Tool tracking
Tool tracking software for contractors whose tools never stay put
A QR tag on every tool that matters. When a tech takes the laser to a job, they point their phone camera at the tag and say where it's going, with no app and no password. The office sees where everything is, who had it last and what's broken, and every move stays in the record.
No card. Unlimited field users on every plan, from $39/month.
The four questions tool tracking has to answer
Where is it?
The yard, a van, a jobsite or a person. Each tool is in exactly one place at a time, so the answer is never “it's on two lists.”
Who had it last?
Every move is saved with who made it and when, and the record can't be edited afterwards. That's the conversation-ender when a pipe press goes missing.
Can I use it?
A crew member who finds it broken marks it out of service from the tag, and the next person who scans it sees that before they plug it in.
Is it due for inspection?
Harnesses, ladders, extinguishers and lifts carry their next inspection date, and the office gets an email before one lapses.
A spreadsheet can hold the list, but it can't tell you any of those four things on Thursday afternoon. It's only as current as the last time someone at the office typed into it. Tool tracking works when the update happens where the tool is, by whoever has it in their hand.
How it works in FlowNext
-
1
Tag what's worth tracking
Print QR labels on ordinary Avery sheets, or link the barcodes already on your gear: rental stickers, old asset tags, manufacturer barcodes. Import your list from a spreadsheet and every row gets its own tag. QR and barcode tags
-
2
The crew updates it from the tag
Scanning opens the tool's page in the phone's browser. Moving it to a jobsite, a van or a person checks it out; bringing it back to the yard checks it in. They can also log the hour meter or report a problem. Field users sign in once by an emailed link and stay signed in. Tool tracking without an app
-
3
The office sees it, and can prove it
Every jobsite and van lists what's on it now. The chain of custody report shows who had a tool on any day, and equipment by location shows what's sitting where. Each one downloads as a CSV. Equipment reports
QR tags, Bluetooth or GPS?
Tool tracking comes in two kinds. Scan-based tracking (QR codes and barcodes) records a move when someone scans the tag. It costs nothing per tag and works on any tool, powered or not. It's only as good as the habit of scanning, so it has to be quick. Sensor-based tracking (Bluetooth tags, GPS trackers, connected batteries) reports location on its own, but needs hardware on each tool and usually gateways or phones nearby to pick it up.
FlowNext is scan-based. When someone updates a tool from its tag, the phone's location at that moment is saved with the entry. Nothing is tracked between updates and no one is tracked in the background. If you need machines that report their own position around the clock, you want a sensor-based system, and our comparisons say which.
What to look for in tool tracking software
- Who can update it. If only licensed users can scan, the crew won't, and the record drifts. Check what a temp or a sub costs.
- What the field has to install. Every app is another login and another update. A tag that opens in the browser removes both.
- Whether the history can be changed. A custody record anyone can edit settles nothing. Look for one that can't be rewritten.
- Inspections, not just locations. For contractors, the tools that need tracking most are the ones that need certificates.
- Getting your data out. You should be able to export every item and its full history, any time, without asking.
- A price you can see. If you need a demo to learn the price, that tells you who the software is built for.
Guides on tool tracking
- 8 min read Preventing tool theft on construction sites Marking, locking up, records that help recovery, and what to do after a theft.
- 8 min read How to track tools across jobsites Homes, numbers, handoffs and the end-of-job sweep that keeps a list true.
- 6 min read Tool check-out policy template for contractors A starting policy for who takes what, and what happens when it breaks.
Compared with other tool trackers
Each comparison uses the other company's own site, dated, and says when it's the better choice.
- FlowNext vs GoCodes — Yearly plans with set user counts vs monthly with unlimited users — including when GoCodes is the better choice.
- FlowNext vs ShareMyToolbox — Two tool trackers built for crews: per-person pricing and an app, or a flat price and the phone's camera.
- FlowNext vs ToolWatch — Tool-room and job-cost software for large fleets vs QR tags for crews without a tool room.
- FlowNext vs Hilti ON!Track — Tags, gateways and a consultation-led rollout, or QR labels and a crew with a phone camera, priced on the page.
- All comparisons
Questions
What does tool tracking software cost?+
FlowNext is $39 (Starter), $89 (Pro), and $199 (Business) a month, priced by how many items you track. Field users and office seats are unlimited on every plan.
Does my crew need an app?+
No. Any phone camera opens the tool's page from its QR tag. Field users sign in once by an emailed link and stay signed in on that phone.
Can I track tools I rent?+
Yes. Add the rental as an item, link the rental company's barcode to it, and archive it when it goes back. Its history is kept.
What should I tag first?+
Anything shared between crews, anything with an inspection date, and anything expensive enough that you'd file a claim if it went missing. Leave consumables and each tech's own hand tools for later.
Tag your first ten items this afternoon
14-day free trial, no card. Unlimited field users on every plan, from $39/month after that.