Asset Tracking keeps track of physical items as Records: who has each one, who has asked for it, and its full history. How users work with it is described in the Asset Tracking topic. This topic covers the setup, in the order you do it.


1. Turn it on for the system

In Main Options, open General Settings and turn on Asset Tracking (Enable the 'Asset Tracking' functions in the system). This adds the Asset Tracking section to the Record Type editor, the asset tabs on users' Home pages, and the Asset Tracking Reports. Turning it off hides them again. The asset history already recorded is kept.


2. Choose the Record Types that are assets

Open the Record Type and expand Asset Tracking.

  • Tracking Field – the field that identifies each asset, usually the value printed on its barcode label. The Multi-Asset Actions screen finds Records by the value in this field, so give each asset its own value. A scanned value that matches more than one Record acts on all of them. A Record Type needs a Tracking Field before it can be used on the Multi-Asset Actions screen.
  • Container Field – optional. The field that holds where the asset is kept, such as a box or shelf number. When assets are assigned or returned on the Multi-Asset Actions screen, the container entered there is written into this field on each Record, and for Assign the container must be filled in.
  • Main Focus – shown once a Tracking Field is chosen. When it is on, users see the Tracking screen in the main view of the Record and the documents in the pop-out panel, switching with the Asset and Docs buttons. When it is off, the documents show as usual and the Asset Tracking panel opens from the Assets button in the footer.


A Record Type with a Tracking Field or a Container Field is an asset Record Type. Its Records show the Asset Tracking panel, it can be picked in the asset reports and on the Multi-Asset Actions screen, and its assets show on the Home page tabs.


3. Choose the Asset Managers

Open the user and, under Security Settings, turn on Asset Manager. An Asset Manager:

  • has the Assets button on the top toolbar, which opens the Multi-Asset Actions screen described in the Asset Management topic, once at least one asset Record Type exists, and
  • is emailed every asset request, with a link to each Record and the Tracking Field values listed so the items can be found.


The user import file can set this with its AssetManagement column. 


On Enterprise and above you can limit each Asset Manager to the asset Record Types they can add new Records to. Turn on Asset Manager Security in Main Options > General Settings. It is shown once Asset Tracking is on, and it is off to start with. With it on:

  • the Assets button and the Multi-Asset Actions screen cover only those Record Types, and the button is hidden when there are none, and
  • each Asset Manager is emailed only the requested Records of those Record Types. When no Asset Manager can add Records of a requested Record's Record Type, no Asset Manager is emailed about that Record. The request is still made and still shows in the Asset Requests report.

The Home page asset tabs and the Asset Tracking Reports are not limited by this setting.


The Asset Manager setting does not decide who can request, assign or return. Any user who can open an asset Record can do all three from the Record screen and from Search.


4. Optional: run workflow on asset activity

If you have Workflow, turn on Asset Workflow in Main Options > General Settings (Route Records through Workflow during asset tracking functions). It is shown once Asset Tracking is on. With it on:

  • Requesting or assigning an asset routes the Record into workflow. The work item remembers which request or assignment started it.
  • A work item started by a request is finished when that request is canceled or filled, that is, when the asset is assigned to the person who asked for it. A work item started by an assignment is finished when the asset is returned, which includes assigning it to someone else. Either way the work item is moved on through its step's Default Reject button if the step has one, and canceled if it does not.
  • Plan the Default Reject button with that in mind: it runs when a request is filled as well as when it is canceled.


These activation rules let a Process react to asset activity. They are described in the Activation Rules topic.

  • Asset Request - Work Trigger – an asset request started this work item.
  • Asset Assignment - Work Trigger – an asset assignment started this work item.
  • Asset Assignment Check – whether the Record is assigned, assigned to a specific user, or assigned to a member of a team.
  • Asset Request - Any – whether anyone has an open request for the Record.


The Assign Asset, Return Asset and Cancel Asset Request actions let a route act on the asset, and the requester variables put the requesting user into emails and fields. See the Asset Actions and Asset Tracking Variables topics.