Sub-Rentals & Equipment Transfers

This guide explains how to manage sub-rentals (hiring equipment from external suppliers) and equipment transfers (moving stock between depots, rental sites, and suppliers) in CloudRent Pro.

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Overview

When your own inventory isn't sufficient to fulfil a rental, you have two options:

Feature	Use Case	Example
Sub-Rental	Hire equipment from an external supplier	Customer needs 10 scissor lifts, you only have 6
Equipment Transfer	Move stock from another location you control	Your Adelaide depot has spare units

Both features are accessed from the Logistics tab on any rental.

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Part 1: Sub-Rentals

Sub-rentals allow you to hire equipment from external suppliers to fulfil customer orders. The cost of the sub-rental is tracked separately from your revenue.

When to Use Sub-Rentals

• Your inventory is fully booked for the rental period
• A customer needs specialised equipment you don't own
• Demand exceeds your fleet capacity
• You want to test demand for a new equipment type before purchasing

Creating a Sub-Rental Order

Method 1: From the Overbooking Prompt

When adding items to a rental, if stock is unavailable:

The No Stock Available dialog appears

Choose Create Sub-Rental (instead of "Add as Overbooked")

The Sub-Rental Order form opens pre-filled with the item

Method 2: From the Logistics Tab

Open the rental and go to the Logistics tab

Scroll to the Sub-Rentals section

Click Add Order

Sub-Rental Order Form (4 Steps)

Step 1: Select Supplier

Choose an existing supplier or create a new one inline.

Existing Supplier:

• Search by name, contact person, or email
• Credit terms are displayed for reference
• Click a supplier card to select it

New Supplier (Inline):

Click New Supplier

Enter: Name (required), Contact Person, Email, Phone

Click Create Supplier

The new supplier is automatically selected

Step 2: Add Items

Add the equipment you need to sub-rent.

Field	Description
Description	Equipment name or description
Qty	Number of units needed
Supplier SKU	Supplier's product code (optional)
Daily Cost	What the supplier charges per day
Weekly Cost	Supplier's weekly rate (optional)
Monthly Cost	Supplier's monthly rate (optional)
Charge By	How you're being charged (Daily/Weekly/Monthly)

The Estimated Total updates automatically as you add items.

Tip: If you opened the form from an overbooking prompt, the item is pre-filled. Just enter the supplier's costs.

Step 3: Delivery & Dates

Configure when and how the equipment should arrive.

Field	Description
Required By Date	When you need the equipment (required)
Expected Return Date	When you'll return it to the supplier
Delivery Method	Pickup, Supplier Delivers, Courier, Other
Delivery Address	Where supplier should deliver (if applicable)
Supplier Reference	Your PO number or reference for this order
Delivery Notes	Special instructions

Step 4: Review & Submit

Review all details before creating the order. The order is created with Draft status. You can send it to the supplier from the Logistics tab.

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Sub-Rental Order Lifecycle

Orders progress through these statuses:

Draft → Sent → Confirmed → In Transit → Received → Active → Returning → Returned

Status	Meaning	Actions Available
Draft	Order created, not yet sent	Edit, Send to Supplier
Sent	Sent to supplier, awaiting confirmation	—
Confirmed	Supplier confirmed availability	Mark Received
In Transit	Equipment being delivered	Mark Received
Received	Equipment arrived at your location	Activate
Active	Equipment deployed on the rental	Start Return
Returning	Equipment being returned to supplier	Complete Return
Returned	Equipment returned, order complete	—

Managing Sub-Rental Orders

Each order appears as a card in the Sub-Rentals section showing:

• Order number and status badge
• Supplier name and reference
• Required date and expected return
• Cost summary (estimated vs actual)
• Progress timeline for active orders

Action Buttons (vary by status):

• Send Order – Email the order to the supplier (Draft)
• Mark Received – Confirm equipment has arrived (Confirmed/In Transit)
• Activate – Put equipment into service (Received)
• Start Return – Begin return process (Active)
• Complete Return – Finalise the return (Returning)
• View Details – See full order information

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Part 2: Equipment Transfers

Equipment transfers move stock between your depots, rental sites, or suppliers. Use transfers when equipment exists elsewhere in your network.

When to Use Transfers

• Stock is available at another depot
• Returning equipment from one rental to fulfil another
• Rebalancing inventory across locations
• Moving equipment for maintenance

Creating a Transfer

Open the rental and go to the Logistics tab

Scroll to the Equipment Transfers section

Click New Transfer

Transfer Form (5 Steps)

Step 1: Select Equipment

Choose what you're transferring.

Search for equipment by name, SKU, or category

Select the equipment card

Enter the Quantity to transfer

Choose the Reason:

- Rental Fulfillment – Fulfilling a customer order - Stock Rebalancing – Evening out depot inventory - Maintenance – Sending for repairs/service - Other

Add Notes if needed

Step 2: Source Location

Specify where the equipment is coming FROM.

Source Types:

Type	Use Case
Our Depot	Transferring from another of your locations
Rental Site	Picking up from a customer site
Supplier	Receiving from a sub-rental

For Our Depot, select from your configured locations. The system shows available quantity at each depot.

Pro Tip: Use "Search All Depots" to see a breakdown of availability across all your locations at once.

Step 3: Destination

Specify where the equipment is going TO.

Type	Use Case
Our Depot	Returning to a depot
Rental Site	Delivering to a customer (this rental)

For Rental Site, the current rental is pre-selected with a green confirmation.

Step 4: Shipping Method

Choose how the equipment will be transported.

Self-Deliver:

• Your team transports the equipment
• Enter scheduled date and delivery notes

Book Freight:

• Use a freight carrier (Startrack, TNT, Toll, etc.)
• Select carrier, enter package details, get a quote

Step 5: Review & Submit

Review the transfer details and create. The transfer is created with Pending status.

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Transfer Lifecycle

Transfers progress through these statuses:

Pending → Approved → Dispatched → In Transit → Arrived → Complete

Status	Meaning	Actions Available
Pending	Transfer requested, awaiting approval	Approve, Edit
Approved	Approved, ready to dispatch	Dispatch
Dispatched	Equipment has left source location	—
In Transit	En route to destination	Mark Received
Arrived	Arrived at destination	Complete
Complete	Transfer finished	—

Managing Transfers

Each transfer card shows:

• Transfer number and status badge
• Direction badge (Incoming/Outgoing)
• Equipment name and quantity
• Source → Destination flow
• Scheduled date
• Freight tracking (if applicable)

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Part 3: Freight Booking

When transferring equipment via freight carrier, you can book pickups directly in CloudRent Pro.

Setting Up Freight Carriers

Before booking freight, configure your carriers in Settings → Integrations → Logistics & Freight.

Click Add Carrier

Enter carrier details:

Field	Description
Name	Display name (e.g., "Startrack Express")
API Provider	Startrack, TNT, Toll, or Manual
Account Number	Your freight account number
Contact Details	Carrier contact information
Active	Enable/disable this carrier
Default	Set as default carrier

Booking Freight in a Transfer

When creating a transfer, choose Book Freight in Step 4:

Select Carrier – Choose from your configured carriers

Pickup Date – When the carrier should collect

Time Window – Morning (8am-12pm), Afternoon (12pm-5pm), or Anytime

Package Details: Weight (kg), Dimensions (L × W × H cm)

Click Get Quote to see the estimated cost

The quote shows:

• Freight cost and fuel surcharge
• Total cost
• Estimated transit days
• Quote reference

Tracking Shipments

Once a freight booking is created:

Open the transfer card in the Logistics tab

View the Tracking Number (clickable link to carrier tracking)

See freight cost and carrier details

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The Overbooked Items Card

The Overbooked Items card at the top of the Logistics tab shows all items that need attention:

For each overbooked item:

• See the shortage quantity
• Create Sub-Rental – Opens sub-rental form pre-filled
• Create Transfer – Opens transfer form to source from another depot

This provides a quick overview of what needs to be fulfilled.

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Best Practices

Sub-Rentals

Track costs accurately – Enter actual supplier costs to maintain profit margins

Set realistic dates – Allow buffer time between supplier delivery and customer start

Keep references – Use the Supplier Reference field for your PO numbers

Monitor active sub-rentals – Check the status regularly to ensure timely returns

Equipment Transfers

Check all depots first – Use Depot Inventory Search before creating external sub-rentals

Book freight early – Carriers may have limited pickup slots

Document condition – Use transfer notes to record equipment condition

Complete transfers promptly – Mark as complete when equipment arrives

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I track sub-rental costs vs revenue?

The rental's Financials tab shows sub-rental costs separately. You can see total sub-rental cost, your charge to the customer, and net margin.

Can I edit a sub-rental order after sending?

You can edit orders in Draft or Sent status. Once confirmed by the supplier, changes require cancellation and re-creation.

What if the supplier delivers late?

Update the Promised Delivery Date and add notes. The status remains "In Transit" until you mark it as Received.

How do I cancel a sub-rental?

Click the order card, then Cancel Order. A cancelled order remains visible for record-keeping but doesn't affect availability.

Can I transfer equipment between customers?

Yes. Create a transfer FROM the first rental site TO the second rental site. This is useful for back-to-back bookings.

What if I don't use freight carriers?

Use Self-Deliver for all transfers. You can still track scheduled dates and notes without freight booking.

How do I know which depot has stock?

Use the Depot Inventory Search feature in Step 2 of the transfer form. It shows real-time availability at each location.