An effective power tool inventory system maximizes visibility into power tool location, assignments and usage. Leveraging software to keep track of power tools improves efficiency, accuracy and promotes accountability across your team.
What are the Benefits of a Power Tool Inventory System?
Implementing a power tool inventory system ensures you have an organized method of tracking power tools and small equipment across your business. Keeping up with every power tool your team uses can be challenging without real-time visibility.
A lack of power tool visibility is common across industries. Some managers don’t properly track power tool inventory or still track it in spreadsheets, causing inaccurate data and limited insight into how power tools are being used.
Using a web-based power tool inventory system provides a comprehensive view of your power tools. Power tool tracking software allows you to monitor power tool assignments and locations while ensuring your team is accountable when power tools are lost or damaged.
A power tool inventory system can improve your operations by:
- Promoting accountability with power tool checkouts
- Streamlining equipment assignments
- Automating inventory counts
- Creating an audit trail of usage
- Keeping your team in sync with notifications
Let’s take a close look at those features.
1. Promote Accountability With Mobile Power Tool Checkouts
Your team is busy—there’s no question about that. While power tool checkouts keep things organized, paper-based methods may be slowing down your team and hindering productivity.
The best power tool inventory systems allow operators to quickly check-out power tools with a mobile app. Your team can see power tool availability and assign themselves to the power tools they need in seconds.
Instead of expensive, bulky barcode scanners, operators can scan equipment tags, QR codes or Near Field Communication (NFC) tags or stickers with a mobile device. Once a power tool is scanned, operators can view equipment details and availability, assign it to themselves and start their day.
Power tool tracking software doesn’t only increase team productivity. It also provides you with a real-time view of power tool usage and keeps operators accountable for the power tools they use.
2. Assign Equipment to Individual Operators
Some managers prefer to take a hands-on approach to assign equipment and power tools. Creating schedules for equipment assignments allows you to determine power tool usage each week, which can be helpful if you’re concerned about availability.
A web-based power tool inventory system improves the way you manage power tool assignments. Managers can create and edit schedules for power tool assignments in software and inform team members of their assignments via mobile app.
Because your team is widely dispersed, scheduling power tool assignments remotely in power tool tracking software provides clarity to your team to avoid confusion on the jobsite. Assigning equipment also empowers individual operators to keep up with their power tools and properly maintain them.
3. Automate Power Tool Inventory Counts
How many power tools do you have in your inventory? Have that total readily available? How sure are you about that number?
Trying to keep up with inventory counts on paper and spreadsheets often results in inaccuracies and outdated numbers. Using a power tool inventory system enables you to automate equipment counts to keep an accurate, current inventory count.
Power tool management software allows you to store details for your power tools and small equipment to stay organized. Tracking value, status, location and other data in a configurable dashboard ensures you always have eyes on your inventory and can access detailed information when you need it.
Managers can compare physical power tool counts with their current data to ensure all power tools and equipment are accounted for. Power tool management software also makes it easy to update inventory. Managers can quickly edit values or power tool details when they acquire new power tools or dispose of old ones.
4. Create an Audit Trail of Power Tool Usage
What sets a powerful power tool inventory system apart from the rest is comprehensive visibility into both current and past data. Having a complete record of all historical equipment data at your fingertips ensures you have the necessary insight to manage and improve your operation.
Power tool tracking software maintains an audit trail of power tool usage for each of your assets. Managers can monitor power tool data in configurable reports to understand which power tools are most critical. With this information, you can make decisions regarding acquisition, maintenance and scheduling to improve operations.
Your power tool inventory system’s audit trail can also help you locate missing power tools quickly. By keeping equipment assignments up-to-date, you can easily track down who used a power tool last at which jobsite.
5. Receive Real-Time Notifications About Your Power Tools
Effective power tool management isn’t just about tracking inventory. It’s equally important that your power tool inventory system increases productivity and efficiency across your operation.
The best way to ensure efficiency is by enabling collaboration across your team. Power tool management software bridges the gap between field and office with real-time notifications.
Both operators and managers can update equipment status and other important information via computer or mobile device, instantly informing others of updates. While not all software providers offer notifications, Fleetio keeps your team in sync with both email and push notifications.
As a manager, you need to be able to deliver information regarding tasks and other responsibilities immediately. You also need a way to stay informed of issues in the field, like missing or broken power tools that can impact productivity.
With instant notifications in your power tool inventory system, you and your team have all the information you need at your fingertips. Having complete visibility across your operation allows you to monitor productivity, maintain team accountability and make informed business decisions.
Maximize visibility into your power tools and equipment with Fleetio! Start your free trial or request a demo today.
