Overview
Knowlix Rental manages equipment lending with quotations, scheduling, pickup tracking, return processing, and invoicing. Rent physical assets like tools, vehicles, event supplies, or specialized equipment with automated pricing, availability calendars, and damage deposit handling. The rental platform provides complete workflow management from initial quote through equipment return. Configure flexible pricing based on duration, schedule overlapping rentals with padding time for maintenance, collect security deposits, require signed rental agreements, and track equipment status through pickup and return stages. Integration with sales orders connects rental transactions to standard business processes. Rental quotes convert to confirmed orders, generate invoices automatically, and update inventory availability in real time. Analytics track rental utilization rates, revenue per asset, and popular rental periods for inventory planning. Digital signature integration enables rental agreements signed before pickup. Customers review terms, acknowledge responsibilities, and provide electronic signatures through customer portal. Signed documents attach to rental orders for compliance and dispute resolution. Key capabilities:- Flexible duration-based pricing
- Security deposit management
- Digital rental agreement signatures
- Pickup and return tracking with status updates
- Late return penalties and unavailability buffers
- Rental product availability calendars
- Order and revenue analytics
Important: Rental equipment requires proper insurance coverage, maintenance schedules, and clear terms regarding damage, loss, and late returns. Consult legal counsel for rental agreement language and liability protections.💡 Pro Tip: Ask Your Knowlix for rental tasks: “Create a rental order for construction equipment” or “Show me all overdue returns”
Rental Dashboard
View and manage all rental orders from centralized interface. Default Kanban view displays:- Customer name
- Rental price
- Related sales order number
- Rental status
Rental Configuration
Configure pricing penalties, availability buffers, and document requirements.Settings
Navigate to Rental → Configuration → Settings for system-wide rental parameters. Rental section: Default Delay Costs: Additional charges for late equipment returns. Applied automatically when return date exceeded. Default Padding Time: Minimum buffer between consecutive rentals. Provides time for equipment cleaning, maintenance, or inspection before next rental. Rental Transfers: Enable inventory delivery and receipt operations for rental orders. Tracks equipment movement through warehouse management. Digital Documents: Allow document upload for customer signatures before rental confirmation. Requires Sign module for electronic signature capture. Rent Online section: Minimal Rental Duration: Shortest allowable rental period. Prevents single-hour rentals when minimum viable rental is one day. Unavailability Days: Days when pickup and return unavailable (weekends, holidays). Equipment cannot be collected or returned on blocked dates.Rental Products
Configure equipment available for rental with pricing and reservation rules.Product Setup
Navigate to Rental → Products to view rental inventory. Can be Rented filter applied by default. Each product card shows:- Product name
- Rental price
- Product image
Rental Pricing Tab
Configure duration-based pricing on product forms. Pricing section: Click Add a price to create pricing tiers. Period: Duration unit for rental (Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly). Create custom periods as needed. Pricelist: Apply pricing to specific customer segments or leave blank for universal pricing. Price: Cost for selected period. Pricing strategy: Multiple pricing lines enable discounts for longer rentals. Three days at 100 each encourages extended bookings. Price calculation: System selects cheapest pricing option. For 8-day rental with pricing tiers of “1 day: 250”, “1 week: 750 total) as cheaper than one week plus one day. Reservations section: Extra Hour / Extra Day: Penalty charges when equipment returned late. Security Time: Buffer hours marking product unavailable between rentals. Use for equipment requiring deep cleaning or maintenance. 💡 Your Knowlix: “Set up daily rental pricing for $50 with weekly discount” or “Add late return penalties to all equipment”Creating Rental Orders
Generate quotes and confirmed rentals for customers.Rental Order Form
Navigate to Rental → Orders → Orders and click New. Order configuration: Customer: Select contact receiving rental equipment. Rental Period: Click date field to open calendar popup. Select start and end dates representing rental duration. Click Apply to confirm dates. Duration field auto-calculates rental length. Order Lines: Click Add a product and select rental equipment. If rental period configured before adding product, pricing auto-calculated. If product added first, adjust rental period then click Update Rental Prices to recalculate. Confirmation popup appears when updating prices. Click Ok to apply new calculations. Order actions: Send by Email: Deliver quotation to customer for review. Confirm: Convert quotation to confirmed rental order.Digital Rental Agreements
Collect customer signatures on rental terms before equipment pickup.Signature Setup
Enable Digital Documents in Rental settings. System automatically installs Sign module if not present.Requesting Signatures
On confirmed rental order:- Click Sign Documents button
- Select document template from dropdown
- Click Sign Document
- Review signature request details
- Click Sign Now
Equipment Pickup
Record when customers collect rental equipment. Pickup workflow:- Navigate to confirmed rental order
- Click Pickup button
- Click Validate in pickup confirmation popup
Equipment Return
Process returned equipment and update order status. Return workflow:- Navigate to active rental order
- Click Return button
- Inspect equipment condition
- Click Validate in return confirmation popup
Pickup and Return Receipts
Generate customer receipts documenting equipment condition and transaction details. To print receipts:- Open rental order
- Click gear icon
- Hover over Print
- Select Pickup and Return Receipt
- Equipment description and serial numbers
- Pickup and return dates
- Customer information
- Rental charges and deposits
- Current transaction status
Security Deposits
Collect and refund refundable deposits for rental protection.Deposit Product Setup
Create service product for each rental requiring deposits. Deposit product configuration: Navigate to Rental → Products → New. Name: Descriptive title indicating deposit purpose (e.g., “Camera Equipment Deposit”, “Vehicle Security Deposit”). Product Type: Service (not physical inventory). Invoicing Policy: Delivered quantities (enables refund through quantity adjustment). Sales Price: Deposit amount to collect. Sales Taxes: Configure tax treatment for deposits (often tax-exempt as temporary charges). Save deposit product for rental linking.Linking Deposits to Rentals
On rental product form:- Navigate to Sales tab
- Add deposit service product to Optional Products
- Configure rental pricing on Rental Prices tab
Refunding Deposits
Upon equipment return:- Inspect returned equipment for damage
- If undamaged, create credit note from rental invoice
- Change delivered quantity to 0 on deposit line in linked sales order
- Process refund to customer
Rental Best Practices
Set Realistic Pricing
Research competitor rates and calculate total ownership costs. Price to cover depreciation, maintenance, insurance, and administrative overhead.Require Damage Deposits
Security deposits incentivize careful equipment handling and provide funds for repair costs. Set deposits at 20-50% of replacement value.Inspect Before and After
Document equipment condition at pickup and return. Photographs prevent disputes over damage responsibility.Build in Buffer Time
Padding between rentals accommodates late returns, maintenance, and cleaning. Don’t schedule back-to-back rentals without buffers.Use Digital Agreements
Electronic signatures expedite pickup process while ensuring customers acknowledge rental terms, damage policies, and late fees.Track Utilization Rates
Monitor how often equipment rents versus sits idle. Low-utilization assets may require better marketing, lower pricing, or divestment.Maintain Equipment Proactively
Regular servicing reduces breakdowns during rental periods. Maintenance schedule prevents revenue loss from out-of-service equipment.Clear Late Fee Policies
Communicate extra hour and extra day charges before confirmation. Transparent penalties reduce customer disputes.Enable Online Booking
Self-service rental scheduling increases bookings by providing 24/7 availability checking and instant confirmation.Follow Up After Returns
Request feedback, offer repeat-renter discounts, and maintain relationships for future rental needs.Troubleshooting Common Issues
Product Shows Unavailable When Should Be Free
Possible causes:- Previous rental return not validated
- Padding time overlap with next booking
- Unavailability days blocking dates
Pricing Not Calculating Correctly
Possible causes:- Rental period not configured before adding product
- Update Rental Prices not clicked after period change
- Price computing selecting unexpected tier
Digital Signature Button Missing
Possible causes:- Digital Documents setting not enabled
- Sign module not installed
- Order not confirmed
Deposit Not Appearing in Order
Possible causes:- Deposit not added to Optional Products
- Configure popup dismissed without selecting deposit
- Online description not explaining required deposit
Related Documentation
- Sales - Sales order processing and quotations
- CRM - Customer relationship management
- Sign - Digital signature workflows
Need Help?
Ask Your Knowlix:- “Create a rental order for DJ equipment for next weekend”
- “Show me all rentals scheduled for return tomorrow”
- “Set up a $200 deposit for video equipment”
- “Process the return for order SO789”
- “What’s our most rented equipment this month?”
- “Send rental agreement to Sarah Johnson”