Comparing EZOfficeInventory, GoCodes, and Asset Panda Systems for Asset Tracking

Digital asset management and tracking tools help to save significant amounts of time and costs. Fortunately, there are dozens of advanced asset tracking solutions available to businesses or organizations of different sizes today. These systems have the following main components:

1. Tags: A modern asset tracking system includes tags (labels) that carry equipment information. Examples are QR codes and RFID tags.
2. Software/App: A vendor may provide a cloud-based or on-premise app for asset management.
3. Database: In a cloud-based system, a cloud-hosted server stores asset data. However, some asset tracking products utilize an on-premise database.
4. Scanners: These are usually barcode, QR code, or RFID label readers. Most advanced asset tracking systems incorporate Android or iOS apps to read equipment ID tags.

Nonetheless, asset tracking systems from different vendors differ in essential features and capabilities. For example, some solutions provide real-time visibility into assets, enterprise-wide, while others do not. Also, location or GPS tracking may not be available in some systems.

In this article, we review three asset tracking solutions, namely GoCodes, EZOfficeInventory, and Asset Panda.

GoCodes

GoCodes is an asset tracking solution that uses QR codes to track physical assets. GoCodes stores all your data in the cloud, and it provides a web-portal from which users can access asset information on demand. It requires no software download or on-premise installation to work. The system is easy to set up, making it an ideal choice for small to medium-size organizations that wish to get started on asset tracking right away.

Also, GoCodes supports GPS/geolocation tracking with mobile QR code scanning devices like smartphones and tablets. With its patented anti-theft technology, GoCodes enables the monitoring and recovery of lost or stolen items. Educational institutions like schools can use the system’s tamper-proof labels with owner information to prevent the permanent loss of mission-critical assets.

Besides indicating the current location of each asset, GoCodes’s QR code labels can provide custom details specific to tagged assets. Also, the app lets you customize fields on your screen to display the required information on assets.

Key GoCodes features include:

• Comprehensive change history reports: The app tracks changes to information about each asset. It records the user who made the changes, the date and time of the changes, and the GPS location of the item. You can quickly generate a comprehensive change history report for each asset.
• Custom data fields: You can customize the software to suit your unique asset tracking requirements. For example, you may add data fields to display asset details such as sub-type, model, last service date, status, and date of purchase. You may also configure the system to show service notes and warranty terms.
• Depreciation schedule: The system enables you to track the value of each asset over its useful life. It supports depreciation calculations and scheduling.
• Asset groups: GoCodes lets you organize your assets into groups to streamline their management. For example, you can view data on items in a particular category at once.
• User roles: GoCodes provides for four roles, namely group administrator, asset manager, asset assignor, and read-only access. Role-based access helps to reinforce accountability and system security.
• GPS tracking: The software utilizes QR codes and smartphones to automate GPS asset tracking. Scanning an item records its current geographical location automatically. So, from anywhere, you can access your GoCodes cloud-based portal and confirm current asset locations.
• Service schedules: GoCodes lets users schedule service tasks and appointments. The app will then send email and text message notifications to the relevant personnel each time a scheduled service is due.
• Inventory Auditing: By scanning the QR code tags on each asset, you can tell the size of your inventory at any point in time.
• Low stock notifications: You can configure EZOfficeInventory to automatically notify you once the stock level of an asset falls below a specific amount. The feature enables you to replenish inventories on time.
• Field service requests: GoCodes lets customers send service requests automatically by scanning QR codes. Such requests come in the form of email or text messages, and they highlight the relevant customer concerns. The function may be useful to companies that lease out equipment. Personnel may also use this feature to call in field-service requests when working offsite.
• Secure asset ID: GoCodes employs patented identification technology to assign a globally-unique ID to each asset. Additionally, GoCodes’ polyester labels and metal tags stick permanently and securely to assets.
• REST/JSON API integrations: Developers can use GoCodes’ REST/JSON API to integrate the asset tracking tool with existing software. This feature helps to import/export data, such as when an organization wants to use its current fixed-asset data.

EZOfficeInventory

EZOfficeInventory is a web-based asset management solution. It’s ideal for tracking the complete asset lifecycle from different locations. The system supports barcode, RFID, and QR codes tagging. It works with a variety of devices, including smartphones and tablets.

The broad-based and sophisticated multi-industry software supports applications like equipment maintenance, tool tracking, and fixed and mobile asset tracking. It’s suitable for industries such as healthcare, nonprofits, public works, IT, and education.

EZOfficeInventory’s distinctive features include:

• Compliance management: The solution provides a way to track assets for compliance purposes. It achieves this by assigning a specific status or action on each asset. The software may interest organizations looking to address GDPR data protection standards in their asset management practices.
• Availability management: EZOfficeInventory includes an availability calendar to help users see what items are available for use or checkout. This feature can be useful to organizations that lease out equipment. It essentially streamlines reservations and checkout.
• Maintenance: The application streamlines maintenance workflows to optimize asset availability. For example, users can add notes, dates, and costs to service tickets to help manage recurring maintenance services. With automatic alerts, relevant personnel can quickly check the status of each asset at any point within the service cycle.
• Categorization: EZOfficeInventory lets organizations quickly classify and organize items in their inventories. For example, you may group assets by type, such as laptops. It’s also possible to categorize items based on location, which helps to track assets in multiple locations. The feature makes it a lot easier to get real-time information on any particular class of assets.
• Activity tracking: With EZOfficeInventory, you can easily capture and access insights into the usage and maintenance of your equipment. The feature enables you to make correct and timely decisions on matters such as asset retirement, purchases, and budget allocations. For instance, personnel can add details each time they utilize or service an asset. Similarly, procurement staff can log asset requests, process the requests, and then acknowledge the receipt of the requested items.
• Shared/delegated responsibility: The application makes it easy to share asset management tasks between employees and their supervisors. For example, personnel can track assets through checkout and check-in functions as system administrators track activity newsfeeds. Supervisors can follow the status of each asset in real time, enabling them to intervene only when necessary.
• Low stock notifications: You can configure EZOfficeInventory to automatically notify you once the stock level of an asset falls below a specific amount. The feature enables you to replenish inventories on time. For example, if you set the low stock notification threshold to “20” for a particular asset, the app would send an alert once the total stock quantity reached “19.” Likewise, you can apply a location stock threshold to receive an alert each time the amount of inventory for a particular warehouse, site, or location drops beyond a preset level.
• Access control: To enhance accountability and transparency, EZOfficeInventory supports different types of user roles (admin, supervisor, and staff user). For example, organizations can create user listings with permission to only view specific categories of items. It’s also possible to restrict access to asset data based on the user’s department or the asset’s geographical location.
• Third-party app integrations: EZOfficeInventory supports integrations with third-party apps such as cloud-based file-sharing platforms and security/identity management systems. Developers can use REST APIs to integrate EZOfficeInventory with other business software.

Asset Panda

Asset Panda is a cloud-based asset tracking and management solution. Besides tracking fixed assets, the application helps to automate workflows in the management of facilities, inventories, and compliance. Organizations can customize this highly configurable software to suit their specific needs. The system supports GPS tracking and mobile auditing.

The key features of Asset Panda are:

• High customizability: Asset Panda lets you add custom fields to different types of records, including insurance, assets, and warranty listings. You may configure fields to view assets by criteria such as category. Also, you can personalize data fields for asset location and customize their labels. Other possible custom configurations include setting default values for fields as well as automating the change of the status of an asset to reflect actions such as repair or maintenance.
• Photographic and video documentation: Asset Panda allows technicians to scan assets and attach videos, photos, voice remarks, documents, or other relevant details. Staff can capture such documentation remotely via Android or iOS smartphones or other devices. This way, supervisors or administrators can quickly obtain a clearer picture of each scanned item.
• Third-party integrations: Asset Panda supports API and third-party software integration to enhance asset management. It makes it easy to import and work with asset data captured in software like spreadsheets. For instance, you may add assets in bulk by simply importing relevant data from a third-party app. Also, technical staff can use the software’s API to develop integrations for external applications such as human resources or accounting software or cloud-based databases.
• Mobile barcode scanning: This software allows staff to track barcode-tagged assets by decoding their labels via mobile apps. It also lets users add new assets to the system by barcode scanning.
• Maintenance: The cloud-based solution supports maintenance workflows and tasks, such as scheduling. Users can set up notifications to alert personnel when an asset is due for maintenance. The software can also generate timely email notifications for each successful maintenance activity.
• Service history: Asset Panda lets you build a comprehensive service history for all your assets for future audit purposes. This way, you can look up any equipment and see when last it was repaired or serviced. You may even track the cost for each maintenance activity across your organization.
• Compliance: Asset Panda enables enterprises to keep compliant repair and maintenance records. This information can be useful to organizations looking to benefit from regulatory provisions such as the IRS Tangible Property Regulations.
• Replication settings: With Asset Panda, organizations can configure the fields they wish to approve when replicating an item. Companies can use this feature when they do not want to replicate data that’s unique to an asset, such as asset ID or serial numbers.
• Depreciation: You can calculate and monitor straight-line depreciation for your equipment with Asset Panda. The software lets you set the depreciation calculation frequency for any group of assets across your organization. You may then generate reports on depreciable assets at any time.

Comparing GoCodes, EZOfficeInventory and Asset Panda: Final Thoughts

To tag assets, Asset Panda uses barcodes, while EZOfficeInventory and GoCodes can work with RFIDs, QR codes, and barcodes. The three cloud-based systems support geolocation asset tracking and inventory auditing.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use and a single-vendor solution that integrates asset management software, inventory quantity tracking, patented QR code tags, and GPS-enabled mobile tracking, choose GoCodes. This fixed-asset tracking solution is ideal for small and midsize organizations in a variety of industries and operations, including government, health, construction, business, and education. Also, the incorporation of tamper-proof tags suits GoCodes to asset recovery applications and minimization of asset loss/theft. The app has a 4.4-star rating on the Apple App Store and a 4.0 rating on Google Play. Subscription fees start at $300 per year, making GoCodes the cheapest of the three options we’ve reviewed.

On the other hand, EZOfficeInventory is suitable for inventory management, and it offers a host of asset maintenance features. One of its distinctive features is the ability to give staff more control over asset management by delegating responsibilities. It’s ideal for tracking assets across different locations. The cheapest EZOfficeInventory plan costs $685.80 per year (for 250 items, 10 users). The software has a 4.2-star rating on the Apple App Store and a 4.0 rating on Google Play.

However, Asset Panda is an asset tracking and management solution for midsize and large enterprises. It might be what you need to manage a large inventory of tangible assets and to streamline a host of sophisticated warehousing, shipping, and logistics tasks. The software supports a broad range of features and customizations, although it is harder to configure than EZOfficeInventory or GoCodes. Pricing for Asset Panda starts at $1,500 per year depending on the number of items you’re tracking, making it the most expensive of the three options we’ve reviewed. Nonetheless, the asset-based pricing model for all plans offers full access to all software features and unlimited users across your enterprise. Users have given Asset Panda a 3.5-star rating on the Apple App Store. The app has a 3.6-star rating on Google Play.

Would you like to learn more about using patented, tamper-proof QR code labels to build a GPS-enabled, mobile-capable asset tracking tool? Get in touch with us at GoCodes right now!