Track School Assets with Barcode
Tracking fixed assets for schools may seem like a daunting task, but, it’s really a controlled process. School assets – desks, tables, lab equipment, tools for the home economics department, band instruments, and trampolines for the physical education department….and the list can go on - are provided for by monies, both private and public. However, no matter what the funding source is for a school’s fixed assets, the school is still responsible for their use. And, it’s difficult to step up to the challenge that tracking these assets presents without a good asset tracking solution in place.
Assets can be tracked and monitored in a variety of ways – some difficult, some simple. Which would you think is the preferable way? I know my time is limited and valuable, and I don’t want to waste it on difficult solutions that don’t yield results that are any better, or even perhaps less so, than simple solutions. Then, there’s the bonus of a simple asset tracking solution – once it’s in place anyone can do it. That means I can take a much deserved vacation.
The simplest, most effective way to track assets is to use barcode. A solid barcode solution – comprised of barcode software, barcode labels, a barcode scanner (perhaps a few of these), and maybe a barcode printer (pre-printed barcode labels are readily available) – is a school’s best edge when implementing an asset tracking solution.
It’s a simple process, with a few important steps:
• Pick the most likely candidate on staff and put her or him in control of the Asset Tracking Project - It needs to be someone with the talent to grasp a solid understanding of the asset tracking barcode software, the use of barcode hardware (this can be very simple, if the right hardware is chosen), and the overall process of inventory management control. It also helps if it’s someone who can negotiate staff buy-in to the barcode project.
• Try to get a buy-in from everyone who will be involved in the asset tracking barcode solution – It’s been said that it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission. Well, it’s also easier to get cooperation from users who are onboard and understand the need for an asset tracking solution, than it is to coerce a group that’s been dragged to the project without any input. Not every one is going to be thrilled, but most will understand that it's necessary that all users be ultimately responsible for the assets assigned to them, if it’s presented in a way that ensures it will also benefit all of them. A good barcode software with make sure everyone knows where assets are when they’re needed – saving precious time hunting down the projector that’s needed 5 minutes from now.
• Do a bit of investigation – the Web makes it simple – and review more than one asset tracking barcode solution from more than one vendor – It sounds like a simple concept, but there are a variety of barcode software options on the market, and not all are created equal. Not all provide the same features. Some even provide many features that do little more than add unnecessary cost to the product. The best barcode software for asset tracking is one that provides all the necessary information - cost basis, where is it, who is it assigned to, how has it been used, and what condition is it in. The product also needs to provide for user access security and generation of all necessary reports.
• Decide how assets are to be identified - RFID is an industry buzzword, and there are circumstances where it is definitely applicable. However, RFID can also be costly and intense to implement. Barcode labels, on the other hand, come in a variety of options – from media to adhesives – and are fairly straightforward and cost-effective to implement.
• Know what needs to be done with the data - Asset Tracking and Inventory Management software solutions are designed to allow for collecting data in an efficient, accurate and cost effective manner. Any decent asset tracking software application will provide for the basic information on all assets. A great asset tracking application is also going to make it very easy for everyone involved to use the system, as well as obtain timely information and fast reports.
At GigaTrak Barcode Solutions, we develop and market GREAT Asset Tracking and Inventory Management Software solutions! The GT Team has decades of experience in the field of automated data collection (ADC) and barcode hardware. We understand processes – whether they’re industrial, governmental, educational, recreational (we’ve tracked city buses for the Parks and Recreation Department of a very large metropolis), or the locally owned jewelry store. Asset Tracking and Inventory Management can be separate processes, or they can go hand in hand. Take the time to contact us today @
www.gigatrak.com and we’ll be thrilled to discuss your barcode tracking options with you. Or, simply request an online webinar, or to download a demonstration version of the software so you can see firsthand how simply effective it can be.
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