A Discussion on QR Code Implementation for Laboratory Fixed Asset Management

Original: https://cli.im/article/detail/1831

Laboratory fixed asset management has always been a crucial component of our school's asset management. However, in the management of laboratory fixed assets, there has been a persistent issue of similar items being categorized under the same type, making it difficult to identify specific items based on their names alone. For instance, instrument cabinets come in various forms—blue ones, metal ones, wooden ones, etc. These different types of instrument cabinets, depending on their specifications, are actually suited for different environments and purposes in practical use.

Yet, in our school's historical fixed asset records, all these cabinets are classified under a single category: instrument cabinets. While this classification simplifies overall counting and verification, it leads to significant discrepancies in practical work.

The purpose of fixed asset management is to facilitate the organized use of existing items and the rational allocation of school assets. This necessitates that fixed asset management must be detailed and precise. Any vague categorization or inability to identify items by name can result in confusion in asset management and misallocation in asset usage.

Where there are problems, solutions are needed! Fixed asset management requires reform and innovation; it needs to break free from the constraints of mere textual records. Introducing images into laboratory fixed asset management—this was the first idea that came to mind. But if it were only about images, would we revert to the old model of matching paper bills with physical items one by one and checking if asset labels are intact? Therefore, these images should not merely be "headshots" of fixed assets but should serve as their "identity cards"—identity cards with updatable information.

How to Create an Effective "Identity Card"?

We turned our attention to a recent favorite—QR codes. QR codes are geometric patterns arranged in a specific规律 on a plane to record data and symbolic information. When scanned with a mobile device, QR codes can decode the digital information they carry, such as images, sounds, and text. In the context of laboratory fixed asset management, this means that registered information is no longer limited to conceptual text. Through scanning, the asset information becomes立体,多元化, and capable of real-time updates.

To successfully integrate QR codes into laboratory fixed asset management, we built upon the school's existing fixed asset records. Based on practical usage needs, we defined the scope of information that laboratory fixed assets should present and conducted extensive data collection and screening within this framework.

Using the example of introducing QR codes for electronic balances, here is a simplified explanation of the QR code generation and maintenance process:

At this stage, we have conducted preliminary tests on creating QR codes for laboratory fixed assets. In the coming period, we will establish corresponding QR code information databases for fixed assets, segmented by individual laboratory classrooms. This will ensure that each fixed asset is assigned its own QR code "identity card," making asset information dynamic and updatable in real-time via mobile devices.

By integrating laboratory fixed asset management with QR codes as electronic identity cards, asset management will no longer be confined to textual descriptions. It will present multi-dimensional information. Simultaneously, this conceptual and technological transformation will propel our school's fixed asset management into a more structured phase and play a significant role in the rational allocation of our school's resources.