What is an asset tag? Types, uses and benefits explained.

What is an asset tag?

An asset tag is a tracking device, durable label, or tag that attaches to an item featuring barcodes, QR codes, or RFID to help organizations manage their assets. 

In operations, asset tracking has traditionally been reserved for large, high-value equipment, such as trailers or heavy machinery. That’s because operational asset tracking typically requires asset tags with GPS tracking, which can be costly for small and low-value assets. 

However, low-value, high-volume assets like dumpsters or mowers can still be operationally critical. When these assets get lost or stolen, it’s death by a thousand cuts. 

With the advent of asset tags powered by Bluetooth — a significantly lower cost technology than GPS or cellular hardware — organizations can now track assets that were previously too small or expensive to manage.

What are asset tags used for?

In operations, asset tags are used by organizations that manage a large inventory of equipment and a high volume of smaller assets, such as these industries: 

• Construction

• Field services

• Logistics

• Utilities

• Transportation

• Landscaping

• Roadway maintenance

However, any operator with essential tools, containers, or small equipment that frequently move between sites can benefit from asset tags. 

Asset tags can be used to track nearly any small or mobile asset, such as:

• Field service equipment. Mowers, wood chippers, stump grinders.

• Trade and repair equipment. Dumpsters, dehumidifiers, fans, pumps, power tools, and coolers.

• Construction equipment. Skid steers, porta potties, containers, generators, air compressors, and light towers.
  
• Specialty field tools. Cable reels, compactors, surveying tools, fuel tanks, and messaging boards.

What are the benefits of using asset tags? 

Asset tags help operators improve operational efficiency and productivity in three ways.

1. Eliminate blind spots 

Typical operations require a wide variety of small equipment that’s needed for jobs. With asset tags, operators can extend visibility across all their operationally essential equipment. 

In Motive, organizations have one central dashboard for tracking these assets alongside vehicles, trailers, and other tracked assets. In the physical economy, where 42% of leaders say they lack a single view of their workers, vehicles, assets/equipment, spend/payments, this is a valuable step toward increasing efficiency. 

2. Redeploy underutilized assets

Asset tags bring reliable data to the decision-making table. With increased visibility about what assets exist and where they are, and how they’re being used, operations leaders can make strategic decisions about procurement or redeployment.

3. Reduce time spent fixing asset problems

Asset tags reduce the time spent finding misplaced or misrouted assets. If just one worker spends 10 minutes a day searching for a tool, that adds up to forty hours of lost time annually. Instead of spending that time finding equipment, crews can start work right away. Dispatchers can spot misrouted assets immediately, like a storage box leaving on the wrong vehicle. 

How do asset tags work in operations?

In operations, where asset tags are used to find assets, asset tags work by using real-time location technology. These technologies include: 

• GPS tracking. Continuously collects location data with GPS receivers.

• Assisted GPS. Uses internet data to help GPS receivers identify the best satellites.

• Cellular tower triangulation. Uses terrestrial cell towers to calculate the most probable location of an asset when GPS is completely unavailable.

• Bluetooth low energy (BLE). Uses bluetooth to locate nearby equipment for close-range tracking. 

Motive’s asset tag, Motive Beacon, uses BLE. This makes it practical to deploy across hundreds or thousands of smaller assets that are essential but rarely tracked. Motive Beacon works in four steps: 

1. Motive Beacon emits a BLE signal at regular intervals.

2. Devices running the Motive app, such as Motive Gateways and the Motive Driver App and Motive Fleet App, act as listeners, creating the Motive Mesh Network.

3. When a device detects a Beacon, it securely passes that encounter to the Motive Dashboard, which updates the asset’s last-seen location.

4. Operations teams can see Beacon-tagged assets in the Motive Dashboard and Fleet App right alongside vehicles, trailers, and other assets.

What are the different types of asset tags?

Choosing the right type of asset tag depends on why and where you’ll be using asset tags. Typically, in operations, the goal of asset tagging is to be able to find assets on demand. This requires asset tags with location tracking technology, such as GPS, cellular triangulation, and BLE. 

Asset tags for operations are typically used outdoors, so they’re industrial grade to survive a wide variety of conditions. For example, the Motive Beacon is IP67-rated, making it waterproof and dustproof for harsh environments.

In other industries, the goal of asset tagging is to have a record of an asset in a system; such as scanning inventory in and out, or counting items on a pallet. For these purposes, asset tags use technology like barcodes or radio frequency identification (RFID). These tags can be made of peel-and-stick paper or plastic, metal, or even fabric.

Asset tagging and operational efficiency go hand-in-hand 

For many operations, asset tagging can greatly improve operational efficiency. Knowing where operationally-critical assets were last seen and where they’ve moved, all in one dashboard, helps teams maintain the visibility that leads to efficiency. 

In Motive, Beacon data appears directly in the Motive’s Integrated Operations Platform, so teams can track their vehicles, trailers, and assets all in one place.

Want to learn more? Watch a short video about the Motive Beacon, or talk to the Motive team about expanding your asset tracking strategy.