University of the District of Columbia

How the University of the District of Columbia transformed their asset management process with Reftab

From spreadsheets to a scalable asset management system

Patrick “Pat” Kittrell, Senior Learning Technology Specialist at the University of the District of Columbia, knew their asset management system needed an upgrade. His department managed a wide range of technology—AV equipment, VR headsets, and software—but keeping track of everything was becoming a challenge.

“When I got here, everything was being managed using an Excel sheet,” he explains. “One of the issues was that just locating the Excel sheet and keeping it updated was a problem.”

As they expanded their use of VR technology along with all of their usual equipment like iPads and computers, the problem only grew. The department started with just six VR headsets, but as interest increased, they scaled up to over 75 headsets alongside a growing inventory of other AV equipment and software. Tracking it all manually became unsustainable.

Beyond the logistical headaches, permissions were a major issue. Managing who could access, edit, or update inventory in these Excel sheets was nearly impossible. If a staff member left, so did their spreadsheet, along with crucial data.

Checking in and out equipment was equally chaotic. Staff and students needed a centralized system to request, reserve, and track devices, but there was no streamlined process in place.

Patrick knew there had to be a better way.

Switching to Reftab

With spreadsheets causing more problems than solutions, Patrick knew they needed a better way to manage assets. He and his team began researching potential solutions.

From the start, Reftab stood out. Unlike many enterprise-level tools that were overly complex, Reftab offered a simple, intuitive system that could scale with UDC’s needs without adding unnecessary overhead so they could move beyond scattered spreadsheets.

Once they decided to move forward, Pat and his team tested the platform before fully committing.

The transition process involved importing inventory from Excel and setting up labeling and tagging to improve equipment tracking. With Reftab, what had once been a disorganized system of scattered spreadsheets became a single, centralized hub for managing AV equipment, VR headsets, and even course certifications.

Reftab was exactly what UDC needed to take its asset management to the next level.

Managing equipment

With Reftab, UDC streamlined how AV equipment and VR headsets are reserved and tracked across campus. Instead of juggling spreadsheets and manual checkouts, media services staff can now manage reservations, pickups, and drop-offs faster.

“All the media services staff, they’ve been trained in Reftab,” he said. “So now when someone wants to check something out or if someone is planning on picking some equipment up, the media services staff can go in and reserve it.”

In fact, one of the biggest time-saving features is Reftab’s powerful search and reporting capabilities.

“The search feature is really nice because I can put in anything that I can think of, the device that I’m looking for, I can go in and just search something very quickly,” he adds.

So, instead of manually sifting through multiple spreadsheets, Patrick and his team can now instantly find what they need. Media services staff also use built-in reports to track loaned-out mobile equipment to make sure all equipment is accounted for.

This all means Pat spends much less time on day-to-day asset tracking, which frees him up for more strategic responsibilities.

Tracking course certifications

Beyond equipment, Reftab also plays a role in managing course certifications. UDC offers Quality Matters-certified courses, and keeping track of them was previously a challenge. Now, each certified course is treated like an asset within Reftab, which allows for easy organization and retrieval.

In fact, they created an asset in Reftab for each course. Once a course gets approved, they can go in there and add the title of that course as if it was an asset.

This system ensures that faculty, certification status, and course details are all in one place.

Simplifying permission control

Reftab also solved a major access control issue. Previously, spreadsheets gave users all-or-nothing access, which made it difficult to restrict changes. With Reftab, Patrick can assign role-based permissions, which means team members and student workers only have access to what they need.

For instance, student workers can add inventory, while media specialists handle reservations and loans. This makes operations smoother and more secure.

Reftab as a Partner

Since implementing Reftab, they have completely moved away from using Excel for inventory management. What was once a time-consuming, error-prone process is now faster and more reliable.

Plus, Reftab provides everything he needs in one place, from inventory tracking and equipment check-ins and outs to permission control and reporting. The system has evolved with his needs.

After seeing firsthand how much time and effort Reftab has saved his team, Patrick doesn’t hesitate to recommend it to others.

“I show them how we’ve been using it, and some of the benefits of the platform and how it’s helped us.”

From improving workflows to scaling with UDC’s needs, Reftab has become an essential tool in Patrick’s IT toolkit. One that continues to support the university’s growth and efficiency.