Implementing anything new to existing functional operations makes even the most open-minded managers cringe. However, adding mobile asset tracking to fleets of vehicles or equipment tends to be quite the ordeal involving multiple layers of logistical consideration. Furthermore, if the mobile assets are in daily use, it can add serious complications in logistical management.

In this guide, we’ll review the process of mobile asset tracking and suggest solutions that can seriously improve not only the mobile asset tracking system integration but also nearly all aspects of operational management. We’ve got some ideas you’ll want to read about and likely implement within your own organization, so take note. Let’s jump right into it.

What Is Mobile Asset Tracking and Why Does It Matter?

Mobile asset tracking is the process of monitoring, managing, and securing physical assets using mobile-enabled technologies such as GPS, RFID, barcode scanning, and cloud-based platforms. It’s a crucial aspect of any fleet, equipment, or other asset management processes and is necessary to ensure appropriate data-driven decisions in asset management are made not only possible but also provide effective and efficient frameworks for standardized asset management.

However, mobile asset tracking is only half the solution to effectively managing assets. When applied to vehicle tracking systems, it can often only provide further internal data, which might include driver behaviors and other such information.

The other side of the equation includes mobile reporting, a newer feature of the smartphone and mobile device revolution.

Mobile reporting refers to the ability to document, submit, and access reports from remote locations using mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. With the 1st Reporting app, mobile reporting is enhanced by a highly customizable digital platform that enables teams to capture field data, including incidents, inspections, and compliance checklists, in real-time. The system’s secure cloud-based architecture ensures managers have instant access. At the same time, its automation and notification features facilitate swift decision-making, streamlined workflows, and improved accountability across geographically dispersed teams.

When combined with mobile asset tracking, the features of robust mobile reporting systems like the 1st Reporting application make mobile asset tracking and management a complete package that dramatically simplifies and enhances mobile asset management. Furthermore, it makes all aspects of asset reporting of incidents, damage, safety, and related events easier, more functional, and much more efficient. 

Key Components of a Mobile Asset Tracking and Reporting System

Beneficial mobile asset tracking and reporting systems have some key features that will help you and your organization fully enhance, even automated, communications and reporting processes. Let’s look at a few of the key components to look for in your mobile asset tracking and reporting systems.

• Tracking Technologies—GPS, RFID, QR codes, and even IoT sensors are necessary for mobile asset tracking systems. 
• Cloud-Based Asset Management – Secure data storage, real-time reporting, and remote access capabilities enable mobile vehicle and equipment tracking and management from multiple locations.
• Automation & AI Integration—Reducing manual errors, predictive maintenance, and AI-powered tracking tools help you manage assets more easily. 

Assuming you’re looking to change your mobile asset management, let’s now look at a step-by-step implementation process that can make integrating new asset management and monitoring systems much easier and more efficient than traditional processes.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Mobile Asset Tracking

In this step-by-step process, we’ll include both mobile asset tracking and mobile reporting solutions. The latter is necessary and beneficial for more than just asset management, as you’ll learn.

Step 1: Assess Business Needs and Objectives

Before you choose platforms and begin implementation, it’s crucial to understand the end game. In other words, it’s best to look at what challenges your organization faces with mobile asset tracking and management. As mentioned, regarding fleet vehicles, you’ll likely want to implement two separate systems: one for tracking the asset’s physical location and one for tracking and managing all documentation related to said assets. This documentation could include everything from equipment breakdown reports, repair work orders, or even daily pre-use safety inspections necessary for regulatory compliance.

Assessment Concepts:

• Identify key assets and track priorities. Keep asset-related documentation requirements in mind.
• Evaluate operational inefficiencies, challenges, and risk factors

Step 2: Choose the Right Tracking Technology

There are two aspects to mobile asset tracking: physical asset location tracking and all asset-related documentation tracking. For many mobile assets, be it fleet vehicles or equipment, you’ll need to consider what documentation is required to meet minimum safety requirements. These often include pre-use safety inspections, asset repair requests, damage reporting, and even incident reporting. Keep in mind that most location-based tracking systems are not designed also to help you manage asset-related documentation. That’s where an application like the 1st Reporting app shines and brings solutions to the challenge of asset document tracking.

Solution Considerations:

• Comparing GPS, RFID, barcode scanning, and AI-powered solutions is excellent for physical location tracking. Still, it will not likely help manage mobile asset documentation. Therefore, be prepared to enlist two solutions, one for physical asset location tracking and one for asset documentation tracking.
• Selecting software with robust asset management capabilities, like the 1st Reporting app, is not only beneficial but also helps you maintain even the strictest regulatory standards for maximum safety and compliance in a highly efficient manner that can save your team time (and money).

Step 3: Implement a Centralized Asset Management Approach

When considering both location and document tracking solutions, keep the standard operating procedures in mind and strive for a centralized asset management approach. For example, you could use a physical location tracking tag or module system and a cloud-based solution like the 1st Reporting application to centralize and secure asset document tracking management. 

The 1st Reporting app provides features like dynamic GPS information, such as where and when a report (such as a pre-use safety inspection or incident report) was created. Add the powerful and genuinely customizable notification system within 1st Reporting, and you have a highly automated ability to provide asset managers with notifications in real-time.

A successful centralized asset management system will provide your team with a collaborative means to access reports from anywhere, no matter where your field assets are located. Ensure you choose the right tracking systems for both assets and their documentation management, which will enable real-time reporting and collaboration for more data-driven decision-making in your mobile asset management.

Step 4: Integrate With Existing Systems

Most mobile asset location tracking systems use standalone features that don’t generally integrate well with other solutions. However, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to mobile asset documentation management and tracking. The 1st Reporting application works seamlessly with existing systems used by organizations, such as Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Power BI.

During integration, forward-leaning solutions like the 1st Reporting app make integration even easier. Its powerful built-in AI, Template Genie, helps you create customized asset reports relevant to your operations and local regulatory requirements.

Step 5: Train Teams and Deploy the System

In our years of experience helping asset managers implement the 1st Reporting system, we’ve learned that a measured and scalable approach works best. This approach includes setting up a ‘control’ group to start implementing solutions like the 1st Reporting app. Provide a mechanism for your control group to provide feedback on said implementation to refine the process. Train and deploy the system in waves across selected groups or departments to ensure a standardized and centralized implementation approach.

Step 6: Monitor, Optimize, and Scale

As mentioned, we’ve found over the years that a compartmentalized integration approach works best with an initial control group and subsequent grouped or department-selected integrations. Once your first groups have asset and document tracking solutions implemented, ensure you monitor, optimize, and adapt your implementation process to bring it to scale with the rest of your organization. Remember, tools like the 1st Reporting app can help you easily manage other non-asset related processes as well, from workplace incidents to security reports and everything in between.

How Mobile Reporting and Asset Tracking Enhance Field Operations

According to Grandview Research: “The capabilities of asset management solutions to streamline operations, optimize the utilization of existing resources, and subsequently help enterprises save costs, enhance profits, and improve the return on investment (RoI) are expected to drive the market’s growth.” That growth is projected to have a 36.4% CAGR through to 2030, showing the incredible power of intelligent asset management solutions like the 1st Reporting application.

We’ve examined a robust implementation process based on our experience integrating mobile asset and document tracking solutions. During this time, we’ve provided many examples of how comprehensive and customizable platforms like the 1st Reporting application can help you create dynamic and automated reporting processes. However, we didn’t mention how new features in the application can further enhance and benefit your operations.

Secure Document Storage and Sharing

The 1st Reporting application enables you to upload documents like asset standard operating procedures, manuals, and other critical documents your teams in the field need to ensure safe and intelligent asset use and management. Share everything from asset documents to safety protocols and give instant access to your teams in the field for highly collaborative asset management.

Dynamic Workflow Management

Using the 1st Reporting application’s customizable features enables you to create dynamic and automated reporting workflows for maximum efficiency in managing your mobile assets. For example, you could generate automation for asset damage incidents that automatically creates an assigned work order, repair order, or other document related to the incident, attaches it to the workflow, and notifies the appropriate stakeholder in real time.

Asset-Related Task Management

The 1st Reporting application includes a powerful ‘Action Center’ where you can create actions and assign them to your team. This task-related feature makes it easy to assign actions to team members in the field for asset inspections or any other action-related tasks. With the feature, you can assign collaborators and deadlines and even provide further context to ensure your field personnel know exactly what they have been assigned.

KPI Reporting

It’s noteworthy to consider the use of Key Performance Indicator reports generated by the 1st Reporting application. These reports can dramatically improve your ability to track and find trends related to your assets. These reports can speed up the process of reviewing multiple reports, whether they are asset breakdowns, pre-use safety inspections, or other asset-related documentation. Reviewing paper-based reports is both time-consuming and no longer necessary when you have an intelligent solution like the 1st Reporting application.

Unlocking the Full Potential of Mobile Asset and Document Tracking

With the tips and implementation structure we’ve provided, you can unlock unprecedented efficiency and oversight in your mobile asset tracking and asset documentation management. The next step is to take control of your mobile asset management by integrating physical asset location tracking and a powerful asset documentation management system like the 1st Reporting application.

Leverage automation, asset trend analytics, and AI-enhanced asset form generation for a faster, more effective, and data-driven mobile tracking solution. Handle asset management like a boss and leave your competition in the dust with advanced documentation tracking solutions for your asset management. We invite you to try the 1st Reporting application today and find out how you can dramatically improve your asset documentation management. 

However, you don’t have time to play around with the application. In that case, you can also book a demo with one of our mobile reporting specialists, who can give you a quick guided tour so you can see how intuitive and efficiently implemented the 1st Reporting application really is. We’ll see you soon.