Barcode asset management and GPS asset tracking provide you with different functionality when it comes to monitoring your assets. Both have some very effective ways to manage your tools and equipment.
Which is better? Find out how to use GPS asset tracking and general asset tagging and see where the similarities and differences are.
Barcode Asset Management
Barcode asset management is the process of tagging your assets with physical asset tags to link them to digital asset profiles. In other words, you'll log a laptop on your asset register and then link this laptop with a physical barcode.
This way, every time you scan the asset's barcode with your asset tracking app, a few things will happen.
- The asset's digital profile will open, ready for edits
- The asset's last seen location will update
- The user who scanned the asset will update
Overall, this gives you a full audit trail of where your assets have been and who has been interacting with them. The ability to open an asset's profile to report issues and changes also streamlines your operations, meaning you'll be able to mark any changes at speed, accurately, and with ease.
GPS Asset Tracking
GPS asset tracking works a bit differently. Barcode asset management uses close interaction with assets to log asset changes and updates. In other words, there will be a manual process where you handle the asset and scan the asset's tag to log or update a change.
GPS asset tracking, however, doesn't require any manual or physical interaction. Instead, your GPS trackers will automatically update asset movements.
GPS trackers will be set to ping your asset management software at certain intervals, automatically updating the location. This is incredibly helpful for high-value assets or assets that frequently move.
You can also set up geofencing and tamper alerts with GPS tracking, meaning you have a strong theft deterrent and the ability to retrieve an asset should theft occur.
