Tracking the value of your board game collection using asset tracking software

Published on December 19, 2019 • 3 min read

itemit is a bit of a dark horse. It helps countless businesses to track their IT assets, tools and equipment. However, due to its flexibility and fantastic features, itemit is also helping board game collectors to know the value of their board game collection, to see where board games are stored and gather feedback from peers on each game.

Here's a tale about our Lead Server Developer and how he not only builds and monitors the itemit asset tracking software but how he uses it too!

A bit about our board game collector

Lewis is the Lead Server Developer here at itemit. He joined us nearly four years ago and started working on itemit ahead of its launch in 2017. Now, he's considered a staple of the itemit team and helps to drive forward innovation and cutting edge technologies to help track the world's assets.

Lewis first started collecting board games when he was just seven years old. Now, not only has he continued to collect but he's also designing systems that help him track his collection! 

"I might not be the most impartial person to ask, but I am very proud of my board game collection, and itemit lets me know where everything is and what condition it's in - as well as making sure things don't get lost when I take them to gaming sessions!"

~ Lewis

What board games is itemit tracking?

Lewis' collection is made up of over 65 board games. Some of the most notable are:

• Codenames
• Exploding Kittens
• Pandemic
• Love Letter (an office staple for its quick set up and ease of onboarding new players)
• Blood Rage
• Five Tribes
• One Night Ultimate Werewolf (watch out playing this one in public places!)

How is the itemit asset tracking software used to track board games?

When it comes to assets, itemit already helps with construction equipment tracking, and it helps all kinds of businesses to track their IT assets. To us, an asset is anything that adds value to you. For our board game collectors, assets = board games.

So, how exactly does itemit track these games? Each game is tagged with a QR code asset tag. When scanned using the itemit app, these tags display each board game's digital profile. The digital profile can contain whatever data you like. Our board game collector has chosen to include these critical pieces of information that are critical for tracking the value of your board game collection:

• Board game name
• Purchase date
• Purchase location
• Purchase Price
• Photo of each board game
• Contact details to allow for the safe return of any lost board game (we'll come back to this later)

What's more, is that the itemit asset tracking software offers additional unique features that allow you to modernise the way you monitor your board game collection - and of course, it involves using an app.

Share your games with your pals

Uniquely, itemit gives you complete freedom to share your high-value collection with your friends, family, colleagues and members of your gaming groups. Choose to share only some games or share the whole lot to really show off. Either way, you'll need asset tracking software with this kind of freedom to really get the most out of it.

Log things you know you'll want to know in future

You've felt the heartbreak, one component of the board game has been lost, you blame Steve that night at the pub, but regardless, it has gone. Naturally, you can't get rid of the game; it must remain a trusted and key member of the collection. Play may be limited, or you may be able to recreate the missing piece and continue, either way, you can log in itemit the game's weakness so that in future you don't get fully set up only to realise a crucial piece is missing. 

Variety is the spice of life. If you feel as though you always play your same favourite go-to games - you and your gang know the setup and rules off by heart - it's easy. But is easy enough? Log the date you last played each game in itemit and the asset tracking software will let you see which games haven't been played in months, or even years! This way, each game in your collection can have its time to shine.

Categorise your games

Use the itemit collection builder to categorise your assets by type, creator, skills, difficulty level, number of players, and see at a glance which games can be played by your current group size.

Loan out games to trusted fellow enthusiasts

One of the many beauties of board games is sharing your passion with others. Let your trusted companions borrow your board games by booking them in advance. You'll have zero stress when it comes to managing where all your board games are, as the itemit asset tracking software will show you at a glance who has each game and where it is.

Easily see what you have - and let your wife/husband see too!

Now, we know that if push came to shove, you could probably name every game in your collection, but as this grows, there may be some that you forget about (*sob*). If you log your board game collection using asset tracking software, you'll never need to worry. Not only can you refresh your memory, but you can share your collection with your wife or husband so that if they are thinking of buying you a new game for that special occasion, they can be confident in no duplicates!

Log the location of your board games - particularly those that travel with you

If like our board game enthusiast your board games make it to the office, as well as various gaming groups, then you should log the location of each game to ensure you know where your games are and that they're safe. Log them as being at home, in the office or at your parents (in preparation for a Christmas gaming sesh!

How can lost board games be returned to me?

We told you we'd come back to this! itemit offers a unique feature. It's called public profiles, and it allows you to enable the ability for ANYONE who comes across one of your board games to scan its tag, see a minimal asset profile and contact you to arrange for safe return if it's gotten lost.

In addition, if you're a keen gamer and attend social board game evenings, you'll be all too familiar with how easy it is for board games to get mixed up. We understand. You want to take home your own board games. They may have been soaked by fruit cider at the team Christmas party, and they may have seen MUCH better days, but they're yours.

With the itemit asset tracking software, your assets are tagged with QR code asset tags, which instantly make them easily identifiable.

At itemit, we believe life is about recognising what we have, being grateful for it every day and sharing our passions with those around us. Bring a little extra joy to your day. If you need a pick me up, take a quick look at your collection stored on your phone and marvel at what you have achieved so far.