Asset Verification and Audit

Bar code auditing has always been a 'nice to have' option that relied heavily upon the will of management to underwrite the cost of the time and resources required to implement and sustain it. However, few organizations in the private sector maintained the necessary momentum required to do this successfully until now.

With the advent of USB interfaces, PDA mobile operating systems, Wi-Fi, GPRS and RFID tags, all this has changed and physical asset audit has developed into a cost effective and dynamic asset management function with far more diverse and innovative applications fully integrated into most asset management systems.

The first Activa Bar Code Auditor functions were developed in the late 1980's when the original Videx TimeWand and TimeWand II products were first introduced. Later hardware scanners such as the Denso BHT scanner series and the Psion range of intelligent portable terminals were adapted to match the well established Activa specification and some of these are still in use today. This original and effective 'scan and timestamp' format first applied to Videx equipment prevails and is still a part of the basic specification of the Fixed Assets Register.

In recent years Activa has developed the basic bar code auditing functions and a raft of additional functionality for PDAs such as the Symbol MC50 and MC70 range, with the Windows Mobile Operating System and equipped with a bar code or RFID scanner. These functions are now available in the Activa Auditor option and include;

This is the entry level audit function that works equally well with a bar code reader or an RFID scanner. In this instance, the RFID tags would be of fairly low frequency and limited capacity to reflect the relatively simplistic 'scan and stamp' technique. Audits can be performed in single or multiple sessions. When completed the audit file is processed against the Activa system database. Preliminary exception reports can now be produced in the field on the PDA and when finalized, on a PC workstation through the Activa Asset Register.

This audit process compares the scan file to the asset database and generates a series of fundamental audit exception reports to document results and to process changes. These reports are generated to the screen and include;

This process allows the auditor to identify assets missed at audit and to focus on seeking these out prior to finalizing the audit file. On the PC workstation it also assists the auditor in transferring mis-located assets to their audited location and to date flag all assets that have been scanned as successfully found at audit.

Audit files can be repeatedly uploaded and processed as often as required. This repeated update provides progressive reports for follow-up and elimination of outstanding audit queries.

Data Logging is a completely separate function from the Bar Code Auditor and is specifically designed for asset validation, safety inspections, condition reporting, data correction, data collection and of course, audit. It incorporates a standard data export from the main application that is used to present the auditor with a complete range of current data values for the assets being scanned on the PDA.

Data Logging can use a bar code reader or RFID scanner for individual asset auditing or, alternately, it can use a set of data filters to present a list of assets from the database for any given situation or custodian. The scanner can then be used to supplement information held in the database such as the serial number or other critical data elements.

Asset records that are changed during the process are exported to the Activa Asset Register and these records then contribute to a comprehensive reporting process that displays all of the changed information in a series of data panels.

This type of audit is particularly useful in hotels, restaurants, department stores, schools, universities, cinemas, theatres, hire companies and so on; anywhere in fact, where assets occur in multiple units, or according to a strict inventory.

The asset Stocktake Audit function takes a different approach to the more common asset audit and data is accessed by type rather than by individual record. The audit input takes the form of an integer in confirmation of the number of units identified in the audited situation.

Adjustments arising from variations to recorded stock levels are presented in a set of exception reports when the Stocktake Audit file is processed against the Activa Asset Register. Adjustments can be processed as absolute transactions where transfers additions and disposals are applied to the audited location. Alternately, they can be applied as relative transactions where local inventory is maintained from a central store and all adjustments are applied to the store only.

These notes are intended as a product brief and should not be read as the full specification of Activa software. If you have more specific questions please use the Search option on this site. If you do not find what you are looking for on other pages of this site please complete a Contact Request noting your area of interest and we will respond by return.

The following pages contain information related to the asset physical audit functions in Activa software;

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Article last updated : Feb 24 2012 10:48AM