Physical assets, in the sense used here, are those assets or items of monetary value that have physical form and presence. Unlike monetary assets, which may be instruments such as cash, bonds, stocks, or virtual investments, physical assets are tangible, touchable, and generally definitive. Examples are artwork, office furniture, maintenance tools, utility carts and service tools. They can also be fleet vehicles, contractor emergency generators, or yellow cone lane markers…..to name a few. They don’t have to belong only to businesses, but can also belong to social groups, volunteer organizations, or citizen services agencies.
As many groups, businesses, or organizations have physical assets, there are probably equally as many ways to account for these assets. However, one method stands out as optimum – Software. Software is the optimum method to track physical assets for many reasons; but, key rationales are that it can be the simplest, most accountable and cost-effective method.
Whether a physical asset has a part number etched into it, has a barcode label adhered to it, has an RFID tag embedded in it, or simply has a number written on it in permanent black marker, it still needs to be documented and monitored. It’s very difficult to keep track, manually, of this kind of data. It’s even more difficult to analyze and distribute the data to those who may need it. Software offers the best way to gather, analyze and distribute data – and applying this solution to tracking physical assets is not a stretch.
Keep these simple points in mind when considering Software to Track Physical Assets::
• What – What physical assets or items need to be tracked? Animal, mineral, vegetable?
• Why – Why do they need to be tracked? Is it for inventory management purposes? Is it for the purposes of depreciation, accountability, tax accounting? Is it to manage and maintain the condition (tools, fleet vehicles, computer equipment) of the asset?
• How – How to you intend to manage the physical asset tracking project? How is it to be implemented? How many people will be involved? How it is to be paid for? How are the physical assets to be tagged - or are they to be barcode labeled?
• Who – Who is going to be responsible for the project? Who is going to be involved? Who is going to be interested? Who is the information going to be dispersed to?
• When - When is the asset tracking plan to be implemented? When is its estimated completion date? When is each step of the process, from tagging or barcode labeling the physical assets to providing reports to the appropriate departments or persons to be in place?
• With What Tools - With what tools do you intend to implement the process? With what hardware (pencil & paper, barcode hardware, barcode printers, barcode scanners)? With what software (typical spreadsheet software, specialized barcode software)?
• We - At GigaTrak Barcode Solutions, specialize in tracking assets of all kinds. We have a complete suite of Barcode Software Products and Barcode Hardware Solutions to track just about anything – from fixed assets to roaming buffalo. We have the expertise to discuss and offer options to solve your asset tracking problems. Barcode Asset Tracking and Inventory Management Software products – beginning $495. Contact us @ www.gigatrak.com . It can take as little as 30 minutes for us to show you how quickly a physical asset tracking solution can be implemented.