Sequential asset tags
Numbering equipment so each physical item has one unambiguous ID, and choosing a symbology that matches how your team will actually scan it.
A worked sequence
A common pattern is a short prefix, a separator, and a zero-padded counter: ASSET-0001, ASSET-0002, ASSET-0003. The prefix groups everything as one company's asset register (or splits it by department — IT-0001, FLEET-0001); the padding keeps every ID the same length so they sort and scan predictably. For a batch, list the IDs and any caption text in a spreadsheet and bring it into the label maker or bulk generator — see printing labels from a CSV file for the column layout and how leading zeros survive the import.
QR code vs Code 128
| QR code | Code 128 | |
|---|---|---|
| Reads from | Any angle, including partly rotated | Needs the scan line to cross every bar |
| Damage tolerance | Some, depending on error-correction level | Low — a torn bar can break a read |
| Footprint at this data size | A small square | A narrow horizontal strip, often longer |
| Typical reader | Any phone camera | Phone camera or a dedicated laser/imager scanner |
If your team scans with phones and tags sit at odd angles on shelving or equipment, QR is the easier target. If tags go on narrow strips (cable, tool handles) or you already have laser scanners tuned for 1D codes, Code 128 fits the hardware you have. Both encode ASSET-0001 exactly the same way as plain text — there's no ambiguity in what the number decodes to.
Internal IDs are not retail GTINs
ASSET-0001 identifies one physical thing you own — this specific laptop, not "the laptop model". A UPC or EAN (a GTIN) identifies a product model for retail sale, is licensed from GS1, and is the same on every unit of that model. Don't encode a GTIN as a stand-in for an asset ID — two identical products would get the same code and become indistinguishable in your records — and don't invent a barcode that looks like a GTIN for an internal asset, since it may collide with a real licensed number if it's ever scanned in a retail context. Keep the two systems separate: an internal prefix scheme for assets, a licensed GTIN only for things you actually sell at retail.
Related
Printing labels from a CSV file · Code 128 barcode generator · Check digit calculator
Asset tagging — common questions
QR code or Code 128 for asset tags?
Either works for an internal ID. QR reads from more angles and at odd distances, tolerates some damage, and needs no dedicated hardware — a phone camera is enough. Code 128 is a thinner strip, prints in a smaller footprint on a narrow tag, and is what most laser barcode scanners are set up to expect if your team already carries one.
How many digits should I pad an asset number to?
Pick a width that comfortably outlasts how many assets you expect to ever tag, and pad every number to that width with leading zeros — four digits (0001–9999) covers most small and mid-size inventories. Changing the width later means either accepting mixed-length IDs or reprinting everything.
Can I just reuse a product's UPC or EAN as its asset tag?
You can encode it, but it isn't doing the job of an asset tag: a GTIN identifies a product model, not the individual physical item you own. Two identical laptops have the same UPC and need two different asset IDs to be tracked separately.