The importance of preparing an asset inventory
A carefully prepared asset inventory is the basis for accurate, efficient and legally compliant results. Those who plan in a structured way in advance save time and costs and avoid typical sources of error.
Why is preparation important?
Accuracy of the stocktaking: Thorough preparation makes it possible to identify and minimise potential sources of error. This leads to more accurate results that form the basis for well-founded business decisions.
Time and cost savings: Well-prepared inventory teams can do their work more efficiently, which reduces working hours and the associated costs.
Compliance and legal certainty: In many industries, companies are legally obliged to carry out regular inventories. A properly prepared inventory ensures that these legal requirements are met.
How can you prepare?
Documentation and organisation: Start by cleaning up the assets to be inventoried. Especially with several responsible inventory managers, clear documentation makes it easier to identify, allocate, check and label the assets. It can be helpful to create a corresponding asset catalogue. This clearly defines how certain items should be named in the system, e.g. “Notebook Lenovo ThinkPad 19 inch black”. The clearer the specifications, the fewer misunderstandings there will be afterwards.
Training of employees: Make sure that all employees participating in the inventory have the necessary knowledge and skills. We are happy to offer you training on the correct execution of the inventory so that you can increase efficiency and minimise errors.
Alternatively, we are also happy to prepare a quote for the deployment of our experienced inventory teams on site. Request a non-binding quote here.
Use technological support: Modern technologies such as barcode scanners, QR codes and inventory software make the inventory process considerably easier. They enable faster data capture and offer functions for checking and managing your inventory data – read more in our article on the digital asset inventory.
Thanks to our INVENTIRE inventory software, you save yourself the tedious and time-consuming creation of detailed Excel lists of all the assets to be inventoried. Our software can be configured both cloud-based and as an on-premises solution. Your existing inventory is imported directly via an interface, and new assets can be added and edited with ease. In addition, all data can be sorted by categories such as location, value and purpose of use. Because with every inventory, the rule is: a clear allocation makes it easier to identify and check your assets. Find out directly about our software for inventory management and asset inventory here.
Check the working environment: Make sure that the working environment is suitable for carrying out the inventory. Here are some examples: providing a separate room for work preparation, a device trolley for label and RFID printers, sufficient labels, and access permissions for certain areas of your company.
Plan for unforeseen events: Despite careful preparation, unexpected problems can occur during the inventory. Therefore, plan in advance, for example sufficient buffers in time management or keeping replacement hardware on hand.
Conclusion
Thorough preparation not only contributes to the accuracy and efficiency of the inventory but also ensures that legal requirements are met and that the company has reliable data for its business decisions. If you follow the tips above, you can ensure that the asset inventory runs (relatively) smoothly and offers real added value for your company.
We are happy to support you with your asset inventory using our INVENTIRE software and our experienced staff for on-site asset inventory execution – worldwide.
