Asset tags and stock labels: a simple system that works

4 minute read · updated 2026-11-10

Asset tags turn "where is the projector?" into a quick scan. A school can track its laptops, a workshop its tools, a small shop its stock, a club its kit. You don't need special software to start: a numbering plan, a batch of labels and a spreadsheet will take you a long way.

Plan the numbers before the labels

The code on a tag is only as useful as the number inside it. A few decisions now save confusion later.

Keep it short. Something like TCS-00142 is easy to read aloud, type and fit on a small label.
Keep meaning out of it. It is tempting to build the room, department or year into the number. But equipment moves, departments merge, and then the label is wrong. Put that information in your spreadsheet instead, next to the number.
Use a prefix if you have several sites or organisations, so tags from different places don't clash.
Pad with zeros (00001 rather than 1) so numbers sort properly in a spreadsheet and all labels look the same.
Never reuse a number, even when an item is thrown away. Mark it as retired.

Which code to use

Three kinds cover almost every asset-tag job.

Code 128 is a linear barcode that holds letters, numbers and symbols. It is read by every handheld barcode scanner and by many phone apps. It suits long, flat surfaces such as laptop lids, toolboxes and shelf edges.
QR codes are read by any phone camera, so anyone can scan them without special equipment. A QR code can hold just the asset number, or a link to a page about the item, such as its manual or a form to report a fault.
Data Matrix is a small square code that stays readable at a few millimetres across. It suits small items like phones, cables, tools and lab equipment. Many handheld scanners read it, and phone apps do too, though the phone's built-in camera may not.

If you already have scanning equipment or software, check which codes it reads first. If you are starting from scratch, QR codes on most items and Data Matrix on the smallest ones is a practical mix. Our guide to choosing a barcode compares all the types.

Always print the number in text

Put the asset number in plain text on the tag next to the code. When a scanner isn't to hand, or the code is damaged, people can still read it. It also makes labels easier to check when you are putting them on.

A short line such as your organisation's name or "Property of…" helps lost items find their way back.

Making a batch

Making codes one at a time gets slow after the first dozen. Instead:

List the numbers in a spreadsheet, or decide on a running range, such as 00001 to 00250.
Generate all the codes in one go. Codeshed can make a batch from a list, a spreadsheet or running numbers.
Lay them out on a label sheet that matches the labels you buy, so each code lands on its own sticker.
Print one test sheet on plain paper and hold it over a label sheet against the light to check alignment.

Print a few spare labels with the next numbers in the sequence for new equipment, so you aren't printing a single label later.

Choosing labels that last

A paper label on a laptop that goes in and out of a bag every day won't last a term. Match the material to the job.

Indoors, light use: standard matt paper labels from an office printer are fine.
Daily handling: polyester or vinyl labels resist tearing and wiping. Matt finishes are easier to scan than gloss.
Outdoors and workshops: look for weatherproof or laminated labels, and avoid placing tags where they will be scraped.
Theft deterrence: tamper-evident "void" labels leave a mark if peeled off.

Laser printers usually give more durable results than inkjet on labels. Check the label packaging for which printer type it suits.

Where to put the tag

Put tags in the same place on every item of a type, such as the underside of laptops or the right side of monitors, so people know where to look. Choose a flat area that won't be covered by cases, worn by hands or hidden when the item is in use. Avoid curved surfaces for linear barcodes.

Keeping the register

The spreadsheet is the real system; the tags just link to it. For each number, record what the item is, its serial number, where it lives, who has it and when it was bought. When something moves or is lent out, update the row. A simple shared spreadsheet works well for small organisations, and makes it easy to move to dedicated software later if you grow.

Check your tags once a year. Replace damaged ones with the same number, never a new one, so the history stays together.