The TurnStone Private Secure Cloud at its core allows users to organize enrolled Items into both virtual and physical Bin locations as defined by the organization and the organization’s various Sites. The addition of the Alerts module allows organizations using TurnStone to assign email messages to Bins and trigger those messages to send when Items enter into a Bin or exit that Bin. These messages can be directed to internal users or the external public and their content can be dynamic based on the Bin or Item details.

Physical devices (fixed RFID Reader, Barcode stations, handheld RFID Readers assigned to a location, etc.) can be assigned to Bins such that as Items are seen by these devices, the Items are automatically entered into the associated Bin – this is a core TurnStone feature. Combining that automatic Bin assignment with Alerts enables downline departments to get advance notification of upcoming work assignments or customers to track the progress of orders as those orders are processed.

A simple use case example showcases Alerts in action:

  1. An automobile body shop activates TurnStone Alerts and customer facing email messages are created for the “Shop Floor” Bin, “Paint Room” Bin and the virtual “Completed” Bin.
  2. As customers drop off their cars for repairs, each car is assigned an RFID Tag and the car is enrolled into TurnStone as an Item. Additional information is associated with the Item that includes the customer’s name and email address.
  3. When the car’s RFID Tag is read by the fixed reader at the door to the main shop floor, TurnStone assigns the car to the “Shop Floor” Bin and an email is sent to the customer alerting them that work has started on their car. When the car’s RFID Tag is read by the fixed reader at the paint room door, TurnStone assigns the location of the car to the “Paint Room” Bin and another email is sent to the customer alerting them that work is progressing on their car. Once work is completed on the car, management assigns the car to the “Completed” Bin and another email is sent automatically to the customer informing them that work is complete and what the total charges are.

By adding Alerts to TurnStone, the body shop increases their customer facing messages without adding any additional time to their existing process of tracking vehicles. All the other TurnStone sub-systems that are already in place at the body shop continue to work and by adopting TurnStone, the body shop is able to generate exportable reports detailing the time and effort expended on each vehicle that they work on.