Purpose Statement

This article explains how Asset Groups are used to organize resources within the Assets module and provides best practices for creating a group structure that remains clear, searchable, and scalable as your agency grows.

Well-designed Asset Groups make it easier for administrators and end users to locate related assets, filter lists, configure applicable workflows, and maintain consistent organization across Apparatus, Equipment, Inventory, Kits, and Locations.

Background Information

Asset Groups provide a way to categorize similar resources within the Assets module.

Rather than relying only on individual asset names, IDs, or locations, groups allow agencies to establish broader categories that reflect how resources are managed operationally.

Asset Groups may be used with:

• Apparatus
• Equipment
• Inventory
• Kits
• Locations

The appropriate group structure will vary by agency. Some departments organize primarily by resource type, while others incorporate function, specialty, location, or operational responsibility into their group names.

The goal is to create groups that help users answer questions such as:

• What type of resource is this?
• Which assets belong together operationally?
• How can I quickly filter to the resources I need?
• Which assets should follow similar administrative or operational workflows?
• Will this group structure still make sense as the agency adds more assets?

Why Asset Groups Matter

A consistent Asset Group structure can make Assets easier to administer by supporting:

• List filtering and asset searches.
• Consistent categorization.
• Easier identification of related assets.
• Checklist organization and configuration where groups are applicable.
• Reporting and data review.
• Bulk administrative workflows where group selection is available.
• Easier onboarding for administrators and personnel who need to understand how assets are organized.

Asset Groups should primarily represent meaningful categories, not individual assets.

How to Structure Asset Groups

Start with the Asset Type

Asset Groups should reflect the type of asset being organized.

Examples include:

Apparatus Groups

• Engines
• Aerials
• Ambulances
• Rescue
• Command Vehicles
• Specialty Vehicles

Equipment Groups

• SCBA Packs
• SCBA Cylinders
• Radios
• Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Gas Meters
• Ladders
• Hose
• Extrication Equipment

Inventory Groups

• EMS Supplies
• Uniforms
• Station Supplies
• Cleaning Supplies
• Batteries
• Office Supplies

Kit Groups

• ALS Bags
• BLS Bags
• Rope Rescue Kits
• Water Rescue Kits
• RIT/RIC Kits
• Hydrant Kits

Location Groups

• Fire Stations
• Administrative Facilities
• Training Facilities
• Maintenance Facilities
• Warehouses

These are examples only. Agencies should create groups based on how they need to organize and locate their own resources.

Use Groups for Categories, Not Individual Records

Asset Groups should normally represent a collection of similar assets.

For example:

• Thermal Imaging Cameras is an appropriate Equipment Group.
• SCBA Cylinders is an appropriate Equipment Group.
• Uniform Shirts may be an appropriate Inventory Group.

Avoid creating a separate group for every individual asset when the individual record can already be identified through its Asset Name, Equipment ID, Kit ID, apparatus assignment, or other identifying information.

Creating groups at too granular a level can make filtering and administration unnecessarily complicated.

Consider How Users Will Search

Before creating a group, consider the terminology personnel are most likely to recognize.

A group called SCBA Cylinders will generally be easier to locate than an internal abbreviation that only one administrator understands.

Use terminology that:

• Matches agency terminology.
• Is understandable to both administrators and end users.
• Remains meaningful if personnel or assignments change.
• Supports predictable searching and filtering.

Asset Group Naming Conventions

A standardized naming convention is one of the most important Asset Group administration practices.

Use Simple Names When Possible

If the group can be clearly identified with a simple name, avoid adding unnecessary prefixes.

Examples:

• SCBA Cylinders
• Radios
• Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Uniforms
• EMS Supplies
• ALS Bags

Simple group names are often easier to search and maintain.

Add a Prefix When It Provides Meaningful Organization

Prefixes can be useful when several related groups need to remain together when viewed alphabetically.

For example:

• SCBA - Packs
• SCBA - Cylinders
• SCBA - Masks

Or:

• EMS - Airway
• EMS - Cardiac
• EMS - Trauma

Or:

• Tech Rescue - Rope
• Tech Rescue - Confined Space
• Tech Rescue - Water Rescue

The prefix should provide meaningful context rather than simply making the group name longer.

Avoid Overly Specific Location-Based Names

Use caution when incorporating station, apparatus, battalion, or other assignments into Asset Group names.

If resources regularly move between locations or apparatus, a group name based on the current assignment can become inaccurate.

For example, Thermal Imaging Cameras is generally more scalable than:

• Station 1 Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Station 2 Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Station 3 Thermal Imaging Cameras

when the cameras themselves may be reassigned.

Create location-specific groups only when the location is an important and relatively permanent part of how the agency categorizes those resources.

Design for Future Growth

Avoid naming conventions that work only for the agency's current configuration.

Before finalizing a group structure, consider:

• Will additional stations be added?
• Will more apparatus of the same type be purchased?
• Will a specialty team expand?
• Will additional Equipment or Inventory categories be introduced?
• Could assets move between assignments?

A group structure that works with 50 assets should still make sense when the agency has several hundred or several thousand records.

Asset Groups vs. Asset Names and IDs

Asset Groups should not replace the naming and identification conventions used for individual assets.

For Equipment, remember that:

• The Equipment Name can be universal.
• Each individual Equipment record requires a unique Equipment ID.
• The Equipment Group identifies the broader category to which the Equipment belongs.

For example:

• Equipment Group: Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Equipment Name: Thermal Imaging Camera
• Equipment ID: TIC-001

A second item could use:

• Equipment Group: Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Equipment Name: Thermal Imaging Camera
• Equipment ID: TIC-002

The Group organizes the category, the Name describes the item, and the Equipment ID distinguishes the individual Equipment record.

The same concept applies to Kits:

• The Kit Group organizes similar Kits.
• The Kit Name can describe the Kit's use case.
• The Kit ID must uniquely identify the individual Kit.

For example:

• Kit Group: ALS Bags
• Kit Name: ALS Bag
• Kit ID: ALS-001

Keeping these concepts separate creates a cleaner asset structure and prevents Asset Groups from becoming unnecessarily specific.

Asset-Type Considerations

Apparatus Groups

Apparatus Groups are commonly based on vehicle type or operational function.

Examples include:

• Engine
• Aerial
• Ambulance
• Rescue
• Hazmat
• Command
• Utility

Where additional distinction is operationally useful, agencies may create more specific groups such as:

• Ambulance - ALS
• Ambulance - BLS

Avoid creating unnecessary subdivisions when filtering by the broader apparatus type already meets the agency's needs.

Equipment Groups

Equipment Groups should generally represent similar individually tracked Equipment.

Examples include:

• SCBA Packs
• SCBA Cylinders
• Radios
• Gas Meters
• Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Hose
• Ladders
• PPE

A strong Equipment Group structure can make it easier to locate similar Equipment and manage common workflows across related assets.

Inventory Groups

Inventory Groups should reflect meaningful supply categories.

Examples include:

• EMS - Airway
• EMS - Cardiac
• EMS - Trauma
• Uniforms
• Station Supplies
• Cleaning Supplies
• Batteries

Because Inventory is commonly managed by quantity, purchasing, distribution, Requests, and replenishment, organize Inventory Groups in a way that supports how personnel actually locate and manage supplies.

For example, an agency using Inventory to manage staff uniforms may create groups such as:

• Uniforms - Shirts
• Uniforms - Pants
• Uniforms - Outerwear

Avoid creating separate Inventory Groups for every individual size or variation unless that level of grouping provides an operational benefit. The individual Inventory records can provide the additional item-level detail.

Kit Groups

Kit Groups should describe the operational purpose of similar Kits.

Examples include:

• ALS Bags
• BLS Bags
• Trauma Bags
• Rope Rescue Kits
• Water Rescue Kits
• RIT/RIC Kits
• Hydrant Kits

Remember that the Kit Group, Kit Name, and Kit ID serve different purposes.

For example:

• Kit Group: ALS Bags
• Kit Name: ALS Bag
• Kit ID: ALS-001

If the Kit will always remain assigned to a specific apparatus, the agency may choose to incorporate that apparatus into the Kit Name.

If Kits routinely rotate between assets, a generic use-case-based Kit Name is generally easier to maintain.

Regardless of naming convention, each individual Kit requires a unique Kit ID.

Location Groups

Location Groups should represent meaningful categories of physical locations.

Examples include:

• Fire Stations
• Administrative Facilities
• Training Facilities
• Maintenance Facilities
• Warehouses

Avoid creating Location Groups that simply duplicate information already represented by the individual Location Name unless the grouping provides useful categorization.

Best Practices

Keep the Structure Simple

• Begin with the minimum number of groups necessary to meaningfully organize the agency's assets.
• Add additional groups when they solve an identifiable organizational or operational need.
• Avoid creating groups simply because the system allows additional categorization.
• Periodically review group usage and remove unnecessary complexity.

Standardize Naming

• Use terminology already familiar to agency personnel.
• Apply the same capitalization and naming patterns throughout each asset type.
• Use prefixes consistently when they provide meaningful organization.
• Avoid abbreviations unless they are commonly understood throughout the agency.
• Document the agency's Asset Group naming convention.

Separate Groups from Individual Identification

• Use Asset Groups to identify categories of assets.
• Use Equipment Names and Equipment IDs to identify Equipment records.
• Use Kit Names and Kit IDs to identify Kits.
• Do not create individual Asset Groups solely to distinguish records that can already be distinguished by their names or IDs.

Consider How Assets Move

• Avoid building temporary assignments into group names unless the assignment is fundamental to the category.
• Use generic functional groups when resources frequently move between apparatus, stations, or locations.
• Review group assignments when the agency reorganizes operational responsibilities.

Plan Before Bulk Data Creation

Before importing or creating a large number of assets:

• Establish Asset Groups first.
• Confirm naming conventions.
• Identify duplicate or overlapping categories.
• Determine which groups are truly necessary.
• Document the final structure for administrators responsible for ongoing data maintenance.

Changing an established group structure after a large amount of asset data has been created can require significant administrative cleanup.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

We have too many Asset Groups. How can we simplify them?

Start by identifying groups that represent essentially the same category or groups that were created only to distinguish individual assets.

Look for opportunities to consolidate groups into broader categories while continuing to use Asset Names, Equipment IDs, Kit IDs, locations, or assignments to distinguish individual records.

The goal is to maintain enough groups to make filtering useful without creating unnecessary navigation complexity.

Should we create separate Equipment Groups for every station?

Usually only when station-based grouping provides a meaningful operational benefit.

If Equipment regularly moves between stations or apparatus, consider using a broader Equipment Group based on the Equipment type and allowing the asset's current assignment or location to identify where it is currently deployed.

Should our Asset Group name include the apparatus assignment?

Only when the assignment is a meaningful and relatively permanent part of the category.

If assets frequently move between apparatus, use a more generic group name. This reduces the likelihood that the group name becomes inaccurate when assignments change.

Can similar Equipment share the same Group and Equipment Name?

Yes.

For example, multiple thermal imaging cameras can all belong to the Thermal Imaging Cameras Equipment Group and share the Equipment Name Thermal Imaging Camera.

Each individual Equipment record still requires a unique Equipment ID.

Should every Inventory item have its own Inventory Group?

Generally, no. Inventory Groups should represent broader categories that make the items easier to organize and locate.

For example, multiple uniform shirt records can belong to a Uniforms - Shirts group rather than creating a unique group for every shirt size or variation.

How specific should an Asset Group be?

Make the group only as specific as necessary to provide meaningful organization.

If users need the distinction regularly when filtering, managing, or reviewing assets, a separate group may be useful. If the distinction is already clear from the individual asset record and rarely needed for filtering, another group may add unnecessary complexity.

Can we rename Asset Groups when our naming convention changes?

Administrators should review existing usage before renaming established groups. Consider where the group is currently being used and whether other configurations or administrative processes rely on the existing structure.

For large-scale restructuring, establish the new naming convention before making changes so groups are updated consistently.

What should we consider before deleting an Asset Group?

Review whether assets are currently assigned to the group and whether the group is being used elsewhere in your agency's Assets configuration.

Reassign applicable assets before removing a group that is no longer needed.

Do Asset Groups determine whether something should be Equipment or Inventory?

No. First determine whether the resource should be managed as Equipment or Inventory based on its lifecycle and management requirements.

After selecting the appropriate asset type, use its Asset Group to organize it with similar resources.

For example, a thermal imaging camera may be classified as Equipment and placed in the Thermal Imaging Cameras Equipment Group. Disposable airway supplies may be classified as Inventory and placed in an EMS - Airway Inventory Group.

Use Case Examples

SCBA Organization

An agency could organize related Equipment using:

• SCBA - Packs
• SCBA - Cylinders
• SCBA - Masks

This keeps related Equipment together alphabetically while maintaining a clear distinction between Equipment types.

EMS Inventory Organization

An agency could organize frequently used EMS Inventory using:

• EMS - Airway
• EMS - Cardiac
• EMS - Trauma
• EMS - IV Supplies

Individual Inventory items remain within the applicable category while item-level records provide additional detail.

Uniform Inventory Organization

An agency managing staff uniforms through Inventory could use:

• Uniforms - Shirts
• Uniforms - Pants
• Uniforms - Outerwear

This allows the group to represent the broader clothing category while individual Inventory records represent specific items, sizes, or variations.

Specialty Equipment Organization

A Technical Rescue team could use:

• Tech Rescue - Rope
• Tech Rescue - Confined Space
• Tech Rescue - Water Rescue

The common prefix keeps related specialty groups together and makes them easier to locate.

Kit Organization

An agency with multiple medical Kits could configure:

• Kit Group: ALS Bags
• Kit Name: ALS Bag
• Kit IDs: ALS-001, ALS-002, ALS-003

This allows the group and Kit Name to remain consistent while the unique Kit IDs distinguish the individual Kits.

Apparatus Organization

An agency could use broad Apparatus Groups such as:

• Engine
• Aerial
• Ambulance
• Rescue
• Command

If additional operational distinction is necessary, a category such as Ambulance - ALS or Ambulance - BLS may be appropriate.