IT Asset Management is no longer a manual process. As assets become a more valuable part of organizations, their management must maintain accurate inventory and stay on budget. A popular approach is a check-in/check-out system to track assets, like laptops or cellphones. With the main goals of knowing the user and location of the assets, check-in/check-out systems are ideal for equipment that is high in value, pose security risks and constantly changing ownership. It establishes accountability and reduces time to track down assets.

When using barcode scanners with the check-in/check-out, it simplifies the data entry and circulation of the assets. Barcode scanners have many benefits including cost-effectiveness, getting rid of human error and data integrity. Organizations usually avoid barcode systems because their capabilities are unfamiliar. Let’s review four check-in/check-out processes barcode scanners make easier.

1. Checking-Out Many Assets

The check-in/check-out system is able to assign many assets to an individual based on predetermined criteria. A barcode scanner simplifies the process by identifying the exact assets associated with the individual. For example, if a new employee starts working at a company, they are assigned a laptop with a case, a mouse and a keyboard. By doing it manually, the IT technician would enter the codes associated with each asset under the name of the new employee. A barcode scanner scans each asset and assigns them to the new employee, automatically.

2. Proactive Asset Allocation

Along with the check-in/check-out system, a barcode scanner has the ability to automatically suggest the asset location based on the new user’s role, position, or department. For example, Demi from HR needs to borrow a laptop for three days. Based on her department, the check-out workflow suggests asset location Room 305, which is HR’s location. As a result, you always know who has what and where it is. Keeping track of asset location ensures organizations maintain control over their loaning program.

3. Checking-In Borrowed Assets

The checking-in process of loaned assets is important for keeping track of inventory, potential damages to the device and the organization’s asset valuation. Like the check-out process, an employee returns the asset and the check-in/check-out system identifies if the device was assigned to that user. The system offers a storage location based on criteria including user’s position, type of device or size of the device. In this case, the barcode reader has the ability to ensure data integrity and accuracy as well as speed up the process. In an educational setting, many students might need to return borrowed laptops. A barcode scanner can carry out this loaning program with less error and more reliability.

4. Help in Asset Maintenance

Sometimes assets must be taken out of storage for repairs or maintenance. As a result, there are assets that are working, maintained and in storage that waiting to be fixed. Keeping track of their statuses can be hard because of human error. Barcode scanners track the assets, wherever they may be in the process. When a device needs maintenance while a user is borrowing it, the check-in/check-out process issues a replacement device. With the help of a barcode scanner, the process is much more efficient.

The entire check-in/check-out system makes IT Asset Management easy, and barcode readers make it even simpler. Not only do they save time by checking-in many assets at once but they reduce manual labor and human error. They ensure responsibility so there’s no confusion about which user has which device, reducing theft. The system goes one step further and even suggests an asset location, ensuring you maintain control of your assets. Finally, having reliable data that the organization trusts makes maintenance, inventory, and budget requirements that much easier.

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