Purpose Statement
This article explains how to associate a barcode or barcode number with an equipment record in the Assets module, and how end users can use barcode scanning to quickly locate and manage that equipment. It also covers how barcode scanning can be used when assigning equipment to compartments or storages.
Using barcodes helps agencies identify equipment faster, reduce manual searching, and streamline equipment management workflows in the field and in administrative tasks. Barcode scanning can also be used during Equipment & Kit Audits within checklists to quickly verify and locate equipment, which is covered in a separate article.
Background Information
In First Due’s Assets module, the barcode value is stored in the Equipment ID field on the equipment record. Once a barcode is associated with a piece of equipment, users can scan that barcode to pull up the matching item.
This supports two related workflows in one process:
Barcode association: Adding or updating the barcode number on an equipment record.
Barcode usage: Scanning the barcode later to find, manage, or assign that equipment.
Common use cases include:
Quickly locating a specific piece of equipment in Equipment Overview
Accessing equipment actions such as checklists or work orders
Adding equipment to a compartment or storage during apparatus or inventory setup
Scanning equipment during Equipment & Kit Audits in checklists
Prerequisite:
The equipment record must already exist in the system before a barcode can be associated with it.
Required Permissions
The ability to add or update a barcode on a piece of equipment is permission-based because the user must be able to update the equipment record
The ability to find a piece of equipment using the barcode scanning feature is not permissions-based
Because the exact permission label may vary by agency configuration, this article refers to it functionally as:
Permission to update the equipment record
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
Associate a Barcode to a Piece of Equipment
You can associate a barcode to equipment in two ways.
Option A: Add a barcode from Equipment Overview
Select the First Due logo in the upper-left corner.
Open the Assets module.
Select Equipment Overview.
Locate and select the appropriate equipment record.
Select Update Record at the top of the page.
Find the Equipment ID field.
Either:
Select the barcode/camera icon to scan the barcode, or
Manually type the barcode number into the Equipment ID field
Save the record.
Important Note: Barcode Supported Formats
Aztec Code, Codabar, Code 11, Code 25, Code 39, Code 93, Code 128, Data Matrix, DotCode, EAN, GS1 DataBar, MaxiCode, MSI Plessey, PDF417, Postal Code, Telepen, QR Code, UPC
The scanned or entered barcode number is now associated with that piece of equipment through the Equipment ID field.
Option B: Add a barcode from the Equipment List
Open the equipment list.
Locate the equipment item you want to update.
Select Edit.
Find the Equipment ID field.
Either:
Select the camera icon to scan the barcode, or
Type the barcode number manually
Confirm the barcode value appears in the Equipment ID field.
Select Save.
The barcode is now saved to the equipment record.
Option C: Add Barcode Numbers Using Equipment Import
Barcode numbers can also be associated with equipment during a bulk Equipment Import.
Prepare the Equipment Import template.
Locate the Equipment ID column in the spreadsheet.
Enter the appropriate barcode number for each piece of equipment in the Equipment ID column.
Save the completed import file.
Upload the file through the Equipment Import process in the Assets module.
Complete the import.
When the import is processed, the system will associate the barcode number entered in the Equipment ID column with the corresponding equipment record.
Important Note:
The barcode value in the Equipment ID column must match the barcode printed on the equipment label for barcode scanning to correctly identify the item.
Use a Barcode to Locate and Manage Equipment
Once a barcode has been associated with an equipment record, users can scan that barcode to find the item.
Open Equipment Overview.
Select the barcode scan feature in the search area.
Scan the equipment barcode.
Open the returned equipment record.
From the equipment record, the user can perform follow-up actions such as:
Manage the equipment record
Find the checklist
Submit a work order
Use a Barcode to Add Equipment to a Compartment or Storage
Barcode scanning can also be used when building out compartments or storages.
Open the apparatus or asset where the compartment or storage is being configured.
Navigate to Compartments or the applicable storage area.
Add a new compartment, or open the existing compartment or storage record.
Go to the Equipment section.
Select the scan feature.
Scan the barcode for the equipment item.
Confirm the correct equipment is pulled into the compartment or storage.
This allows the system to immediately identify and associate the correct equipment item.
Best Practices
Use barcode scanning when possible to reduce manual entry errors
Confirm the barcode number appears correctly in the Equipment ID field before saving
Verify the barcode is associated with the correct equipment record before using it operationally
Standardize barcode labeling practices across equipment for easier identification
Test newly assigned barcodes by scanning them from Equipment Overview
When building compartments or storages, scan each item directly to improve placement accuracy
Common mistakes to avoid:
Entering the barcode into the wrong equipment record
Forgetting to save after scanning or entering the barcode number
Assuming all users can edit barcode values; barcode association requires permission to update the equipment record
Using an unassigned barcode before verifying it is tied to the correct item
Troubleshooting & FAQs
The barcode scanner finds nothing when I scan an item
Make sure the barcode has already been associated with the equipment record in the Equipment ID field. If no value has been saved there, the scan will not return the equipment item.
I can scan and find equipment, but I cannot update the barcode
This is expected if you do not have permission to update the equipment record. Barcode lookup is not permissions-based, but barcode association is.
Can I type the barcode number instead of scanning it?
Yes. Manually entering the barcode number into the Equipment ID field performs the same action as scanning it.
Where is the barcode stored on the equipment record?
The barcode number is stored in the Equipment ID field.
Can the barcode be used for more than searching?
Yes. After scanning and locating the equipment, users can access the equipment record and perform actions such as locating a checklist or submitting a work order. The barcode can also be used to add equipment to a compartment or storage.
Do users need special permissions to scan a barcode and find equipment?
No. Locating equipment with the barcode scanning feature is not permissions-based.