"It's in the second cabinet, third drawer on the left" is not a storage location, it is a memory. In Tulz the place is called "Hall 1 › Cabinet 2 › Drawer 3", has its own label and a contents list that sticks to the drawer. Relocation is done by scan: scan the place, scan the tools, done.
Stocktaking walks through the hall with the scanner: what is scanned is there; what is missing is on the list at the end. A workshop with 800 tools is through in a day.
How it works in the workshop
- Create storage locations – as a tree: hall, cabinet, drawer, compartment; as deep as you like (Storage locations).
- Print labels – for tools and places, as QR code or barcode, on A4 sheets or a label printer, also as ZPL for Zebra printers (Printing labels).
- Relocate – scan the new place, scan the tools; the log records who relocated what and when (Relocating by scan).
- Stocktake – scan place by place; shortfalls are reported, tools found in the wrong place are rebooked right away (Stocktaking).
What comes with it
- Contents list per storage location to print – what is supposed to be in this drawer (Contents list)
- OEM, manufacturer and supplier numbers printed on the tool label
- Label formats for common sheets and rolls, 1D barcode or QR code
- Stocktaking also offline on the shop floor, scans are booked later
- Return shows "Put back to …", pick-to-light lights up the drawer
Who it is for
Every workshop that wants to abolish searching. How to name storage locations sensibly is in the guide Naming storage locations, how to get stocktaking done in a day in the guide Tool stocktaking.
Frequently asked questions
Which label printer do I need?
No particular one. A4 sheets from the laser printer work; those who print a lot use a label printer with rolls – Zebra printers receive the label directly as ZPL.
How long does a stocktake take?
With a scanner about 10 to 15 tools per minute. A workshop with 800 tools is done in a day; spread over several people, in a few hours.
What happens to tools missing at stocktake?
They are on the shortfall list, can be reported as lost or rebooked with a scan when they turn up again.