From spreadsheet to tool management: switching in five steps

Where the spreadsheet falls short

Almost every workshop has one: a table of tools, numbers and test dates. At the start it is complete; a few months later it is not. Because the list

• does not know who has a tool right now,
• does not flag a test due date by itself,
• is not at hand in the workshop,
• soon exists in several versions.

That is not the spreadsheet's fault. It simply was not made for issuing tools at the trolley.

Step 1: Tidy up the list

An hour of tidying before the move pays off:

• one row per tool, one row per set
• merge duplicate entries
• remove or mark retired tools
• make columns consistent: dates as dates, numbers without additions

If a tool does not have an inventory number yet, now is the right time to assign one.

Step 2: Decide on columns

These columns have proven useful:

Step 3: Import as CSV

Most tool management systems read CSV files, which spreadsheet programs can save directly (File › Save as › CSV). During import you map the columns once. The contents of sets can often be brought across at the same time.

Step 4: Print labels and mark locations

After the import, every tool gets its label. The easiest way is cabinet by cabinet: print drawer by drawer, stick, done. At the same time, each cabinet gets its contents list.

Step 5: Start small

Not everything has to be perfect on day one. Start with special tools and test equipment – that is where the benefit is greatest. Ordinary hand tools in the trolleys often do not need to be recorded individually at all.

Bring your colleagues along

Tool management only works if everyone books. What helps:

• issuing in seconds – on their own phone instead of the office PC
• a ten-minute introduction
• a clear rule: if it is not booked, it is not issued
• quick wins: the first time the search shows in seconds who has the tool convinces more than any training

The list stays – as an export

If you want to keep analysing in a spreadsheet, export the inventory at any time. The table becomes a report instead of the data source.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep using my spreadsheet?

Yes. Save the list as a CSV file and import it; you map the columns once. There is no need to retype anything.

Which columns should the list have?

One row per tool with a name and ideally an inventory number. OEM number, supplier, category, location and test interval are also useful.

Where should the switch start?

With special tools and test equipment – that is where the benefit is greatest. Ordinary hand tools can follow later or be left out altogether.

How Tulz handles it

Tulz takes over tools by CSV import – including the parts of sets –, prints labels on A4 sheets or on a label printer and exports the inventory as CSV or Excel.

Guides in the help centre: Import tools by CSV · Print labels · Download all data

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