- Tools and equipment · TDM
- IT Director / CTO, CFO / Finance, Accounting / Analytics, Operations Manager
- Services and offices, Manufacturing, Public sector, Retail and branch networks
Laptop tracking software: keeping company devices tied to a named person
In short
Laptop tracking software ties each company device to a named person, a date and a signed handover, and records the return. It does not replace endpoint security tools, it answers the other question: who is accountable for this device right now. Choose a system that handles issue, return, transfer and offboarding in one record. Start with the devices issued in the last year and a clear owner for the register.
Two different questions about a laptop
IT teams ask two things about a laptop, and they need different tools. The first: is it secure, patched and managed? That is the job of endpoint management software. The second: who has it, where is it, what did they sign for and when does it come back? That is the job of equipment tracking.
Laptop tracking software covers the second question. It gives each device a record with an identity, a holder and a history. It is the answer to "we cannot find the laptop of someone who left in the spring" and to "which devices does this department actually hold".
What the register should contain for each device
- Model, serial number and asset tag (printed as a QR code or barcode label).
- Accessories issued with it: charger, dock, bag, mouse.
- The holder, the department and the date of issue.
- The signed handover document.
- Condition at issue and at return.
- Warranty end date and, if relevant, the next inspection or service date.
- Status: in use, in stock, in repair, retired.
Low-value devices such as laptops, phones and meters often sit outside the fixed asset register, even though they matter operationally. A device register fills that gap without forcing every item into the accounting books.
The device life from IT's point of view
- Purchase and tagging. The device gets a label when it arrives, before it is imaged and handed out.
- Issue. The user receives it and signs. The record shows who, when, with which accessories.
- Transfer. A manager moves a laptop to a colleague. The transfer is recorded, with a new signature.
- Repair or replacement. The device goes to service and returns, or is replaced, with the history kept.
- Return. At offboarding or role change the device is scanned back in and its condition recorded.
- Retirement. The record closes with the reason and date.
The step that breaks most often is the return. People leave, the device does not come back on time, and the register keeps the old name for months. See A laptop still assigned to a former employee and Employee offboarding: how to get company equipment back for the working routine.
Features to compare
| Need | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Accountability | A named holder per device, history of holders |
| Paperless handover | Signature on a phone or tablet screen at issue and at return |
| Fast identification | QR code or barcode label scanned with a phone camera |
| Accessories | Items issued together are listed on the same document |
| Warranty and service | Warranty dates and a link to repair history |
| Reporting | Devices per person, per department, overdue returns |
| Integration | HR system connection, so a leaver triggers a return list |
In Remanently Tools, handover is by scanning and a signature on a smartphone screen. The Quick Start package adds a mobile app, a PPE and employee equipment register and warranty dates. HR system integrations are part of the Enterprise package. For the device's technical history after a return with damage, Remanently CMMS keeps repairs.
Common gaps, and how to close them
- Shared devices. Pool laptops passed between people need a check-out per use, not a single permanent holder.
- Remote staff. The return is by courier. Decide in advance who receives the package, scans it in and confirms the condition.
- Accessories forgotten. Chargers and docks are the usual shortage. List them on the issue document.
- Unlabeled old devices. Label them when they next pass through IT, not in one project.
- Several lists. IT, finance and HR each keep one. Pick one owner for the register and let the others read it.
What finance and accounting want from it
Finance wants to know what the company still owns and who must answer for it. A laptop assigned to a former employee is a cost that nobody sees until an audit or a stocktake. A register with a named holder and a return status turns it into a list that can be worked down. How the device is treated in the books, including write-offs, is a matter for the accounting team and the accountant, not for the tracking system.
If your company runs an asset count, the same labels work for it; see the stocktake page Remanently inventory and Remanently Assets.
How to start
- Export the list of devices issued in the last twelve months from IT and purchasing.
- Name one person who owns the register.
- Label devices as they come to IT for any reason.
- Use a signed handover for every new issue from day one.
- Review the open items against the current employee list once a month.
The free Remanently package (one managing user, up to 25 employees, up to 500 records) is enough to try the flow. For a wider category overview, read Equipment tracking software and Employee equipment tracking.
Day-one checklist for a device register
If you start tomorrow, do these in order. First, list the devices from three sources: purchasing records, the IT support queue and the user directory. Mismatches between them show where the register will have gaps. Second, decide the status values (in use, in stock, in repair, retired) and write them on one page. Third, choose one place where handovers are signed, either a paper form for the first weeks or a phone signature in the system. Fourth, set a due date for returns tied to the end of employment, so that an exit always generates a return task.
Fifth, agree who answers when a device is missing. In many companies IT blames HR and HR blames the manager. A named owner for the register and a rule that the manager of the last holder is asked first removes most of that friction.
Frequently asked questions
Is laptop tracking software the same as device management?
No. Device management software controls settings, updates and security on the device. Laptop tracking records who holds the device, what was signed and when it returns. The two complement each other.
Should laptops be in the fixed asset register?
That depends on your accounting policy and value thresholds, which is a question for your accountant. Operationally, a device register is useful either way, because it carries the holder and the handover.
How do we handle a device that a leaver does not return?
Keep the record open with the last known holder, set a due date and an owner for follow-up, and escalate through the manager and HR. Do not close the record until the device is received or a decision is documented.
Can accessories be recorded together with the laptop?
Yes. List them on the issue document, and check them at return together with the condition of the device.
Can we start without labeling everything?
Yes. Start with new issues and with devices returning for any reason. Labeling the whole fleet in one project is rarely needed.
Bring your device list to a demo
Book a short demo and we will load a sample of your devices, issue one with a signature on the phone and show the return, so you can see the register on your own data.
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