Staff User Manual

1. Signing in

Go to your facility's staff portal at your-facility.returnlinkpro.com/staff and sign in with the username and password your administrator issued. Sessions are secure and time-limited; sign out from the top navigation when you're done on a shared computer.

2. The dashboard

The dashboard is your daily overview. It shows counts for open reports, items currently in storage, matched items awaiting pickup, and items released recently. Below the counts are the most recent lost reports and found items, so you can pick up where the last shift left off.

3. Lost reports

Lost reports come in from the public portal when a visitor reports something missing. Each report gets a reference code beginning RL-. Open Lost Reports to filter by status, category, or keyword. Click any report to see the reporter's contact details, the item description, and any suggested matches.

Update a report's status as you work it — for example from open to matched — and add staff notes that stay internal to your team.

4. Logging a found item (intake)

When an item is handed in, click + Intake under Found Items. Fill in:

• Category and description — be specific; good descriptions drive better matches.
• Where it was found and the date found.
• Storage location — the shelf or bin code where you're placing it.
• Photos (optional) — visible to staff only, never on the public side.

On save, the item gets a reference code beginning FI- and a disposal date calculated automatically from your facility's retention policy.

5. Printing QR labels

Every found item can be tagged with a 4×6 label carrying its reference code, key details, and a scannable QR code.

1. Open the found item and click Print label (top-right of the item card). A print-ready 4×6 page opens — click print.
2. To print several at once, go to the Found Items list, tick the checkbox on each item you want, and click Print selected. Each item prints on its own label.

The QR code encodes the item's reference (e.g. FI-2FMB5R9M) so any phone or scanner reads it back instantly — handy for locating an item on a crowded shelf.

6. Matching found items to reports

When you open a found item that's in storage, ReturnLinkPro suggests open lost reports that resemble it. Review a suggestion and, if it's a genuine match, confirm it — this links the report and the item and marks both as matched. If you confirm by mistake, you can undo it. Matched items appear on the dashboard as awaiting pickup.

7. Releasing an item to a claimant

When the owner comes to collect, open the found item and use the Release to claimant form:

• Enter the claimant's name and contact.
• Check Photo ID verified once you've confirmed their identity.
• Add any notes, then release the item.

The release is recorded in the audit log with who released it and when, giving you a defensible trail for every handover.

8. Retention & disposal

Each item's Dispose after date is set from your facility's retention policy at intake (for example 30, 60, or 90 days after the found date). Items past their disposal date are flagged on the found list. When you dispose of or donate an item, record the outcome — the action and its timestamp are logged.

9. Exporting records

Use Export CSV on the Found Items list to download a spreadsheet of your items for records, audits, or insurance. Reports can be reviewed and filtered the same way.

10. Admin: settings, users, branding

Administrators have extra controls:

• Settings — facility name and branding, retention period, item categories, and the notification email for new reports and matches.
• Users — add or remove staff accounts. Your plan includes 2 seats; additional seats can be added to your subscription.
• Audit log — a complete history of staff actions across the system.