This article applies to MobileAsset v6 & v7.
When working on a PC, the MobileAsset client program is directly connected to the database, so it will prevent the user from checking out an asset that is already marked as Checked Out. It will allow check-in of an asset that is not marked as Checked Out, since the program assumes that there was simply a Check-Out transaction that had not been entered.
On a mobile device, MobileAsset is not directly connected to the database (and thus may be working with an out-of-date copy of the database). Since the device cannot know the current checkout/in status:
- It does not display any status.
- It assumes that if you are checking something out, that asset is in your presence, so it will not prevent you from checking it out (even if it was already marked as Checked Out).
- It will also allow check-in of an asset that is not marked as Checked Out, for the same reason.
When the check-in & check-out transactions have been synched to the PC database, the PC client sorts check-in & check-out transactions by date & time. (This is one reason it is important that the mobile device's date & time are accurate.) Note that MobileAsset does not look for and require matched pairs of check-out/check-in; rather, the most recent transaction is assumed to indicate the current state of the asset.