Why tools disappear
Theft is rare in a workshop. Usually the missing tool is in a colleague's tool trolley, in the boot of a customer's car or in the wrong drawer. The causes are almost always the same:
- Nobody knows who had the tool last.
- There is no fixed place it belongs to.
- Sets come back incomplete, and nobody notices until the next job.
- Defective tools end up back on the shelf.
Every search costs time on the job. With special tools that exist only once in the business, the whole bay stands still. What that adds up to over a year is shown by the cost calculator.
Three models for issuing tools
| Model | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Issue by a storekeeper | full control, condition is checked | needs staff, waiting time, fixed opening hours |
| Self-service with booking | fast, around the clock | only works if every withdrawal is booked |
| Mixed | expensive special tools and test equipment at the counter, standard sets freely available | two processes everyone has to know |
In most workshops the mixed model works best. What matters is not who issues the tool, but that every issue is booked in seconds – otherwise it gets skipped.
Seven rules that work
- Every tool has a number and a label with a QR code.
- Every tool has a fixed storage location, for example Hall 1 › Cabinet 3 › Drawer 2.
- Every issue is booked – to the person, if possible with job number and return date.
- Several tools for one job go on a pick list, sorted by storage location for collecting.
- Condition counts on return: a defective tool goes for repair, not back on the shelf.
- Sets are checked for completeness before they are issued again.
- Overdue loans report themselves instead of someone going through lists.
The storage location decides the next search
A return is only complete when the tool is back in its place. It helps if the place is shown right after booking – "Put back in: Cabinet 3 › Drawer 2" – and is also printed on the label. Then nobody has to look it up, and new colleagues find their way from day one.
If a tool is moved to a new place, that belongs in the system straight away. Otherwise the location is wrong, and trust in the order is quickly gone.
Self-service without chaos
Self-service works when booking is easier than skipping it:
- Tablet at the tool cabinet: scan the staff ID card, scan the tool, done.
- Phone at the vehicle: whoever is at the car books with the camera, without walking to the PC.
- Hand over instead of bringing back: if a colleague needs the tool right afterwards, it is rebooked directly to them.
- Get notified: whoever is waiting for a tool on loan is told as soon as it is back.
Frequently asked questions
Does a workshop need its own storekeeper for tool issue?
Not necessarily. Many workshops manage with self-service as long as every withdrawal is booked quickly. For expensive special tools and test equipment, a controlled issue is still worthwhile, for example by the foreman or the parts store.
How long may a mechanic keep a tool?
The business decides. A proven rule: special tools until the job is finished, everything else until the end of the shift. What matters is a return date for every issue so that overdue tools stand out by themselves.
What should you do if a tool does not come back?
First check the history to see who had it last and ask them. If it stays missing, report it as lost so that it no longer counts as available and a replacement can be ordered.
How it works with Tulz
Tulz books issue and return by scanning – with the phone camera, a barcode scanner or the kiosk tablet at the tool counter. After every return it shows in large type where the tool belongs; if you like, Tulz prints the storage location on the label. Pick lists collect all tools for a job, sets are checked for missing parts on return, and overdue loans arrive by email.
Guides in the help centre: Issuing with a scanner · Return by scan · Pick list · Set up a kiosk tablet at the tool issue counter · Hand over · Storage locations