What Is Asset Tracking?
Asset tracking is the controlled record of an individual asset’s identity, custody, location, condition and lifecycle status.
Topic section
Asset Tracking Fundamentals
Core distinctions that keep asset records useful: what an asset is, how tracking differs from inventory, and how lifecycle records fit together.
Asset Tracking vs Asset Management
Tracking answers where a particular asset is and what state it is in; asset management is the broader discipline of realizing value from assets over their life cycles.
Asset vs Inventory Item
An asset is often controlled individually, while inventory is often controlled by quantity; the same organization may need both approaches.
Asset Register Basics
A useful asset register is a controlled index of individual assets, not merely a spreadsheet of purchase prices.
Asset Lifecycle Overview
Asset records should follow equipment from acquisition and onboarding through use, maintenance, transfer and retirement.
Asset Owner vs Custodian
The organization or department that owns an asset is not always the person or location currently responsible for its day-to-day custody.
Asset Statuses Explained
Statuses should tell users what can happen with an asset now, not merely describe where the asset is.
Asset Criticality and Tracking Depth
Not every physical item needs the same tracking effort. Criticality, mobility, replacement difficulty and accountability risk can justify deeper records.