Accurate tracking of assets can be a difficult, time consuming task especially if Councils are not using an automatic data collection system. Bar Code Data Systems Pty Ltd (BCDS) is a specialist company and has developed a program especially designed for the purpose.
Current users are experiencing high levels of accuracy, increased speed of data collection and can generate useful reports easily and quickly. The program is called ASTRAK, which BCDS originally developed for the Commonwealth Bank to provide access to the Bank’s existing Fixed Assets System Database.
Unlike other stand alone systems, ASTRAK enables access to previously inflexible programs specifically written for host computers. ASTRAK has now been installed at several other organisations including ANSTO, Star City Casino, the Australian Stock Exchange, the NSW Department of Public Works, Franklins and the St George Bank.
Written in Microsoft Visual Basic, ASTRAK allows nominated fields such as asset number, description, serial number, cost centre, location, asset type bar code label custodian and so on to be down loaded to a PC. These files are then transferred to a Portable Bar Code Reader where the files are stored in flash memory.
Previously bar coded assets are scanned with the Portable Bar Code Reader. As the user scans each bar code label, the reader’s visual display screen immediately shows any relevant information for the item held on file.
Provision is made for the user to verify the correct location of each item and to add new assets if discovered during an audit. When all asset audit scanning has been completed, recorded data is transferred back to the PC for report generation.
Reports include a list of missing assets, changes to asset details, new assets found and audit summaries, exceptions and modifications. One of the major benefits of the system is that information becomes instantly available on a large number of discrepancies. These can then be easily sorted out with the Site Manager before the operator leaves the premises.
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* Copy supplied by Bar Code Data Systems Pty Ltd
