The best methods for tracking fixed assets

What is fixed asset tracking?

Fixed asset tracking (also known as fixed asset management) is an accounting process that helps business to continually calculate the cost and volume of their fixed assets for a variety of reasons.

Pot pal?

Asking a member of staff if they currently has a specific company “pot pal” is likely to result in something of a blank look.  The problem is that even if you reverse “pot pal” and instead ask them if they have a specific laptop the look is likely to be the same.

In short, what you are looking for doesn’t matter.  If it is missing, denial of all knowledge is the standard response.

The rule is simple: if a laptop goes missing, it is as if it never existed.  Pot pal and laptop may be opposites in spelling but once they have gone, you can be sure no one remembers the item at all. 

As one manager said,

“No one wants to admit that they have taken a couple of laptops and not returned them. So what happens is that they sneak the equipment back into store without admitting it was them – which means we are searching for things that have already been returned.”

This is why more and more business managers are introducing asset tracking. It saves time and money and leads to better utilisation of assets because you are able to better track maintenance and service records as well as other valuable information.


By including a barcode on the asset tag or label, you can easily keep track of all your business assets. And at times when you need to send your assets out of your business premises for repair or other purpose, your asset labels differentiate your assets from other similar assets.

Asset tracking allows a company to track what assets it owns, where each is located, who has it, when it was checked out, when it is due for return, when it is scheduled for maintenance, and the cost and depreciation of each asset.


With a high reputation built over the years on customer satisfaction, Dantech can provide help and advice with your asset marking requirements.  Please call us on 01354 688 488 or visit http://www.idassetlabels.co.uk/ for free and unbiased help and advice.

Asset Protection for Schools

As more schools update their IT equipment with more portable devices and other teaching aids the process of keeping track of all these often expensive items has become extremely important. 

This is quite a challenge in some schools as there can be a clear separation between the staff who utilise the equipment (often the teaching staff) and those who's responsibility (often members of the admin team) it is to keep track of the location, quantity, condition and maintenance status of these items.

Those using school equipment want to be able to find and use the items they need quickly and be sure they are in good working order. Those responsible want to have clear traceability and updated records so they know where these items are and their condition. They can also then quickly address any shortages and damaged/lost equipment issues.

The best solution to meeting the needs of both these groups is to use an asset management system. Each asset is labelled with its own unique number or barcode and school name. The numbering system or barcode can be used to create an inventory, while the label with the school name helps to make the ownership of the item clearly visible.  The inventory can be combined with an asset register, a copy of which may be kept off-site or in a fire-proof safe that is locked each night, to prove ownership.

Taking asset protection seriously

When people can see that equipment is being tracked, there is a strong disincentive for items to be “borrowed” without permission. It is also reassuring to insurers would will need to ask fewer questions and can actually reduce the annual premium. 

Asset Labels - Which Ones to Choose

Asset labels vary depending on the materials used and these range from inexpensive vinyl through to highly durable materials such as aluminium foil and polyesters.  The asset label materials used are important because you don't want your labels to be easily removed.

For asset labels that clearly show any tampering “ultra destructible” asset labels use a material that will break into small pieces if someone attempts to remove it. 

For ultimate strength you can use aluminium or stainless steel asset identification plates with industrial adhesive – these require a tool to be removed!

Why choose Dantech asset labels and plates

Dantech Ltd is an acknowledged supplier for more than 15 years to both industry, government departments and the educational and health sector of security marking products, asset labels and security labels.

With a high reputation built over the years on customer satisfaction Dantech can provide help and advice with your marking requirementscontact Dantech on 01354 688 488 for expert and unbiased help and advice.

Keeping Track of Tablets

When a tablet goes missing, how do you know which is which?

There are two issues relating to the increased use of tablets in the workplace. One is that the rate as which tablet use is increasing and second the number of times these items are mislaid, lost or stolen.

By their nature small and portable equipment can be easily lost or mislaid. In reality only a tiny minority of tablet computers may actually be stolen.

What happens is that a person in the company legitimately is loaned a tablet, but then subsequently this is lost or becomes hard to locate, so the employee borrows another tablet.

Does the company have accurate records of which item has been lost and are sufficient security markings in place for each tablet to aid recovery of the lost item? Should this be a reoccurring situation would you be able to trace the source back to an employee or employees i.e. the same employee losing equipment or different employees are mislaying items.

Problems security marking tablets

Tablets are invariably made of either aluminium or hard plastic with a cured paint to make it hard and scratch-proof. This makes putting identification marks on the tablet computers difficult, because you simply can’t 'etch' anything into aluminium or hard plastics as they do not have a porous surface.

One security marking solution is to use an aluminium trakaplate which, because of the thickness and strong adhesive that they use, are near impossible to remove. In fact, the only way you could get such an identification label off would be to lever it off with a screwdriver – which is extremely hard to do.

An alternative product is ID Silver Mark labels. These security labels are precision cut stencils which can include your company name. The labels are then painted with UV ink to provide a pertinent security marking that lasts even if the label is removed.

If you have tablets or similar objects of value in your organisation investing in quality security marking will ensure you can track, trace and protect these valuable assets.

For free and unbiased help and advice on selecting the best security marking or asset labelling solutions call Dantech on 01354 688 488 or visit www.idmark.com