Make barcode asset tags
Your own numbering, on labels you can stick on the thing itself.
Asset tagging is the classic Code 128 job: every laptop, drill, file box or library book gets a code, the code goes on a label, and the label gets scanned at audit time instead of being read out loud and typed in wrong. Because the codes are yours, nothing has to be registered anywhere. Paste a range of numbers or import your asset register, and print the tags on ordinary label sheets.
How to make barcode asset tags
- 1
Bring in your asset numbers
Paste the list, or import the register as a CSV and pick the column. Codes with letters in them are fine.
- 2
Add a readable caption
Put the department, the year or the item name under the bars so a human can identify it without a scanner.
- 3
Print the tags
Choose a small label sheet, such as 65 to a page, and print at 100 percent. Stick them on and scan one to confirm.
Why a tag beats a sticker with a number on it
Handwritten asset numbers get misread at exactly the wrong moment, during an audit or a handover. A scanned code goes into the system as the code, and the audit takes an afternoon instead of a week.
Frequently asked questions
What should an asset code look like?+
Short, unique and never reused. Something like IT-2026-0184 reads well, sorts sensibly and fits a small label. Code 128 handles letters and dashes without complaint.
Will the labels survive?+
That is a question about the label stock rather than the barcode. For tools and outdoor kit, use polyester or laminated labels; paper labels are fine for files and shelves.
How small can the label be?+
Keep the bars at least a centimetre tall and leave the quiet zone alone. Below that, cheap scanners start to struggle. Print one sheet and test before doing the lot.
Is the asset register uploaded?+
No. It is read and rendered in your browser, so an inventory of every machine in the building stays inside the building.