Spring Break 2017 Is the Right Time for Schools to Implement Asset Tracking

In today’s technological and digital age, schools often provide assets like tablets and computers to students; these make it easier for students to access, research, and complete assignments, and they also make it easier for teachers to share information with an entire classroom. If your school hasn’t incorporated asset tracking for these valuable items yet, Spring Break is a great opportunity. Here are some tips and tricks for implementing asset tracking in a one-week period.

Benefits of Asset Tracking in Schools

Asset tracking is very important in the school environment, and this is especially true when students are trusted with equipment like tablets and computers. The benefits of QR codes and GPS tracking devices affixed to these assets are numerous.

• Taking inventory becomes simpler; a quick scan will show you how many of an item you have in your store room, and it will even show you how many devices are currently in the possession of students or teachers.
• QR codes can provide you with far more information than traditional barcodes, and you can use smartphones to scan them. With just a quick scan, you can learn everything there is to know about the item, including the date it was purchased, the last time it was inspected or serviced, and the students or teachers who have previously possessed the item.
• GPS tracking codes are vital for protecting against loss and theft. If a student cannot find a piece of equipment, or if a teacher notices equipment missing from a classroom, it’s possible to locate that piece of equipment in real time. This deters theft and assists in the retrieval of lost or stolen equipment.

Ask Students to Leave Assets Behind 

The odds that a student will be working on a paper or other assignment over Spring Break are slim to none, so this means you can ask students to leave their computers, tablets, calculators, and other school assets behind. If possible, ask teachers to avoid assigning any work that would require the use of these items over Spring Break, as well. This will give you access to your entire inventory, which allows you to get an accurate count and add the appropriate tracking codes and labels.

Get Everyone Involved

For the most part, asset tracking with QR codes, GPS devices, and smartphones is relatively simple. Just download the app, associate serial numbers with the QR codes, and enter in any vital information about that piece of equipment or asset. That’s really all it takes; once the information has been entered, you can retrieve it for review or modification at any time with a simple scan. For example, if a student’s computer requires servicing, simply update the last service date in the app before reassigning it.

Schools should utilize asset tracking to save themselves headaches and money, and while there are certainly plenty of options available, QR codes with integrated GPS tracking and smartphone apps make things as simple and effective as possible.