RFID Rapid Inventory Tracking With Mobile Scanner

Excel, pen and paper based Asset inventory wearing you down?

SmartX HUB Inventory is a simple and complete handheld-based RFID solution that helps speed up the process of inventorying large numbers of assets of any kind, dispersed over multiple areas.

Most organizations are required to perform asset audits periodically. Audits are an essential part of enterprise asset management strategy. Audits are also often required for compliance reasons. As any asset manager would attest, manually performing an audit is expensive, tedious, disruptive and error-prone. Crawling under desks and leaning over equipment while attempting to scan asset barcodes or read off serial numbers is a common sight. For these reasons, audits are not conducted as often as one should.

Yearly audits don’t give a good snapshot of where the assets are located or what their status is. It is for these reasons, traditional asset management databases are woefully out of date. This results in wasteful capital expenditures, regulatory non-compliance and other avoidable inefficiencies.

Traditional fixed assets include furniture and equipment found in the office, laboratory, classroom, or plant; however, an asset is truly anything a company owns and associates a cost and/or value to.

Computers, portable medical devices, and shipping container are more traditional assets and are vital to the success of their respective organizations.

Asset Management

Tracking and managing fixed assets at every step of their respective lifecycles help reduce theft, loss, and waste and maximize investment.

Beyond just asset tracking, asset management traces the complete lifecycle of fixed assets— from the time they’re acquired to their replacement and everything in between.

Throughout a fixed asset’s useful life, it’s likely to change hands, require maintenance and repair, and perhaps a few updates along the way. The asset will also depreciate, a process that must be reported for accounting and tax purposes.

But asset management includes more than this. At its inception, asset management was thought of purely in terms of locating, identifying, and controlling fixed assets.

Today, asset management includes all the following functions:
- Property Control and Fixed Asset Accounting
- Maintenance Management
- Security Control
- Service Management
- Warehouse/Distribution Center – Inventory Control
- Manufacturing/Work-in-Process
- Warranty Control
- Calibration Maintenance
- Tool Control
- IT Asset Tracking
- Rental Inventory

A robust asset tracking system plays a vital role in providing accurate information in various areas on which to base important company decisions.

RFID for rapid inventorying of assets

RFID unlike barcode does not need line of sight while scanning. Additionally, multiple RFID tags can be scanned at the same time, which results in huge productivity gains. These features make RFID advantageous for use in rapid inventorying, especially when the task needs to be performed more often and where automation of the process is desired.

An RFID solution can help provide a much more up-to-date view of asset locations than is possible with manual inventory or with barcode.

SmartX HUB RFID inventory management solution can help speed up the process of inventorying all your physical assets and help keep information about the assets updated in a comprehensive system such that reports can be generated and accessed from any web browser.

Benefits of an Automated Asset Tracking System

An asset tracking system allows you to document, track and manage all the assets the company holds and uses regularly.

Automating that asset tracking system using barcode and/or radio frequency identification technology takes the system to a whole new level. Companies that have successfully implemented an automated asset tracking program recognize the following benefits.

- Increased efficiency: Eliminating manual labor and busy work makes a big difference when in reducing costs and wasted time.

- Increased accuracy: On average, a person makes a mistake in one out of every 300 characters they write; barcode and/or RFID technology significantly (if not completely) eliminates this possibility.

- Increased productivity: Collecting accurate data in real-time allows for better, more timely decision-making.

All the benefits here either directly or indirectly impact potential cost reductions. In other words, an effective automated asset tracking system will save the company money!

How does it work?

In its most basic configuration, SmartX HUB inventory management solution comes with a variety of passive RFID tags, portable handheld RFID reader and SmartX HUB Server software.

RFID inventory tags affixed on the assets are associated with an asset record in the SmartX HUB application server system where additional information about the asset can be stored. The system is now ready for rapid inventorying.

At inventory time, a portable handheld RFID reader with SmartX HUB Mobile software can be used to quickly scan assets. All the data is collected and wirelessly transmitted to the SmartX HUB Server. SmartX HUB RFID asset tracking software can then be used to generate numerous reports. For example, basic reports can be generated to show moved or missing assets.

Experience Automated and Rapid Tracking with RFID

While using RFID tags to maintain a database of your tools and equipment can deliver a more durable option than barcoding, its main advantages are automation and speed. Using an RFID tracking method helps automate the tool and equipment check-in, check-out process and can reduce the number of personnel you have dedicated to keeping track of inventory.

Also, using an advanced RFID tracking application, such as SmartX HUB, gives you a flexible self-service tool crib that can improve worksite efficiency and give you a one-stop shop for your inventory needs.

RFID tool tracking is becoming more and more popular as RFID tag prices drop and reliability increases. The tags have a number of advantages over bar codes when it comes to tool tracking:

-RFID tags do not need a line of sight so they can be placed inside tools.

-Multiple RFID tags can be read at the same time to speed processing

-The tags are rugged and generally last longer than bar code labels, making them perfect for construction inventory management

However, we also believe that there is a need for both RFID tags and bar code labels, as there are some disadvantages to RFID tool tracking:

-RFID tags are often more expensive than bar code labels, so they’re not always practical for inexpensive items

-They are difficult to read through metal and in liquid environments without special tags

We offer the best of both worlds. SmartX HUB’s asset tracking system provides mobile computers that offer RFID capability and can also read bar codes for ultimate flexibility.

Conclusion

SmartX HUB Solution helps you obtain a more efficient workflow by improving your control over your project, enhancing safety on your Jobsite, reducing equipment downtime, minimizing safety hazards, increasing equipment life expectancy, and reducing repair costs. It provides you with the necessary means to stay on schedule, stay on budget and work consistently to keep your overall project on the right track.

The solutions, like SmartX HUB’s RFID, are fully automated, enabling workers to quickly get and return the assets they require without an asset attendant while still keeping the employee accountable for them.

By automating your processes with SmartX HUB RFID-IoT technology, you can cut daily operational costs by significantly reducing labor and error costs through process automation. SmartX HUB offers a scalable, customizable and simple platform, easily fitting into your unique business process. To make it even easier, SmartX HUB runs on any web browser as well as any Windows, iOS or Android device.

SmartX HUB’s global presence, coupled with its deep industry and business transformation expertise, has proven that the methodologies and experience gained from thousands of worldwide engagements help clients achieve real business results and innovation quickly and cost-effectively.

To get more information on how we can help you overcome the challenges to your construction business or to check out a free demo, contact us.

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Benefits

Accurate Inventory

Maintenance work efficiently

Reducing auditing time

Automatically locate assets

Extend the life of your assets

Enforcing accountability

How can we help you?

Let us know how we can help you solve your business challenges!

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