Years of focus and persistence have enabled our team to accumulate extensive theoretical and practical experience. Through requirements analysis of most domestic TV stations and performance analysis of comparable international products, we developed a complete, efficient, and advanced Unified Control Platform (iSwiftMedia) for production and playout systems. The platform has been deployed at multiple provincial and municipal TV stations nationwide. The automation control systems built for CCTV, Chongqing TV, Nanjing TV, and Hangzhou TV received the Science and Technology Innovation Award from the National Radio and Television Administration (broadcasting industry regulator), serving as a model for successful automation and intelligent operation of TV production and playout systems.
Tencent Asset Management System
1. Project Background
The broadcast center has a large inventory of assets and equipment, with many items borrowed daily such as in-ear monitors. Equipment is also frequently loaned out for business needs. To manage these assets in a unified manner, a centralized asset management system is required to track loaned equipment, prevent damage and loss, and transition from offline paper-based processes to online workflow approval.
Information cannot be synchronized in a timely manner, and some faults that have been identified and resolved are not communicated to all relevant personnel. A knowledge base is therefore needed, and the system can also provide basic troubleshooting prompts based on previously encountered faults.
Significant funds are invested annually to purchase various assets, but over time it becomes difficult to know promptly and clearly how many assets an organization and its subsidiaries own, which departments they are distributed across, where they are stored, who is using them, and what condition they are in. Fixed asset utilization rates are low and duplicate purchases are common. When employees leave or change roles, asset handover is often incomplete, making it difficult to quickly and fully identify the assets in their custody, resulting in asset loss. Unclear accountability, heavy audit and inventory workloads, and high error rates create many challenges for the asset management department. Discrepancies between records and physical assets, and significant gaps between book value and actual value, are common. A unified asset management platform is needed to resolve these issues.
2. Asset Project Design Essentials
Architecture diagram:
Architecture Diagram
System composition diagram:
System Composition Diagram
3. Pre-Loan Function
Pre-loan workflow diagram:
Pre-Loan Workflow Diagram
Pre-loan workflow description:
(1) The borrower enters the planned loan and return dates, adds the requested assets (packages) and bundles to the cart, and submits the request.
(2) After submission, the request awaits review by the asset owner (or administrator). If a single request involves multiple asset owners, all owners must approve before the process continues. Approvers are at the same level (not sequential). Each approver can see the same request and approve simultaneously. The request is approved only when all approvers approve; if any one rejects, the request is denied.
(3) Once approved, the request can proceed to check-out when the loan date arrives. The borrower scans the barcode on the asset (package) with a barcode scanner for check-out. The system automatically generates a check-out record at that time for archival purposes. Rejected requests are voided.
(4) Checked-out assets (packages) must be returned before the return date. Email and WeChat reminders are sent to the borrower one day before and on the day of the due date. The borrower can request an extension from the My List page; extensions require approval from the asset owner.
(5) If assets (packages) pending return are not returned by the due date, the system sends email and WeChat reminders daily at 10:00 AM.
(6) When returned assets (packages) are checked back in, a notification is sent to the corresponding asset owner for confirmation and archival.
4. Other Functions
(1) Request cancellation: Cancellation can be requested directly without approval. Before any items have been checked out, the entire order can be cancelled. If items have been partially checked out, the user can only select "End Early" to proceed to the return process.
(2) Reorder: A pop-up allows selection of the planned loan period to borrow the same models and quantities as the current order, going directly to the order generation page. If any items are out of stock (whether bundles or individual items), an out-of-stock notice is displayed at the top of the page with the remaining available quantity selected, and the user can return to continue shopping.
(3) Extension request: A pop-up with a calendar and a reason field. Requests to extend the return date require approval (if some items have already been returned, only the remaining asset owners need to approve).
(4) End early: Applies only to partially loaned items where some are no longer needed. Unrequested equipment is released by default and does not need to be returned. A confirmation pop-up appears upon clicking; no approval is required.
(5) Approval: Requests requiring review include those with status "Order Placed" and "Extension." For requests involving multiple asset owners, all owners must approve for the request to proceed; if any one owner rejects, the process ends.
(6) Barcode check-out: Scan with a barcode scanner; the check-out progress updates automatically and a check-out record is generated.
(7) Barcode check-in: Scan with a barcode scanner. For unreturned equipment, a "Lost" button is displayed on the right; clicking it ends the item's workflow in the order and changes its status to "Lost." For returned equipment, a "Confirm" icon is displayed on the right, indicating the item has been returned.
(8) Return reminder: Email and WeChat reminders are sent at 10:00 AM the day before and on the return date.
(9) Overdue reminder: For requests not returned on time, email and WeChat reminders are sent daily at 10:00 AM.
(10) Report statistics: After manually selecting a start and end date range, statistics are generated for assets, asset packages, models, users, and repairs within the selected period, with EXCEL export support.
5. Overall Benefits
(1) Improves work efficiency, reduces costs, and helps achieve the principle of strict economy.
(2) Strengthens management of purchased fixed assets, avoiding duplicate purchases and waste.
(3) The intuitive interface and system functions allow users to become proficient quickly. Asset inventory work that previously required significant time, manpower, and effort can now be completed easily by one or two people in a short time.
(4) Achieves fully electronic, paperless management of the entire enterprise asset lifecycle.
6. Key Functions
(1) B/S architecture, enabling access anytime and anywhere.
(2) Supports query, statistics, aggregation, and report functions.
(3) Supports event reminders, including notifications for overdue unreturned equipment.
(4) Multiple notification methods, including email and WeChat.
(5) Multiple client platforms, such as web and WeChat. Workflow operations including approval and return confirmation can be completed on these clients.
Customer site photos:
Inventory Check Page
Pre-Loan Page
Review Page
Barcode Check-out and Check-in
Screenshots on this page show the Chinese user interface. English materials are available on request.
