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Tool tracking app with QR codes for trades

A tool tracking app records who has each tool and where it is, using a QR tag that anyone on the team can scan with their phone. It also records damage with photos and lists tools that are due for a PAT test, calibration or service.

An example of how the studio would build it. No live services are connected.

From a QR tag on a tool to knowing where everything is.

  1. Step 01

    Tag scanned

    A team member scans a tool’s QR tag with their phone’s camera, which opens the app on that tool.

  2. Step 02

    Tool checked out

    They confirm whether they are taking it, returning it or moving it to a van or site, and it is recorded against them.

  3. Step 03

    Condition noted

    If something is damaged or missing parts, they add a photo and a note, and the tool is marked as out of use.

  4. Step 04

    Register updated

    The register in Supabase updates, and a read-only copy in Google Sheets gives the office a familiar view.

  5. Step 05

    Due dates flagged

    Tools approaching a PAT test, calibration or service date are listed for the office each week.

The result

Fewer lost tools, and test dates nobody misses.

A tool marked as damaged stays out of use until a person clears it. Every scan is logged with who made it and when, so the history can’t be quietly changed.

Before we connect it.

Where this is useful

Useful for electricians, builders, plumbers, hire shops and maintenance teams whose tools move between vans, sites and people, and go missing or miss their test dates. A sensible first version tags the most valuable tools and test equipment, with the office reviewing the register each week.

What we need to connect

  1. 01A list of tools with serial numbers, values and test or calibration dates, which can start from an existing spreadsheet.
  2. 02Durable QR tags, and phones for the team that can open a web app or install a small app.
  3. 03Who can check tools out, how damage is reported and who clears a tool to go back into use.

What needs careful handling

People forget to scan, especially at the end of a long day, so scanning is kept quick and the weekly list shows tools that haven’t been seen for a while. Tags wear off or get painted over, so each tool can also be found by serial number and re-tagged. Calibration and PAT test records may be needed for audits or insurance, so certificates are stored against each tool and a test date can only be changed with a certificate attached.

Questions people ask.

Why not use Bluetooth trackers instead?

Trackers show where a tool is, which helps with theft, but not who has it or whether it is safe to use. QR tags are inexpensive and record the person, the condition and the test dates, and the two can work together for expensive kit.

Does the team need to install anything?

Not necessarily. The QR tag can open a web app in the phone’s browser, so anyone can scan without installing anything. A native app helps where sites have poor signal, because it can store scans and send them later.

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