RFID-enabling your asset tracking…

Profitable Inventory Control Systems, Inc. – PICS

PICS is a full service system integrator and software developer specializing in RFID, wireless networks, data collection hardware, software and middleware.

Being in the software development business for more than 25 years, PICS has deployed inventory control solutions into businesses of all sizes, from small manufacturing and distribution centers to Fortune 500 companies.

A few of our customers include: Wachovia/First Union, Certainteed Corporation, Lanier Worldwide, Ethicon Corporation, Boart Longyear, BE&K Construction, Barcardi Rum, and NAFTA Foods.

PICS continues to develop new and innovative products to meet the changing needs of our customers and the business world. Most of our new software products are based on the latest .NET architecture allowing for maximum flexibility and scalability.

What is an Asset?

Basically anything your company owns including:

1) Computer equipment – PCs, servers, LCDs, Blackberrys, printers, etc.

2) Furniture3) Documents / Books / Magazines4) Tools5) Vehicles6) And yes… your employees

Which of these can AssetTrakker help with? All of them!

Irrespective of a company's size, keeping track of company assets should be a central concern to every business. Assets are usually defined as those

"permanent" objects that a business uses internally, including (though not strictly limited to) computers, tools, software, and office equipment. Although employees regularly utilize these tools as part of their job, the asset is legally

owned by the company and must be returned after use; without an efficient and accurate system of tracking assets, it would be easy for a company to lose

track of them.

Misplaced assets generally have a more serious effect on small businesses. Success in business cannot be sustained except by controlling costs. One of

the most important procedures to control costs is to eliminate the need to replace assets. You can't possibly do this without having a system that makes

sure all resources are accounted for.

Taken from: “Control Company Growth With Asset Tracking Software” by Howard

Brule

RFID and Asset Tracking

Location and tracking of assets, in the past, has been a very time consuming process. Having to locate each asset, validate if that asset is where it is supposed to be and being used by who is supposed to use it, and trying to verify if the asset even exists anymore.

Today with AssetTrakker and the use of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, locating an asset is as easy as waving a handheld device around an office or using fixed readers to track the movement of an asset from one room, floor, or building to another – all of this without any manual entry into the software system and all in real time.

How do I use AssetTrakker to receive in and track assets?

Now it is time to get to the true subject matter – How does all this work together? PICS has made the system very easy to work with for even someone without any

computer experience… we have developed a Microsoft tree structure to enable you to view assets by location and manually drag and drop them into new locations.

To add a new main location just click on the “Create New Root Location” button or for a sub-location do a right click on the existing location… The Buildings A, B and C are all root locations and the Floors are sub-locations. Assets can be associated with root or sub-locations and can be moved from one to the other very easily.

How do I use a RFID handheld to move assets and conduct physical inventory?

Once an asset has been received into the system and been placed into it’s associated location just tell the handheld what location you are in and it will display the assets that are supposed to be there. Then “wand” the office to pick up the assets. If assets are present that are not supposed to be there, it will identify them and allow you to save them to their new location. If an asset is supposed to be there you validate it and save the information to the database.

How do I use fix mounted RFID to move assets?

You can use fixed mounted RFID readers to detect the movement in and out of rooms, departments and buildings to automatically move assets from one location to another in real time. Fixed mount readers can be placed at any size portal from standard size doorways or large dock doors. The readers and antennas can be placed where they are out of the way of traffic and eyesight.

Building A, Office 123Building B, Office 321

How do I use RFID to associate tools and equipment with employees?

If you have a tool or supply room where you have valuable assets that are used to perform work you can place a RFID tag on your tools and equipment and place them in a room. Install a RFID reader at the door and detect when an employee enters because each employee will have a RFID tag on their employee badge. When the tool and employee leave together the tool’s locate changes to the employee. When the employee returns with the tool and leaves the room empty handed, the tool is de-associated with the employee and moved back into the tool room location.

Ted Smith enters tool room with RFID badge

Ted picks up a grinder and leaves the room

Ted is now associated with the grinder until he returns it.

No matter what asset you wish to track…

AssetTrakker is your complete solution

Give PICS a call for a web-based demo of AssetTrakker or any of our other software based business solutions…

205 Cleveland Road, Suite ABogart, GA 30622T – 706-369-7427F – 706-369-7420www.picsnet.comsales@picsnet.com