Before a solid inventory management system, manual work had much to do with processing orders, data entry, and regular maintenance. It was time-consuming.
After that, barcodes were the go-to way of managing an inventory till QR-code was introduced by Denso Wave (a subsidiary of Toyota) in 1994. Barcodes were one-dimensional, took more space, stored less information, looked alike, and had other issues that needed to be addressed.
QR-code-based inventory management system, on the other hand, provides solutions to most of the issues. You can bulk-create QR codes, track assets in real-time, customize the codes based on the product categories, and scan them from any angle.
Best QR Code Inventory Management Software
Here are our top 5 choices for QR-code inventory systems with their key features and benefits. Most have QR code generators, barcode software, or a QR code API for tracking assets and work orders.
1. Sortly
End-to-end QR-based Solution for Small and Mid-sized Businesses
Pros
- Integration with other software like Quickbooks, Zapier, Dropbox, etc., help you manage additional functionalities.
- Alerts and reminders make it easy to know when stocks are out and when to reorder.
- Sharing and collaboration while working remotely are made easier with its mobile application.
Cons
- No live chat support or phone support.
Sortly
4.6
Editor’s Take
Sortly is your ultimate QR inventory solution. It has been embraced by thousands of business owners across all industries. Its versatility is in its customization and configuration options, plus it has widespread recognition on television and in magazine articles. More than just a stock count, Sortly offers advanced features like barcode and QR scanning, item tracking, and inventory alerts, making it an all-in-one solution. Moreover, Sortly’s QR-code feature ensures seamless inventory management on all internet-connected devices.
Best
QR-solution for SMBs
Price
$29+ per month on yearly plans
Annual Discount
Up to 60% Off
Promotion
14-Day FREE Trial
Try Sortly
Try Sortly
Sortly is an inventory management solution launched in 2013 to provide businesses of all sizes with a simple and efficient way to manage their inventory.
It offers a barcode inventory solution optimized for a mobile interface to provide easy inventory and asset management features.
Moreover, Sortly is versatile and customizable, fitting the specific needs of different industries.
Key Features
Limitless Custom Fields
With Sortly, you can create an unlimited number of custom fields to add specific information unique to your inventory. This allows you to manage your inventory exactly how you want it.
Limitless QR Code Generation
Limitless QR code generation is a crucial feature of Sortly, making it easy for you to scan and access information about an item in real time, streamlining your inventory management process.
Keep Your Inventory Visually Organized
With the ability to add photos to each item, Sortly provides a visual representation of your inventory, making it easier to track and manage. Its flexible organizational structure lets you categorize and tag items for quick and effortless searching.
Manage Your Inventory On-The-Go
With Sortly's mobile app, you can manage your inventory from anywhere, allowing you to work from the comfort of your couch or even while on vacation.
Alerts & Reminders
Get real-time notifications on your phone when the conditions you've set are met! No more worrying about running out of stock, missing a sale, or overstocking – you'll be in the know with alerts sent via email, SMS, or push notifications. For instance, you can set a minimum product alert, and whenever your stock reaches the threshold, you get a notification for a re-order. You can even track price changes, sale start times, and unexpected quantity drops – all with just a few taps.
Reporting and Analytics
With detailed reports and analytics, Sortly provides you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your inventory. You can track changes, view trends, and always stay on top of your inventory.
Pricing
Sortly presents four plans, out of which three offer a QR code system for versatile users:
- Advanced – $29 per month – Best for businesses with small inventory needs, giving 2000 entries and 2 user licenses.
- Ultra – $59 per month – Best for growing businesses
- Enterprise – customizable – Best for large organizations or enterprises who wants advanced support, control, and security
Each plan is priced based on the features, so you can choose what suits your needs the most.
Whether you're a small business or a larger organization, Sortly got you covered. Plus, when you opt for a yearly payment plan, you can save up to 60%! Get the benefits now by upgrading your inventory and asset tracking system with Sortly.
Try Sortly
2. GoCodes
Best Asset and Inventory Management Solution in One Place
Pros
- Automated email alerts when you reach the minimum stock threshold.
- User-friendly interface that helps you to track items and sort assets as per need.
- QR tags assist you in tracking asset location easily.
- Availability of browser and mobile applications for multiple platforms (Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux).
Cons
- The Android version doesn’t have as many features as the iPhone application.
GoCodes
4.4
Editor’s Take
GoCodes is a cloud-based QR code inventory system that helps you to track assets. It is like a GPS using unique QR code labels to guide you to the location of your assets. Scan QR codes using the smartphone to get complete details of your assets. GoCodes offers everything you need to embark on this inventory-tracking journey without requiring additional hardware or software purchases. It’s like a trusty companion with all its features, always by your side to help you quickly navigate the waters of asset tracking.
Best
All-in-one asset management
Price
Starts from $500 per year
Annual Discount
None
Promotion
Effortlessly streamline your asset tracking with GoCodes – the all-in-one solution that eliminates the hassle of software installations and hardware purchases.
Enjoy complete peace of mind with 24/7/365 visibility of all your assets – simply scan the patented QR code labels with your smartphone to check items in and out in real time.
Whether on a computer or a smartphone, you can view, remove, or update records on the go. And with its automated alerts for future appointments, low inventory, and due dates, you'll always stay on top of your assets and stock.
Key Features
Track Your Assets From Anywhere
Have complete control of your asset tracking with the power of GoCodes. Track your tools from anywhere, anytime, using any computer, smartphone, or tablet. GoCodes' simple QR code solution allows viewing, updating, and removing records with a tap.
Patented QR Code Tags
Gocode’s patented QR code labels are custom designed with you in mind. Choose between poly or rugged metal materials that are designed to last. Trust in its tags to keep your assets secure.
Track Consumable Quantities
Say goodbye to the hassle of tracking consumables. With GoCodes, you can scan QR codes to effortlessly mark consumables as used or restocked. Receive automated low-quantity alerts, so you never run out of the essentials.
Easily Customizable
GoCodes is as unique as you are. Easily customize the solution with custom fields, drop-down menu options, and hide unused areas. Your asset tracking solution should reflect your business, and with GoCodes, it will.
Reports That Meet Your Expectations
Gain insights into your asset tracking with its built-in report designer. Create custom reports that show your inventory tracking data the way you need it.
Complete Audit History
Confidently manage your assets with secure audit history logging. GoCodes tracks every movement of your assets and provides history, giving you peace of mind knowing your assets are always in good hands.
Pricing
GoCodes offers five different plans to its users with varying features and costs:
- Standard – $500 per year – Best for 3-people teams to manage up to 200 assets
- Premium – $1,000 per year – Best for 5-people teams to manage up to 500 assets
- Premium Elite – $1.750 per year – Best for 10 user logins to manage up to 1000 assets
- Professional – $2,500 per year – Best for 20 user logins to manage up to 2000 assets
- Enterprise – customizable – Best if you have a huge business and need 20+ user logins to manage more than 2000 assets
The plans differ in price, with the higher-priced plans offering more advanced and extensive features.
This allows users to choose the plan that aligns with their budget and meets their needs.
3. EZOfficeInventory
Best-in-class & Budget-friendly Inventory Management Software
Pros
- Easy to use and customizable.
- Flexible pricing plans where you can choose the number of assets.
- Real-time tracking of the stocks to avoid stockouts.
- Effortless asset discovery, scanning, and tracking, even via mobile phone.
Cons
- Lacks push notifications on the mobile app, which can enhance the usability of the tool on smart devices.
EZOfficeInventory
4.2
Editor’s Take
EZOfficeInventory is a robust asset tracking and inventory management solution that streamlines the entire asset lifecycle, from purchase orders to service tickets and vendor management. With advanced features, such as barcode and QR code scanning, RFID integration, depreciation management, and scan-based audits, you will have a bird's eye view of your assets and inventory. Customizable fields and notifications, location and possession histories, and Zendesk integration allow you to tailor the solution to your needs. You are much like a conductor leading an orchestral performance.
Best
budget-friendly solution
Price
Starts from $35 on yearly plans
Annual Discount
Up to 30% Off
Promotion
EZOfficeInventory is your trusty asset-tracking companion, guiding you through the ups and downs of asset management with ease. Like a reliable GPS, it tracks your assets from start to finish, driving you to make intelligent purchases, keep tabs on service tickets and manage vendors like a seasoned pro.
You can customize the journey with custom labels and barcode scanners, all while enjoying lightning-fast processing times with RFID integration.
With EZOfficeInventory, you'll have a clear view of your assets' depreciation and insightful reports to make informed decisions. And with the integration with Zendesk and work order management, everything related to your assets is streamlined, like a well-oiled machine.
Personalize the experience with custom fields and notifications designed to fit your needs like a glove!
Key Features
Asset Lifecycle Management
Take control of your assets with comprehensive lifecycle management, from procurement to retirement. Stay on top of all your asset information, including purchase orders, vendors, maintenance histories, and lifetime costs.
Dynamic Availability Calendar
Stay informed and organized with the Availability Calendar, which gives you real-time insight into your assets and stock status. Easily filter data by period, group, or location to find what you need fast.
At-a-Glance Dashboard Calendar
Never miss a beat with the intuitive Dashboard Calendar, which provides a bird's eye view of all item events taking place on a given day. Effortlessly toggle forward or ahead for additional information.
History Tracking
Gain valuable insights into your assets with the detailed history trail. Track general trends in asset usage, see how they evolve, and optimize asset utilization for maximum efficiency.
Access Control
EZOfficeInventory helps you to maintain security while increasing efficiency, thus improving the whole business process. You can restrict customer access to certain items, manage the team by assigning different levels of access, improve accountability among team members, and limit confusion by only giving access to necessary items.
Customizable Alerts and Reports
Stay on top of important events with custom email-based reminders and choose which alerts to receive. Take advantage of the extensive productivity-boosting reports included with EZOfficerInventory equipment management software or create custom reports for tailored analysis. Save your templates for quick access later.
Pricing
EZOfficeInventory offers four customizable pricing plans, allowing users to choose the best option for their specific needs and budget.
For managing 250 items, you can see the annual pricing as mentioned below:
- Essential – $40 per month – Best for small businesses who need simple features like asset tracking, basic reporting, etc.
- Advanced – $55 per month – Best for teams who want to track the complete asset lifecycle with advanced tracking, carts, and more
- Premium – $65 per month – Best for big teams for collaboration with features like access control, Google Workspace integration, etc.
- Enterprise – customizable – Best for your business if you want a custom solution for your inventory
The pricing plans are designed to be flexible and can be tailored to the user's requirement for tracking a certain number of items.
4. ToolSense
The Most Versatile Inventory Management System
Pros
- Real-time inventory tracking is useful for getting alerts on stockouts.
- Great at streamlining administrative communication for maintenance.
- User-friendly navigation and list sorting.
- Reduce human errors and save time and effort with the workflow automation feature.
Cons
- The backend loading speed is slow and could be improved.
ToolSense
4.1
Editor’s Take
Toolsense is one of the most versatile QR inventory systems, which is convenient, resilient, customizable, and lets you see real-time data to help you make structured decisions. It offers a wide range of facilities in different industries for users without programming knowledge. With its QR-code system, you can track inventories, assign unique codes to assets, manage work orders to reduce asset downtime, and much more. Overall, it's best for businesses that need to manage various equipment or other assets with the simplest system.
Best for
Equipment management
Price
Not mentioned
Annual Discount
None
Promotion
ToolSense was started in 2017 by three computer science engineering students during a project to find a solution for equipment maintenance and management. At first, they developed a software and IoT solution for central management of machinery and efficient process management.
The huge demand for the solution has driven them to a mission of transforming the Global economy.
Key Features
Asset Management
ToolSense helps you manage and identify all your equipment or machinery with the QR-code system. You only need to import your asset data from excel import or sync them from the ERP. It will automatically generate a unique quick response (QR) code for each asset.
Asset Lifecycle Management
From planning to disposal, this QR-based inventory management system helps you streamline the entire asset lifecycle. Check the availability of your assets by applying the filters. Further, the web or mobile application helps you to automate similar tasks with the integrated service workflow system. Thus, whenever there is a service request, it will automatically trigger a ticket and notify the person responsible.
Work Order Management
ToolSense allows you to track the service requests, spare parts, issues, and malfunctions on machinery by a single QR code scan. Notify the employees about the service requests with a ticket automatically while cutting the time taken for unnecessary administrative tasks.
Maintenance Management
Managing routine maintenance is easy with Toolsense maintenance management software. Just scan the QR code assigned to each asset, and it will automatically report the issues detected and send a ticket for maintenance to the responsible workers.
Asset Digitization with IoT Hardware
ToolSense provides different IoT hardware to help you track machinery location data, runtime data, vehicle data (location, mileage, fuel, etc.), smooth communication between devices, and temperature monitoring. The available devices include a machine tracker, external GPS tracker, vehicle tracker, light equipment tracker, and temperature monitor.
Pricing
Toolsense offers 3 plans, but the pricing is undisclosed. The plans are the following:
- Basic – The basic plan contains features like machine and equipment management, asset digitization with IoT hardware, and inspection planning.
- Essential – The Essential plan contains all the features under the Basic plan plus QR codes (your major focus), inspections, and issue reporting and tracking.
- Enterprise – The Enterprise plan is the most advanced one, with all the features under the Essential plan plus support, integrations, and advanced analytics, as mentioned in the image.
As the basic plan doesn't offer QR-code-related facilities, you will have to choose between Essential and Enterprise.
5. UpKeep
Best QR-Based Maintenance Tracking and Work Order Management Software
Pros
- Convenient work order management with filter option.
- Easy tracking and monitoring of issues.
- Barcode tagging is convenient for quickly reporting and labeling assets.
- Quickly create custom QR tags with the QR code generator.
Cons
- You might need skilled employees to operate the software.
UpKeep
4.0
Editor’s Take
Upkeep's inventory tracking software gives the asset and reliability management teams all the necessary tools. You can perform assets and maintenance management, check analytics and reporting, and integrate with software solutions like CMMS, EAM, Upkeep Edge, and Upkeep DataHub. Altogether, Upkeep, along with its QR system, handles large inventory to automate the complex operations for businesses.
Best for
Maintenance tracking
Price
Starts from $45 per month per user
Annual Discount
N/A
Promotion
Upkeep — a mobile-first asset operation management solution — is handy for effectively and efficiently managing business operations.
Built in 2015, Upkeep has been helping technicians save 90% of their time on work order filing and locating asset information.
This all-in-one work order management software allows you to assign work requests to the technicians while prioritizing tasks. Review analytics and trends to find out the bottlenecks and make informed decisions.
With this asset management software, you can increase your return on investment by up to 315%.
Key Features
Work Order Management
You can filter the list by technicians, locations, assets, status, due date, and priority. Auto work order creation and smartphone push notifications help you automate similar tasks. Some other functionalities include update alerts, priority-based tasks, order close-outs upon completion, and more.
Asset Management
Upkeep's QR-code-based asset management software helps you document work precisely. Just scan the QR code, and all the inventory tracking data regarding the assets will be in front of the technicians. The advanced asset dashboard represents the analytics for total downtime, asset performance, mean time between failures, and more. Besides, Upkeep's asset management tool allows you to quickly check the asset history and get notifications for stockouts. Also, communicate with unlimited requester accounts, track work requests, and reduce asset costs and downtime with this business intelligence software.
Preventive Maintenance
With Upkeep meters, you can see the time spent and costs with metrics like downtime and cost trends, machine cycles, vehicle mileage, etc. Know when your stocks are low by setting clear alerts and also check the equipment downtime. These features help you identify equipment failures and cut the money spent on repair.
Analytics and Reporting
This maintenance report software helps you generate and demonstrate reports on work order statuses, work completion rate, technician productivity, maintenance costs, and more with a single web dashboard. You can create a custom dashboard and export reports into Excel and PDFs. This helps you cut down time spent on manual reporting and check issues immediately.
Integrations
Upkeep has an app marketplace to integrate your current system with third-party software. There are different software applications for accounting, construction, communication, project management, security, and privacy, along with some IoT software and IoT hardware for other purposes.
Pricing
Upkeep has three pricing plans such as:
- Starter – $45 per month per user – Best for business starters who need monthly analytics and reports, preventive maintenance, and inventory management features
- Professional – $75 per month per user – Best for managing inventory professionally with features such as signature capture, advanced analytics, reporting, etc.
- Business Plus – Custom – Best for you if you want a custom plan with some advanced functionalities like a customizable dashboard, workflow automation, etc.
You can access the QR code generator for easy asset and work order management in all plans. You can also create work requests, restock parts and inventory, and add parts to work orders by scanning their QR code.
Benefits of Using QR-code-Based Inventory Management Systems
QR codes for inventory are blessings for businesses with large stock and can profit them in multiple ways. Here are a few advantages of QR-code-based inventory management software for assets or equipment tracking:
1. Require less space
Compared to the 1-dimensional standard barcodes, QR codes hold the same amount of data in far less space. It can occupy space as low as 1 cm x 1 cm, which is excellent if you have limitations on space.
Further, the smallest QR code can hold far more data than a standard barcode.
2. Budget-friendly
You don’t need formal training to generate QR-codes for different assets. Some QR generators can bulk-create the codes for free. And standard printers can print the QR codes as stickers or labels, reducing your printing costs.
QR-codes are flexible enough to be changed or modified as per your need.
Further, QR codes are mainly designed for mobile devices. Thus, you can save money on a separate handheld scanner.
3. Easy to scan
QR codes can be scanned from any mobile device, preferably smartphones.
Moreover, QR codes are two-dimensional, unlike traditional barcodes. You can access these codes even without the perfect scanner placement and often from multiple angles.
4. Provide real-time asset tracking facility
Dynamic QR-codes track inventory in real time. Some of the parameters that represent the real-time asset data include GPS location, time of the last scan, and the OS used for scanning.
Also, you can share the QR codes with the customers to help them track their shipments with one click.
5. Error correction
Do you know the best thing about QR codes for inventory systems? These tools have an error correction capability of up to 30%. That means even if the codes are damaged during the transfer of assets, they can still be identifiable and show you accurate information.
6. Make the inventory process more efficient
QR codes speed up the process by maintaining accurate inventory records and reducing the time spent on manual data entry.
Further, warehouse employees can quickly scan the code to access data and track the location and number of scans to make measured decisions for your business.
Overall, it helps reduce the time, money, and effort spent on managing the inventory and fasten the process.
7. Creative and customizable
If you own a large inventory with various types of products, QR codes are for you. You can design unique and custom QR codes based on the category, which helps you label and organize products.
Also, if you want to personalize and give a unique touch to the QR codes, add logos, different colors, and even background images.
8. Can store large amounts of data
QR codes can store much more inventory tracking data than a batch number and a serial number.
They can store business card details, PDFs, GPS coordinates, website URLs, phone numbers, and text up to 7,089 numeric characters or 4,269 alphanumeric ones.
Mistakes to Avoid When Using QR Codes
While QR codes have high usability, there are some mistakes to avoid.
#1 Not testing the QR codes before the launch
It seems obvious, but it is one of the most common mistakes businesses make. Thus, cross-check if the QR codes are working and the targeted destination is correct.
Furthermore, QR codes are initially designed for smartphones. Thus, always check if the destination source is mobile-friendly and provides a good user experience.
#2 Inverted Code
A good design doesn't always equal better results – at least not in the case of QR codes.
If you are designing a QR code that has a background darker than the code color, most probably, it won't work.
QR codes with dark backgrounds and light foregrounds, aka inverted code, aren't scannable with all kinds of devices and hence cause you more hassles.
#3 Not checking the quality of QR codes
Sometimes, the reason for QR codes not working lies in their quality. Check whether the QR codes are blurry or look overly complicated to scan.
Make sure the prints have high resolution and are the right size to be workable on a smartphone. Keep it simple and have limited text or information.
#4 Wrong placement of a QR code
What if your QR codes are attached to a location inaccessible for the devices to scan?
You must avoid box corners and angles where it's hard to identify a QR code.
#5 Not considering the mediums
QR codes are a handy way to market your products. However, consider using a suitable medium.
Using a dynamic medium like TV advertisem*nts or placing a QR code online is not the best way to use them for marketing.
Rather you can provide customer-friendly solutions to return items quickly with a QR scan like IKEA. Or you can create campaigns on festivals to spark the creativity of customers like Amazon. Think about how you can utilize QRs for effective marketing of your products.
Barcodes vs. QR Codes for Inventory Management
Quick response codes (QR) are more convenient nowadays for their wide range of benefits for the inventory management process. However, let's discuss the pros and cons of both barcodes and QR codes to help you decide which one to choose.
Advantages of the QR inventory system:
QR codes
- are easy to use
- take small space
- You can generate QR codes easily through a mobile app or an inventory tracking software
- can store large amounts of data in different formats
- are more secure
- are scannable with any smart device from any angle
- have good error tolerance capacity with four error correction levels. This also ensures they don't get damaged or smudged during transportation in an unfavorable environment
- can be customized as per your brand style to provide it with a unique look
Disadvantages of a QR inventory:
- Wrong placements of QRs can make them prone to distortion or damage.
- 1D barcode scanners do not support QR codes.
Advantages of traditional barcodes:
Traditional barcodes, on the other hand,
- are cheap
- easy to print and attach
- People got used to them as they evolved long before QR-codes
Disadvantages of traditional barcodes:
- These aren't as secure as QR codes.
- Don't provide custom design options
- Barcodes take up more space
- These can only be scanned from one direction with the proper scanner placement
- Barcodes are mainly used to store product SKUs and prices.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. QR codes are more versatile, as they provide solutions to the traditional barcode system challenges, and you can consider using a QR-code-based inventory tracking software.
Yet, whether or not to replace the barcode system is highly dependent on your current business needs.
Which Inventory Management Software can Create QR Codes?
All the above-mentioned QR inventory tools work towards a smooth inventory system. However, the preference might vary from one person to another based on their business size and the processes involved.
Let’s check the brief overview of the best 5 QR-based inventory tracking systems:
Best QR solution for SMBs
Sortly
Sortly is a versatile and scalable QR solution for SMBs to track products with existing QRs, generate unlimited codes for new items, and create inventory alerts.
Go to Site
All-in-one Asset System
GoCodes
GoCodes is cloud software with patented QR-code tags, complete audit history, and a mobile application to automate your business process and track asset records.
Best Budget-friendly Solution
EZOfficeInventory
EZOfficeInventory has flexible pricing plans and is handy for tracking delivery status, asset locations, and process audits. It can generate reports with a quick scan.
Best for Equipment Management
ToolSense
Toolsense has a user-friendly QR technology for large-scale asset management that lets you track the product's location, streamline work orders, and schedule maintenance.
Best for Maintenance Tracking
UpKeep
Upkeep allows you to bulk-generate QR codes for inventory and scan items for quick check-in and asset tracking while providing insights on downtime, time, and money spent on maintenance.
For more information on barcodes and inventory software, you can check out the following guides:
- 5 Top Inventory Software with Barcode
- 5 Inventory Management Apps for Small Businesses
- 7 Free Inventory Management Systems
- Inventory Management Statistics from Reputed Sources
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