If you are responsible for keeping track of Cool Tools, like for an assistive technology lending library, there are many options. You can pay for tools like Destiny or myTurn, but if you have under 500 inventory items, you could consider using free tools like Looker Studio or Awesome Table. While Awesome Table has some free options, there are also some paid versions if you will be a heavy user. With both Awesome Table and Looker Studio, you start with a Google Sheet of your inventory.

Awesome Table Example for an AT Lending Library

Below is an example of what you can build with these tools. The one below was created with Awesome table.

In the image above, the Request Product button takes users to a Google Form where they enter the name of the product they want to check out and the location they would like the product delivered. The Google Form is set to notify the person in charge of sending out the equipment. This Awesome Table is embedded into a staff Google Site where anyone can request the equipment.

You can find a copy of the Google Sheet and template used to create the searchable Awesome Table at this link.

Once you make a copy of that template, you will want to change the information that is on Sheet named Apps as pictured below. This template was edited from the Awesome Table sample titled “Remote Equipment Catalog”. You can look that one up in Awesome Table if you want to see another example.

Awesome Table Instructions

Step by step instructions for creating the Sheet to use in Awesome Table and embedding it into a Google Site (or any site) are listed below.

Awesome Table Step 1: Use the Awesome Table Template

Access the Template: Make a copy of the Awesome Table template in Google Sheets using this link.

Awesome Table Step 2: Customize Your Sheet

On the Apps sheet

• Put your own inventory items into the Title column
• Add descriptions for the items in the Description column
• Add a link to an image of the item in the Img column
• Add a link to the Google Form that you’ll use to have people request the item in the column labeled Link. Here is a sample Google Form for requesting equipment.
• If you have categories for your AT items, add them to the “AT Checklist Category column
• There’s no need to customize any of the other columns on the Apps Sheet

Awesome Table Step 3: Link Your Google Sheet to Awesome Table

1. Open Awesome Table:Visit the Awesome Table website and sign in with your Google account.
2. Create a New App: Click on New App and select Google Sheets as your data source.
3. Authorize Access: Grant Awesome Table access to your Google Drive when prompted.
4. Select Your Sheet:
   • Choose the sheet you copied earlier.
   • Select the tab with your inventory information as the data source (in this case the Apps Sheet)
5. Adjust Permissions: Ensure the Google Sheet is shared with “Anyone with the link” or the appropriate audience to allow Awesome Table to access it.
6. Customize the View: (optional) Use the Awesome Table interface to design how your product list is displayed.

Awesome Table Step 4: Share Your Checkout System

Publish Your App: Share the Awesome Table link with customers or embed it on your website.

Google Looker Studio Instructions

Looker Studio Step 1: Customize Google Sheet Template as a Starting Point

1. Access and Copy the Template: Use the same template link as above.
2. Set Up Your Data: Customize the Apps Sheet:
   • Add your inventory items to the Title column.
   • Include descriptions in the Description column.
   • Add image URLs in the Img column.
   • Link to the Google Form for requesting items in the Link column.
   • Add categories for your items in the AT Checklist Category column if needed.

Looker Studio Step 2: Link Google Sheets to Looker Studio

1. Open Looker Studio: Go to Google Looker Studio.
2. Create a New Report:
   • Click Create > Report.
   • Select Google Sheets as your data source and choose your copied template.
3. Set Up Data Sources: Use the Apps Sheet for displaying your inventory.

Looker Studio Step 3: Design the Dashboard

1. Create a Product List View: Add a table visualization to list inventory items with columns for Title, Description, and Category.
2. Embed Checkout Information:
   • Include a button or link to redirect users to the Google Form for placing requests.
   • Use Looker Studio’s “URL” field to hyperlink directly to the form.
3. Visualize Inventory Metrics: Add charts or tables to display metrics such as item availability or request trends.

Looker Studio Step 4: Share Your Dashboard

1. Publish Your Report: Click Share > Publish Report and share the public link.
2. Embed on Your Website: Copy the embed code and add it to your website for easy access.

---

Key Differences Between Awesome Table and Looker Studio

• Awesome Table is better for showcasing a visually appealing product catalog.
• Looker Studio is ideal for creating detailed analytics and reports.

Conclusion

With these tools, you can build a functional and scalable online checkout system using only Google Sheets. Whether you choose Awesome Table or Looker Studio depends on your specific needs—presentation or data visualization. Also, keep in mind, after 500 views, you will have to pay to continue using Awesome Table. Try both approaches to see which works best for you!