| October 2022 |.
Tracking tools and assets can be difficult. However, it is an important key factor for any business. Especially in industries such as facilities and rental. Or in construction, where dozens if not hundreds of machines and tools are in use. Having a clear, quick-access overview of the current status of assets deployed at different job sites is indispensable for smooth business operations. Here we explain what tool management is and why it is critical to your business.
Excel or other basic spreadsheets are simply no longer sufficient for modern business operations. For (tracking) assets such as vehicles, tools and machines, digital management is the only right choice if you want to stay competitive. Tool maintenance software refers to a management application in which you can track your assets on desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
An automated maintenance management system optimizes a number of tasks that previously had to be followed up manually, such as:
- The daily management of tools at job sites
- theft protection
- locating at job sites
- identifying the user
- monitoring operational work hours
- tool maintenance, with automatic reminders and status inspection of tools
The smart management of maintenance with quick visibility into the performance status of tools ensures efficient procurement, and higher ROI. A well-functioning tool management system can make a big difference by ensuring that preventive tasks are completed on time, work orders are handled efficiently, maintenance costs are kept low, and companies know where their assets are and if they are being used. The software can also help support strategic business decisions.
The best tool management software helps you manage your inventory of tools and machines because you can track essential factors: the location of assets across jobsites, maintenance data, tool costs, user rights, timekeeping, and check-out and return dates. High-quality tool management solutions like CHECK.connects from All-Connects also come with analysis and reporting features that help you make solid decisions about asset needs and future tool purchases, plus security features that help prevent tool loss.
Therefore, keep track of your equipment and track tool maintenance with modern software. Know where it is and who is currently using it. Centralized tool management solutions optimize usage, allowing companies to deploy their assets when and where they are needed, and quickly reassign work tools as needed. Now it's your turn to choose the best tool maintenance software for your business.
You can easily register tools in the management app and assign them to users. You can create job locations and link tools to specific locations through the app. Want to make it even easier for everyone to use? Then put a QR code sticker on the tools so that everyone (according to user privileges) can request manuals and certificates, and report reports about a defect.
How often does it happen that tools are inadvertently lost or out of sight because they are passed on a job site to another worker without notifying the tool manager? Through the CHECK.connects app, the worker who lent the tool can check back in after which the colleage can check out the same tool. The colleague in question can digitally sign the move, which then puts the tool directly in his name.
If you want tools to always remain in good operational condition, it is useful to have up-to-date status information. Through the CHECK.connects app, employees receive a request to perform a visual inspection based on a checklist. For visual inspections, Centix has many standard checklists available. Easily and quickly the questions can be checked off. Before sending, the user can add a note and/or take a picture for visual inspection.
Certain tools and machines are subject to inspection requirements. A labor-intensive task for the tool manager to keep an overview so that no deadlines are missed. This is why CHECK.connects provides the option of automatically setting an alert for each tool, and new inspection documents and certificates can be uploaded so that they are always quickly accessible.
In summary, the benefits of digital tool management
- Knowing exactly how and by whom your tools are being used
- Knowing exactly which assets are operational, and at which location they are deployed
- Accurate equipment management and maintenance planning
- Prevent tool failures or problems
- Make data-driven decisions about purchasing tools
- Grow your business thanks to optimized operational operation
Tool tracking refers to the method of tracking physical assets (also called assets), either by scanning tags (barcode, QR-NFC) attached to the asset, or by using tags using GPS, BLE, LoRa or RFID that broadcast their location. This location is picked up by receivers (gateways). There are two types of receivers:
1) Gateways placed indoors and outdoors at a physical location (warehouses, parking lots, yard chain, cranes, etc.).
2) Track & trace units built into commercial vehicles and other rolling stock that act as receivers
Asset tracking involves the process of monitoring the value of physical work assets owned by a company, providing crucial details about each asset, such as location, owner/user, maintenance schedule, inspections, etc. Inventory tracking, on the other hand, is associated with accurately tracking items held in stock for sale to customers.
We further explain the technology and operation used in our basic guide to managing your materials, machines and infrastructure. Click here to download the eBook.
CHECK.connects is ideal for any company that needs to track tool and equipment inventory as it moves back and forth between remote users at job sites such as construction companies, rental companies, facility service companies, gardening contractors, ... Want to learn more about applications in your industry? Take a look at our product site my-equipment-tracking.be/en/case-studies.
Have this blog answered your questions about tool management, and would you like to know more about the cost or spar with us about the right application for your company? Then contact us directly by phone 03 289 55 35 or click here to ask for more info or book a consultation.
Also read our other blogs on tool and material management:
After reading this blog, are you curious about which tracking and digital solutions All-Connects offers? Ask us your question and we will answer you as soon as possible.
