Triage

Triage typically checks functional status (powers on, screen responsive), IMEI status (clean, blacklisted, or locked), MDM status, and a coarse cosmetic assessment to route the device to the appropriate processing track. Accurate triage reduces downstream processing cost by preventing non-viable devices from consuming full diagnostic and grading capacity. For pricing purposes, triage data enables early exclusion of zero-value units from intake pricing models.

Triage speed directly affects overall processing throughput. In high-volume operations, triage is often the first bottleneck because every device must pass through it before entering any other workflow. Automating the most time-consuming triage steps, such as IMEI lookup and MDM detection, reduces per-device triage time and increases the rate at which viable devices progress to full grading and pricing. The faster the triage pipeline, the sooner acquired inventory reaches listable condition and the less depreciation exposure accumulates during processing.

Triage data also provides early-stage intelligence for intake management decisions. If triage reveals that a recently acquired lot contains a higher than expected proportion of MDM-locked or blacklisted devices, the operator can adjust the valuation of the remaining lot before completing payment, renegotiate with the seller if the agreement allows it, or at minimum update margin projections for the batch. Early visibility into non-viable device rates prevents the full cost impact from remaining hidden until after processing is complete.