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Asset barcode scanner

A tech walks up to a rooftop unit they've never serviced before. Which one is it? When was it last inspected? Who installed it? Instead of digging through paperwork or texting the office, they open the Scanner tab, point the camera at the QR sticker on the cabinet, and the asset's full record opens in seconds — make and model, maintenance history, attached documents, current status.

That's the asset scanner in a sentence. The rest of this page walks through what it scans, how it works, and the field workflows it's built for.

Enterprise feature

Asset management — including the scanner — is available on the Enterprise plan. Compare plans to find the right fit.

What the scanner reads

The scanner uses your device's camera to read both 1D barcodes and 2D QR codes. The most common formats you'll see in the field:

Format Where it shows up
QR code The default for FSM Navigator asset tags — printed on every label you generate
Code 128 Manufacturer-applied labels and asset tags from older systems
Code 39 Legacy industrial equipment tags
EAN-13 / UPC-A Retail-style barcodes on consumer-grade tools and accessories

If you've printed your asset labels through FSM Navigator, you're getting QR codes — they pack more data, scan reliably from any angle, and survive a bit of wear and tear better than a 1D barcode.

Need to print tags first?

The scanner only helps if your assets carry labels. See Asset tags and labels for how to print individual or bulk QR labels in three different sizes.

How a scan works

  1. Open the Assets page and click the Scanner tab (the camera icon).
  2. Click Start Camera Scanner. Your browser asks for camera permission — click Allow.
  3. Position the asset's tag inside the green frame and hold steady for a moment.
  4. The system reads the code, looks the asset up, and opens its full record on the right side of the screen.
  5. The scan also drops into your Recent Scans list — handy when you're walking a job site and want to jump back to an asset you scanned a few minutes ago.

No camera? No problem. Type the tag, serial number, or barcode value into the Enter Code Manually field and click Search. This field also works with USB barcode scanners on a desktop — most plug-and-play scanners send keyboard input straight into the focused field.

What if the tag isn't in the system?

If the scanner reads a code that doesn't match any asset in your catalog, you'll see a "No asset found" message. If you have permission to add assets, a + Create New Asset button appears and pre-fills the scanned value as the new asset's tag. Otherwise, double-check the code and try again, or flag it with your asset administrator.

What you can do from a scan result

Once an asset opens after a successful scan, you have the full asset detail view at your fingertips. The most common field actions:

  • Review the asset's record — make, model, serial number, location, custom fields, and current lifecycle status.
  • Log a maintenance event — record what you did, parts used, time spent, and any follow-up needed.
  • Update a meter reading — log current hours, mileage, or cycle count to keep meter-based maintenance on schedule.
  • Attach a photo or document — snap a picture of the nameplate, a damaged component, or a completed inspection and add it to the asset's record.
  • Check warranty status — see at a glance whether the asset is still under warranty before authorizing a repair.
  • Open the asset's job history — see every prior service visit, who did the work, and what was found.

Using the scanner in the field

The scanner is built to work the way technicians actually move. A few things worth knowing:

  • It works on any device with a camera — phone, tablet, laptop. The same flow on each.
  • It runs in the browser — no app install, no separate scanner hardware to charge or carry.
  • The Mobile Technician App has the same scanner built in, optimized for one-handed use and quick access from the active job screen.
  • Recent Scans persist while the tab is open — useful when you're walking a building scanning each unit on a route.
  • Camera access stays on your device. The video feed is processed locally — no images, video, or scan data is recorded or transmitted beyond the decoded code value sent to look up the asset.

Scanning in tough conditions

Worn or dusty tags, low light, and reflective surfaces are the three things that defeat camera scanners. Wipe the tag with a rag, get within a foot or two of it, and tilt the device a few degrees to kill glare. If a tag is too damaged to scan, type the value from the printed label into the manual field instead.

Camera permissions

The first time you start the scanner, your browser asks whether to grant camera access. The exact wording varies:

Browser What to expect
Chrome / Edge A dropdown above the address bar — click Allow
Safari (iOS / macOS) A popup asking for permission — click Allow
Firefox A bar at the top of the page — click Allow and check Remember this decision

If you accidentally clicked Block, you'll need to reset the permission in your browser's site settings before the scanner will work. Look for Site settings → Camera and switch the entry for FSM Navigator from Block to Allow.

HTTPS is required

Browsers only grant camera access on secure (HTTPS) connections. If you're seeing a permission denial that won't go away, confirm the URL starts with https://.

Scanning parts vs scanning assets

The asset scanner and the parts scanner look almost identical — same camera, same green frame, same workflow — but they're built around different jobs:

Use the asset scanner when... Use the inventory parts scanner when...
Identifying a piece of equipment you're standing in front of Counting parts on a warehouse shelf
Logging a maintenance event or meter reading Adding parts to a job's bill of materials
Attaching a photo of damage to an asset's record Checking stock levels during a van restock
Pulling up an asset's full service history Receiving a new shipment into inventory

If you scan a parts barcode in the asset tab (or vice versa), the system will tell you the code wasn't found in the catalog you're searching. Switch tabs and scan again.

Troubleshooting

The scanner won't start, even after I clicked Allow

Refresh the page. If the Start Camera Scanner button still does nothing, check that no other app or browser tab is actively using the camera. On phones, closing the camera app and any video-call apps usually fixes it.

The camera turns on but won't read the code

Check the basics: enough light, lens is clean, code isn't wrinkled or torn, you're holding the device steady. The green frame should fill with the code — if the code looks tiny in the frame, get closer.

It reads the code but says 'No asset found'

The tag isn't registered in your asset catalog. Either the tag belongs to a different system, or the asset was never added to FSM Navigator. If you have permission to add assets, click + Create New Asset to register it now.

Can I use a Bluetooth or USB barcode scanner instead of the camera?

Yes. Hardware scanners that emulate keyboard input work with the Enter Code Manually field — click into the field, scan the code, and the system performs the lookup automatically.

The same scan keeps registering twice in a row

The scanner has a built-in pause between reads to prevent duplicate scans, but if you're seeing rapid duplicates, hold the device still or pull the tag out of the frame for a second between scans.

Does the scanner work offline?

The camera will read the code offline, but looking up the asset requires an active connection — the lookup hits your asset catalog. If you're working in a no-signal environment, use the Mobile Technician App's offline mode instead, which caches asset data for field use.