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Getting Started with RackPlane

Welcome to RackPlane! 🎉

RackPlane is a flexible inventory and asset management platform that adapts to your industry. Whether you're managing a datacenter, hospital, warehouse, or something unique, this guide will help you get started.


Table of Contents

  1. First Login
  2. Choose Your Industry Vertical
  3. Dashboard Overview by Vertical
  4. Initial Setup Workflows
  5. Adding Your First Items
  6. Subscription Levels & Add-Ons
  7. Custom & Consulted Setup
  8. Getting Help

First Login

Step 1: Access RackPlane

Navigate to your RackPlane instance: - Self-Hosted: http://your-server:3000 - RackPlane Cloud: https://app.rackplane.com

Step 2: Sign In

Enter your credentials: - Username: Your assigned username or email - Password: Your initial password

⚠️ Important: Change your password immediately after first login!

Step 3: Change Password

  1. Click your username in the top-right corner
  2. Select Settings
  3. Navigate to Security tab
  4. Enter current password and new password
  5. Click Update Password

Choose Your Industry Vertical

RackPlane comes with pre-configured vertical packs for different industries. Your vertical determines the terminology, features, and default configuration.

Available Verticals

Vertical Best For Key Features
🖥️ Datacenter IT infrastructure, data centers, MSPs Rack visualization, power efficiency, network ports
🏥 Healthcare Hospitals, clinics, medical supply Expiration tracking, lot numbers, compliance
📦 Warehouse Distribution, logistics, manufacturing Bin locations, pick/pack, inventory counts
🔧 Custom Unique industries Contact us for tailored setup

Setting Your Vertical

During Initial Setup: Your vertical was selected when your account was created. If you need to change it:

  1. Navigate to SettingsWhite-LabelVertical Pack
  2. Select your industry from the dropdown
  3. Choose whether to reset terminology and features
  4. Click Apply

💡 Tip: Changing verticals updates terminology throughout the app (e.g., "Assets" → "Supplies" for Healthcare)


Dashboard Overview by Vertical

The dashboard adapts to show information relevant to your industry.

🖥️ Datacenter Dashboard

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  RackPlane - Datacenter Inventory Management                │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  📊 Dashboard │ 📦 Assets │ 📍 Datacenters │ 🔌 Ports │ ⚡ Power │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Total Assets:     1,245    │  Active Racks:      48       │
│  Storage Items:      320    │  Power Usage:    145 kW      │
│  Warranty Expiring:   12    │  Network Ports:  2,400       │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Navigation: | Section | Description | |---------|-------------| | Dashboard | Asset counts, capacity overview | | Assets | Servers, switches, cables, transceivers | | Datacenters | Datacenter → Room → Rack hierarchy | | Ports | Network port management | | Power | Power efficiency advisor (datacenter only) | | Stock | Spare parts in storage | | Reports | Capacity, utilization reports |


🏥 Healthcare Dashboard

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  MedTrack - Medical Supply Management                       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  📊 Dashboard │ 💊 Supplies │ 🏥 Facilities │ ⏰ Expiring    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Total Supplies:   8,450    │  Facilities:       12        │
│  Expiring (30d):      23    │  Expired:           2        │
│  Low Stock Alerts:    15    │  Dispensed Today: 147        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Navigation: | Section | Description | |---------|-------------| | Dashboard | Expiration alerts, stock levels | | Supplies | Medical devices, medications, consumables | | Facilities | Hospital → Department → Cabinet hierarchy | | Expiring | Items expiring soon (FEFO view) | | Par Levels | Minimum stock monitoring | | Lot Tracking | Batch/lot number traceability | | Reports | Expiration, waste analysis reports |


📦 Warehouse Dashboard

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  StockFlow - Warehouse Inventory Management                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  📊 Dashboard │ 📦 Items │ 🏢 Warehouses │ 📋 Picks │ 📊 Counts │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Total Items:     24,500    │  Bin Locations:   1,200      │
│  Low Stock:          45     │  Active Picks:       23      │
│  Received Today:    125     │  Shipped Today:     340      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Navigation: | Section | Description | |---------|-------------| | Dashboard | Inventory levels, activity metrics | | Items | SKUs, products, components | | Warehouses | Warehouse → Zone → Aisle → Bin hierarchy | | Picks | Pick lists, fulfillment orders | | Receiving | Inbound shipment processing | | Counts | Cycle counts, inventory audits | | Reports | Accuracy, velocity reports |


Initial Setup Workflows

Follow the setup guide for your specific vertical:

🖥️ Datacenter Setup Workflow

Week 1: Foundation
├── Day 1-2: Create datacenters and rooms
├── Day 3-4: Add racks with U-positions
├── Day 5: Set up storage containers for spare parts
Week 2: Population
├── Day 1-3: Add major assets (servers, switches)
├── Day 4-5: Configure network ports
Week 3: Refinement
├── Add remaining assets (cables, transceivers)
├── Print asset labels
└── Train team members

Detailed Steps: 1. Create Datacenters - Settings → Locations → + Add Datacenter 2. Add Rooms (optional) - Subdivisions within datacenters 3. Create Racks - 42U standard, specify rows and positions 4. Add Storage - For spare cables, transceivers, etc. 5. Import Assets - CSV import or manual entry 6. Configure Ports - Define network ports on switches/servers 7. Connect Cables - Map cable connections between ports

📖 Full Guide: Datacenter Setup Guide


🏥 Healthcare Setup Workflow

Week 1: Foundation
├── Day 1-2: Create facilities and departments
├── Day 3-4: Add storage cabinets and carts
├── Day 5: Configure expiration tracking settings
Week 2: Population
├── Day 1-3: Add supplies with lot numbers
├── Day 4-5: Set par levels for reorder points
Week 3: Refinement
├── Configure email alerts for expirations
├── Train staff on dispense/restock workflow
└── Set up compliance reporting

Detailed Steps: 1. Create Facilities - Settings → Locations → + Add Facility 2. Add Departments - ER, Pharmacy, OR, etc. 3. Create Cabinets - Medical supply storage locations 4. Configure Expiration Alerts - Settings → Plugins → Expiration Tracking 5. Import Supplies - Include lot numbers and expiration dates 6. Set Par Levels - Minimum stock thresholds per item 7. Configure FEFO - Enable First Expired, First Out picking

📖 Full Guide: Healthcare Vertical Guide


📦 Warehouse Setup Workflow

Week 1: Foundation
├── Day 1-2: Create warehouses and zones
├── Day 3-4: Define bin location structure
├── Day 5: Set up receiving and shipping areas
Week 2: Population
├── Day 1-3: Import SKUs and inventory
├── Day 4-5: Assign items to bin locations
Week 3: Refinement
├── Configure pick workflows
├── Set reorder points
└── Train pickers and receivers

Detailed Steps: 1. Create Warehouses - Settings → Locations → + Add Warehouse 2. Define Zones - Fast-moving, bulk, returns, etc. 3. Create Bin Locations - Zone-Aisle-Shelf-Bin format 4. Import Items - SKUs with quantities 5. Assign Locations - Put items into bins 6. Configure Par Levels - Reorder points for purchasing 7. Set Up Pick Process - Single, batch, or wave picking

📖 Full Guide: Warehouse Vertical Guide


🔧 Custom Vertical Setup

For industries not covered by standard verticals (aerospace, education, government, etc.), we offer customized setup.

Custom Setup Includes: - Tailored terminology for your industry - Custom asset types and categories - Industry-specific reports - Compliance configurations - Integration with your existing systems - On-site or remote training

➡️ Contact Us for Custom Setup


Adding Your First Items

Regardless of your vertical, adding items follows the same process:

Method 1: Manual Entry

  1. Navigate to your items page (Assets/Supplies/Items)
  2. Click + Add button
  3. Select type/category
  4. Fill in required fields
  5. Assign location
  6. Click Create

Method 2: Barcode Scanning

  1. Click the 📷 Scan button
  2. Point camera at barcode/QR code
  3. Review extracted information
  4. Complete any missing fields
  5. Click Create

Method 3: Bulk Import (CSV)

  1. Navigate to Import
  2. Download CSV template
  3. Fill in your data
  4. Upload and review
  5. Confirm import

Method 4: Vendor Import (Pro+)

Import directly from vendor invoices: - FS.com - Network equipment - Mouser - Electronic components - More integrations available


Subscription Levels & Add-Ons

Subscription Tiers

Feature Community Starter Pro MSP
Price Free $49/mo $149/mo Custom
Users 3 10 Unlimited Unlimited
Items 500 5,000 Unlimited Unlimited
Basic asset management
Mobile scanning
Reports & export
Label printing
Low stock alerts
Cloud OCR 100/mo 500/mo Unlimited
API access
NetBox integration
Vendor catalogs
Rack visualization
Multi-tenant
White-label branding
Custom domain
Priority support

Available Add-Ons

Enhance your subscription with specialized add-ons:

Add-On Available On Description
Healthcare Pack Starter+ Expiration tracking, lot numbers, FEFO
Warehouse Pack Starter+ Pick/pack workflows, bin locations
Compliance Pack Pro+ Audit trails, compliance reports
Integration Pack Pro+ Additional API integrations
Training Pack All tiers 2 hours of personalized training
Extra OCR Starter+ Additional monthly OCR scans

Custom & Consulted Setup

When to Consider Consulted Setup

  • You have unique industry requirements
  • Your terminology doesn't fit standard verticals
  • You need integrations with existing systems
  • You want migration from another system
  • You require compliance configurations
  • You need on-site training

What's Included

Discovery Session (1 hour, free) - Understand your requirements - Recommend vertical and configuration - Provide implementation timeline

Consulted Setup (Starting at $500) - Custom vertical configuration - Terminology customization - Asset type setup - Initial data import assistance - User training session

Enterprise Implementation (Custom pricing) - Full implementation management - Custom integrations - On-site training - Dedicated support contact - Ongoing consulting hours

Contact Information

Channel Details
📧 Sales sales@rackplane.com
📧 Support support@rackplane.com
📞 Phone +1 (555) 123-4567
💬 Live Chat Available on rackplane.com
📅 Schedule Demo Book a Demo

Request a Consultation

Email us at consulting@rackplane.com with:

  1. Your Industry - What type of organization?
  2. Size - Approximate number of items to track?
  3. Current System - What are you using now?
  4. Key Requirements - Must-have features?
  5. Timeline - When do you need to be live?

We'll respond within 1 business day to schedule a discovery call.


Getting Help

In-App Help

  • Click the ? icon for contextual help
  • Tooltips appear on hover

Documentation by Vertical

Vertical Getting Started Full Guide
Datacenter This guide Datacenter Setup
Healthcare This guide Healthcare Guide
Warehouse This guide Warehouse Guide
Custom Contact us Provided during setup

Training Materials

Support Channels

Priority Channel Response Time
Low GitHub Discussions 2-3 business days
Normal Email (support@rackplane.com) 1 business day
High Live Chat (Pro+) Within 4 hours
Critical Phone (MSP only) Within 1 hour

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
/ Focus search bar
n New item
s Open scanner
Esc Close modals

Next Steps

Based on your vertical:

🖥️ Datacenter

  1. Complete Location Setup
  2. Network Port Management
  3. Cable Connections

🏥 Healthcare

  1. Healthcare Vertical Guide
  2. Configure expiration alerts
  3. Set up par levels

� Warehouse

  1. Warehouse Vertical Guide
  2. Define bin locations
  3. Configure pick workflows

All Verticals


Welcome to RackPlane!

You're now ready to take control of your inventory. Select your vertical, follow the setup workflow, and experience the power of industry-specific asset management.

Questions? Contact us at support@rackplane.com or schedule a free demo.