QR Code Asset Tags You Print Yourself
Published · 8 min read
Asset tags are small labels you stick on the things your team owns, each with a number and a code that says exactly which thing it is. QR code asset tags go one step further: point a phone at one and the asset opens in Hoardo, with where it lives, its serial number and who had it last. This guide covers what goes on a tag, QR codes versus barcodes, how to print your own for free, what to tag first and where the tags should go.
What an asset tag is, and what goes on it
An asset tag turns "the grey laptop" into CREW-00051. Once every asset has its own number, a list can tell two identical monitors apart, a scan can find the right record, and nobody has to guess which drill went out to the job site.
A good asset tag carries three things:
- A number that's never used twice. A short prefix for your organisation and a running number, like CREW-00042.
- Something a phone can read. A QR code or a barcode, so nobody types the number in.
- The thing's name, so people can read it without scanning.
Leave off what changes. Where an asset lives, who has it and when its warranty ends belong in the record behind the code, where they can change without a new label.
QR code asset tags vs barcode asset tags
Both work. The difference is what the code holds.
| QR code | Barcode (Code 128) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it holds | A link to the asset in Hoardo | The tag's number, printed under the bars |
| Read by | Hoardo's scanner and the phone's own camera | Hoardo's scanner and keyboard barcode scanners |
| Space it needs | A small square | A wider strip |
| Best for | Boxes, cupboards and anything you open from the camera | Numbered asset tags people also read by eye |
In Hoardo, a thing with an asset tag prints that tag as a barcode, with its name above the bars and the number under them. Switch off "Items' own barcodes" on the print screen and every label gets a QR code instead, which opens the thing in Hoardo. Boxes and rooms always get a QR code. Hoardo's scanner reads both kinds, so you can mix them. If you're labelling boxes rather than assets, the guide to a barcode inventory system covers that side.
How to print QR code asset tags with Hoardo
- Switch on Barcode / SKU in Settings › Item properties. That's where asset tags live, next to any barcodes a thing already has.
- Pick your prefix under Asset tags: up to eight capitals or digits, like CREW or ACME. Turn on "Tag new things" and every new item gets the next number as it's added.
- Tag what you already have. Tick things and choose "Give asset tags" in the bar at the bottom, or open an asset list and use "Give everything an asset tag" in its menu.
- Print. Pick your label paper: A4 sticker sheets from Avery Zweckform, HERMA or Avery, plain paper you cut up, or a label printer such as a Brother QL, a DYMO LabelWriter or a Niimbot.
- Stick them on. Printed things are marked as labelled, so next time "Only what has no label yet" leaves them out.
Tag numbers that count up
Hoardo counts up across all your rooms, so no two of your things share a number. Tags look like your prefix, a dash and five digits: CREW-00001, CREW-00002 and on. Already have tags from an old spreadsheet? Keep them as they are and set "Next number" in Settings above your highest one, and the new ones carry on from there.
QR code asset tracking: scan it, see it
Asset tracking with QR codes is mostly one habit: scan before you guess. Open Search, tap Scan and point the phone at a tag. Hoardo opens the thing in the box it lives in: its serial number, model and status, and its History, with every check-out, move and change and who made it.
The phone's own camera reads the QR codes too, and the link opens the thing in Hoardo once you're signed in. An asset tracking QR code from Hoardo never shows anything to someone who isn't in your rooms: there's no public page behind it.
Already have barcodes on your equipment, like the maker's EAN or a supplier's code? Keep them. An item can hold several codes next to its asset tag, and scanning any of them finds it. Bluetooth and USB barcode scanners that type like a keyboard work in Search too.
What to tag first
Start with what's expensive, what moves and what people share. That's where a tag pays for itself the first week.
- Laptops, monitors, tablets and phones. Serial numbers are long and look alike: the tag is the short name people use.
- AV and camera gear. Projectors, microphones, lenses, the event kit.
- Shared kit. Anything that lives in one place and gets borrowed: ladders, test meters, the good extension reel.
- Boxes and cupboards. A QR label on the outside opens the list of what's inside.
Tool tracking tags
Tools are where tags work hardest. They leave the shelf every morning, sit in three vans by Friday and look exactly like the colleague's. Give every drill, saw and laser level a tool tag and every case a QR label, and a scan at the end of the day says what came back. The tool tracking app guide covers vans, job sites and cases as boxes.
Where to stick asset tags, and which material
Put the tag where it's easy to scan and hard to rub off:
- Laptops and tablets: on the bottom, or inside the lid by the hinge, on a clean flat spot away from vents.
- Monitors and projectors: on the back or the base, not on a surface that gets hot.
- Tools: on a flat part of the body, away from the grip, the battery and the chuck.
- Cases and boxes: on the end that faces you on the shelf.
For anything indoors, standard paper sticker sheets are fine. For tools, vans and outdoor gear, use polyester or vinyl labels, or put a strip of clear tape over a paper one. Wipe the surface first. Hoardo doesn't sell labels or printers: you use the sheets and printer you have.
Size matters less than you'd think. A QR code reads well at around 2 cm square. A barcode tag needs a little more width: labels of 50 × 30 mm or 54 × 25 mm suit laptops and tools, and 70 × 37 mm sheets leave room for longer names.
Lend tagged things out
Tags make lending quick. Put the things people take on an asset list, scan a tag and Hoardo opens the check-out for it: type or pick who takes it, set a back-by day and a reminder before it's due. Late things turn red, and scanning the tag again checks it back in. The page on equipment checkout has the whole routine.
Free, every feature included
Hoardo is 100% free, with no paid plan: asset tags, labels, scanning, asset lists and sharing with your team are all included. It runs in the browser on any phone or computer. For the bigger picture, see asset management software, or start from the free asset register template if your assets are still in a spreadsheet.
Questions about asset tags
What is an asset tag?
A label on something your organisation owns, with a number nobody else has and a code to scan, so every asset can be told apart and looked up. In Hoardo, tags look like CREW-00042 and sit with the thing's other barcodes.
What should an asset tag include?
A unique number, a QR code or barcode, and the thing's name. Keep details that change, like where it lives and who has it, in the record behind the code rather than on the label.
Are QR code asset tags better than barcodes?
QR codes fit in a small square and open the asset from any phone camera. Barcodes show the number in a strip and work with keyboard barcode scanners. Hoardo prints and reads both: tagged things get a barcode label, and switching off "Items' own barcodes" gives every label a QR code.
Can I print asset tags for free?
Yes. Hoardo is free and prints asset tags on A4 sticker sheets, plain paper or a label printer such as a Brother QL, DYMO LabelWriter or Niimbot. You only pay for the labels.
What size should asset tags be?
Labels of about 50 × 30 mm suit laptops, monitors and tools, and a QR code on its own reads well at about 2 cm square. Hoardo lays each label out for the paper or printer you pick.
Can I scan asset tags with my phone?
Yes. Hoardo's scanner reads QR codes and barcodes with your phone's camera and opens the thing. The phone's own camera reads the QR codes too, and the link opens Hoardo once you're signed in.
Can I keep the barcodes already on my equipment?
Yes. An item can keep several codes, like the maker's barcode and your asset tag, and scanning any of them finds it.