• How frequently it is due.
• When the check becomes available based on the configured schedule.

When scheduling, confirm that every applicable asset is included.

For example, if a daily Engine checklist should apply to Engine 1 through Engine 5, verify that each intended apparatus is selected.

If an asset is not included in the schedule, its Compartments will not be available for the applicable checklist association.

6. Associate Compartments, Pouches, or Storages

After the checklist has been scheduled to the applicable asset, associate the specific nested structures that should appear within that checklist.

This second association determines which Compartments, Pouches, or Storages are included within the scheduled check.

Think of the two configuration steps this way:

• Scheduling determines when the checklist appears and which assets receive it.
• Association determines which nested Compartments, Pouches, or Storages appear within that checklist.

If the checklist does not appear as an available association, first verify the schedule and asset selection.

7. Validate the End-User Experience

Before deploying the configuration broadly, open the check from an applicable asset and verify:

• The correct checklist appears.
• The schedule is correct.
• The appropriate Compartments, Pouches, or Storages appear.
• Equipment and Inventory are displayed in the expected locations.
• Required nested portions behave as intended.
• Checklist questions use the correct response types.
• Failed questions behave according to the intended Work Order configuration.
• The workflow is understandable to personnel completing the check.

Validate the workflow on more than one asset when the same checklist is being used across multiple apparatus, Kits, or Locations.

Best Practices for Compartments, Pouches, and Storages

Mirror the Physical Layout

When practical, configure the structure in First Due to resemble the physical organization personnel see in the field.

For example, an apparatus could contain:

• Driver Front
• Driver Rear
• Officer Front
• Officer Rear
• Rear Compartment

This can make the check process easier for personnel because the digital workflow follows the physical asset.

Use Clear Naming Conventions

Names should be immediately understandable to personnel.

Preferred:

• Officer Rear Compartment
• Airway Pouch
• Trauma Pouch
• PPE Storage

Avoid (unless those terms are already established and universally understood within the agency):

• Comp 1
• Pouch A
• Storage 3

Avoid Overbuilding the Structure

Do not create additional Compartments, Pouches, or Storages simply to reproduce every divider, shelf, or small container.

Create enough structure to make checks and resource organization intuitive without making the workflow unnecessarily long.

Reuse Existing Structures When Appropriate

When apparatus or other assets have identical layouts, use available copy functionality where appropriate rather than rebuilding the structure manually.

After copying, verify the configuration carefully before assigning Equipment, Inventory, or checklist associations.

Best Practices for Equipment and Inventory Assignment

Match the Physical Asset

The resources configured within a Compartment, Pouch, or Storage should match what personnel actually expect to find there.

If the physical configuration changes, update First Due accordingly.

Use the Correct Classification

Before assigning resources, determine whether each resource should be managed as Equipment or Inventory.

Use Equipment when the individual item requires its own identity, lifecycle, checks, maintenance, or replacement planning.

Use Inventory when quantity, distribution, Requests, purchasing, and replenishment are the primary management needs.

Avoid Duplicate Representation

Do not create a checklist question solely to represent an Inventory or Equipment item that personnel can already verify through the nested Compartment, Pouch, or Storage workflow unless the question serves an additional purpose.

For example, if four oxygen masks already appear as Inventory within a Compartment, an additional question such as "Are four oxygen masks present?" may be redundant.

A separate question may still be useful when personnel need to verify something that quantity alone does not capture.

Maintain Accurate Quantities

For Inventory, confirm that expected quantities reflect the agency's actual stocking requirements.

Incorrect quantities can create confusion during checks and restocking workflows.

Best Practices for Creating Checklists

Start With the Operational Requirement

Before building the checklist, determine:

• Why the check exists.
• Who completes it.
• How frequently it needs to occur.
• What information actually needs to be documented.
• What action should occur if a problem is identified.

Avoid recreating an existing paper form simply because it has always been used. Evaluate whether every question is still necessary in the digital workflow.

Keep Questions Focused

Checklist questions should capture information that cannot already be efficiently verified through the associated Equipment, Inventory, Compartments, Pouches, or Storages.

This keeps the check shorter and reduces repetitive data entry.

Use Appropriate Question Types

Select the response type that best matches the information being collected.

Depending on the workflow, checklist questions may use:

• Pass/Fail.
• Single-Select.
• Multi-Select.
• Numeric values.
• Text responses.
• Other available response types.

Consider the Work Order behavior when selecting the question type.

For Pass/Fail questions, when an open Work Order already exists from a failed checklist item, the system prevents end users from failing the item and creating another Work Order.

For Single-Select and Multi-Select questions, secondary Work Orders may be created depending on the checklist configuration.

When an open Work Order exists from a failed checklist item, the checklist displays a ticket icon with an apparatus in the center.

This helps personnel recognize that an open Work Order already exists for the issue.

Write Clear Checklist Questions

Good questions tell personnel exactly what is expected.

Prefer:

• Verify battery voltage is within agency requirements.
• Confirm all warning lights are operational.
• Verify refrigerator temperature is within the approved range.

Avoid:

• Check battery.
• Check lights.
• Check refrigerator.

Include additional guidance within the question when personnel need specific criteria to determine whether the item passes.

Avoid Checklist Bloat

Long checklists can increase completion time and reduce usability.

Before adding a question, ask whether it:

• Documents information the agency actually needs.
• Is already represented elsewhere in the workflow.
• Needs to be completed at this frequency.
• Helps identify or resolve an operational problem.

If not, consider removing it or moving it to a less frequent checklist.

Best Practices for Scheduling Checklists

Match the Schedule to Agency Policy

Schedule checks according to operational requirements, agency policies, manufacturer guidance, or other applicable requirements.

Do not schedule checks more frequently simply because the system allows it.

Consider Shift Operations

For routine checks, consider when personnel realistically have time to complete them.

A schedule should support operations rather than create unnecessary administrative burden.

Standardize Similar Checks

When multiple similar assets require the same check, use consistent checklist and scheduling practices when appropriate.

Standardization makes administration easier and creates a more predictable experience for end users.

Verify Specific Asset Selection

When a checklist is scheduled, confirm that every intended asset is selected.

This is particularly important before attempting to associate Compartments, Pouches, or Storages.

An omitted asset is one of the most common reasons an administrator cannot find the expected checklist during association.

Best Practices for Checklist Associations

Schedule First

Complete the Checklist Scheduler configuration before attempting to associate Compartments, Pouches, or Storages.

If the checklist has not been properly scheduled to the asset, it may not be available for association.

Associate Only What Is Necessary

Do not automatically associate every Compartment, Pouch, or Storage with every checklist.

For example, a weekly maintenance checklist may require different nested areas than a daily operational check.

Include only the areas personnel need to verify for that specific workflow.

Review Associations After Asset Changes

If Compartments, Pouches, Storages, or asset assignments change, review associated checklists to confirm the configuration is still correct.

Validate Similar Assets

When multiple similar assets use the same checklist, confirm that each asset has the expected nested structure and associations.

A checklist may be configured correctly while one individual apparatus or Kit is missing part of its asset structure.

Best Practices for Naming Checklists and Schedules

Use names that make the purpose immediately clear to administrators.

Examples include:

• Engine Daily Check
• Ambulance Daily Check
• Station Weekly Check
• ALS Bag Daily Check
• Engine Monthly Equipment Check

Include frequency when it helps distinguish otherwise similar checklists.

Avoid unnecessarily long names such as:

• Engine Daily Check Including All Compartments and Equipment

The nested associations determine which Compartments are included, so the checklist name does not need to describe every configuration detail.

Use the same naming convention across the agency.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

I created a checklist, but it does not appear when I try to associate Compartments, Pouches, or Storages. What should I check?

First verify that the checklist has been scheduled in the Checklist Scheduler.

Then verify that the specific asset you are configuring is included in that schedule.

The checklist must be scheduled to the applicable asset before its nested Compartments, Pouches, or Storages can be associated.

The checklist is scheduled, but I still cannot find it for a specific apparatus. Why?

Review the asset selection within the Checklist Scheduler.

The checklist may be scheduled to the correct type of asset while the individual apparatus itself was not selected.

Add the applicable asset to the schedule, save the change, and then review the association again.

My Compartments appear in the checklist, but they are empty. What should I check?

Verify that Equipment and/or Inventory have been assigned to the applicable Compartment.

The checklist association controls whether the Compartment appears. The asset configuration determines which Equipment and Inventory are contained within it.

Some Compartments appear, but others are missing. Why?

Review the checklist association and verify that all intended Compartments were selected.

Only the associated Compartments, Pouches, or Storages will appear within that nested workflow.

The checklist appears on some apparatus but not others. What should I check?

Review the Checklist Scheduler and confirm that all intended apparatus are included in the schedule.

Also verify that each apparatus has the applicable nested structure configured.

Personnel cannot submit a checklist. Could Make Compartments Required be causing this?

Yes. If Make Compartments Required is enabled, personnel must complete the required nested portions before submitting the checklist.

Verify whether that setting matches the agency's intended workflow.

Personnel are submitting checks without completing the Compartments. How can we require them?

Review the checklist configuration and enable Make Compartments Required when agency policy requires those nested portions to be completed before submission.

What is the difference between scheduling a checklist and associating Compartments?

Scheduling determines when the checklist appears and which assets receive it.

Association determines which Compartments, Pouches, or Storages appear within that scheduled checklist.

Both pieces of configuration are required for nested checks.

A failed checklist question already has an open Work Order. How can the user tell?

The checklist displays a ticket icon with an apparatus in the center when an open Work Order exists from that failed checklist item.

For Pass/Fail questions, the system prevents end users from failing the item and creating another Work Order while that open Work Order exists.

For Single-Select and Multi-Select questions, secondary Work Orders may be available depending on the checklist configuration.

Should every Equipment or Inventory item also be written as a checklist question?

No.

When Equipment or Inventory already appears within an associated Compartment, Pouch, or Storage, avoid duplicating the same verification as a separate checklist question unless the question captures additional information.

Use checklist questions for conditions, measurements, operational checks, or other information not already represented by the resource itself.

Can the same checklist be used on multiple similar assets?

Yes. Standardizing checklists across similar assets can reduce administrative maintenance and provide a consistent experience for personnel.

Verify that each applicable asset has the correct schedule, nested structure, and associations.

What should I check before copying an existing asset structure?

Confirm that the source asset represents the structure you want to reproduce.

After copying, review:

• Compartment, Pouch, or Storage names.
• Equipment assignments.
• Inventory assignments and quantities.
• Checklist associations.
• Asset-specific differences.

Do not assume copied configuration is correct for every asset.

We changed the physical layout of an apparatus. What needs to be updated?

Review the applicable:

• Compartments.
• Equipment assignments.
• Inventory assignments and quantities.
• Checklist associations.

The Assets configuration should continue to reflect the physical layout personnel encounter during the check.

How often should administrators review checklist configuration?

Review configuration whenever operational requirements, equipment placement, agency policies, or asset structures change.

Periodic review is also useful for identifying:

• Unused checklist questions.
• Outdated schedules.
• Incorrect Inventory quantities.
• Unnecessary associations.
• Checklist completion issues.
• Duplicate or overlapping workflows.

Administrative Best Practices

Before deploying a new or significantly revised checklist:

• Confirm the physical asset structure is accurate.
• Verify Equipment and Inventory assignments.
• Review Inventory quantities.
• Build focused checklist questions.
• Determine whether nested areas should be required.
• Schedule the checklist to all applicable assets.
• Associate the appropriate Compartments, Pouches, or Storages.
• Review Work Order behavior for applicable question types.
• Validate the end-user workflow.
• Have field personnel review the check before department-wide deployment.

After deployment:

• Review feedback from personnel completing the checks.
• Update configuration when equipment placement changes.
• Remove outdated checklist questions.
• Review schedule frequency periodically.
• Confirm new apparatus, Kits, or Locations are added to applicable schedules.
• Maintain consistent naming conventions across checklists and schedules.