Oracle has added something to PeopleSoft Asset Management that quietly removes one of the biggest barriers to doing a proper physical inventory. You can now scan asset QR codes and barcodes using the native camera on any mobile device. No handheld scanner, no separate app, no integration to configure.
The obvious question is what makes this different from the camera app already on your phone. Most phones have read QR codes for years, after all.
The difference is not the scanning, it is where the scan goes. Point your standard camera at an asset tag and you get a piece of data, usually a web address or a string of numbers, which you then have to type into something else. The phone has no idea it is looking at an asset tag. With PeopleSoft, the camera sits inside the asset system itself. Scan a tag and the asset record opens in front of you. Scan during an inventory count and the item is added to your list, ready to edit and reconcile.
Until now, that kind of link meant buying handheld scanners or a third-party scanning app, with the cost and IT involvement that comes with both. Oracle has removed that step. It is a small change on paper, but it moves asset tracking out of the hands of a few people with the right equipment and puts it in reach of anyone with a phone. Which makes the tag on the asset itself the one part of the process that still has to be right.
How the PeopleSoft Scanning Feature Works
The feature covers the whole cycle, from creating the tag to scanning it back in.
Printing the codes
The first step is generating the tags, and that now happens inside PeopleSoft. You search for the assets you want to tag, choose whether to scan by tag number or serial ID, and select your preferred code type and print size. There is no separate labelling system to keep in step with your register, because the code comes from the asset record itself.
Physical inventory
Once assets are tagged, the Physical Inventory tile on the Asset Tracking homepage lets you scan each asset into your inventory list using your device's camera. As each tag is scanned, a confirmation appears and the asset is added to the list. You can edit the asset information there and then, and view your full scan history on the same screen.
Asset lookup
The second use is lookup. Using the Scan Asset or Scan by Location tiles, you scan a tag and immediately see the asset description, maintenance history and any open work orders. Oracle has aimed this squarely at field teams and technicians who need asset data without walking back to a workstation.
Nothing else to buy
There is no additional hardware, no external software and no integration work. Existing PeopleSoft customers get the functionality as part of the product.
Why This Matters More Than It Sounds
Oracle has flagged a benefit that goes beyond convenience. Departments can now inventory their own assets independently, which improves accuracy, distributes the workload and reduces reliance on finance or IT.
That is the real shift. Physical inventories are usually postponed because they are a burden on a small number of people. When any department can pick up a phone and count its own equipment, the count is far more likely to happen at all.
Oracle's own guidance suggests a phased approach: start with high-value items such as laptops and vehicles, then expand from there. It also points to annual inventories as good practice, scheduled by area or asset type rather than attempted all at once.
The Problem This Actually Solves: Ghost Assets
The reason any of this matters is the gap that opens between a register and reality.
A ghost asset is an item that appears on your register but no longer exists, having been sold, scrapped, lost or stolen without the record being updated. The same gap works in reverse, with items in use that were never recorded at all. Industry estimates suggest that between 10% and 30% of business assets can drift into this status without active management.
The consequences are practical rather than theoretical. An inaccurate register can mean paying premiums on equipment you no longer own, or holding cover that falls short of what you actually have. HMRC capital allowance claims and disposals depend on accurate asset records. Statutory auditors test fixed asset existence and valuation, and a poor register may extend an audit. And you cannot plan replacements sensibly when you are unsure what you own or what condition it is in.
Regular physical inventories are the only real answer. Anything that makes them easier is worth paying attention to.
Phone Camera or Dedicated Scanner?
Camera scanning is a genuine step forward, but it does not make handheld scanners obsolete. The two suit different situations.
A dedicated scanner is generally faster for larger estates. It can hold thousands of records offline, batch-scan items in quick succession, and is built to withstand day-to-day knocks on site. If you are working through a warehouse or a large plant room, that speed adds up.
A phone is the lower-cost option and suits smaller estates or occasional spot checks well. It requires no extra hardware, and with PeopleSoft's new functionality it no longer requires a separate scanning app either. For a department checking its own laptops once a year, that is exactly the right tool.
Most organisations will end up using both.
What This Means for Your Asset Labels
Here is the part Oracle does not cover, and it is the part that decides whether any of this works.
A handheld scanner is a purpose-built device with its own illumination, optimised for reading codes in poor conditions. A phone camera is not. It is more forgiving of angle and distance than it used to be, but it is less tolerant of small codes, poor contrast, glare and damage. When you move scanning to the phone in everyone's pocket, the tag has to do more of the work.
A few things make the difference:
Code size. A code that is technically correct but printed too small will frustrate a phone camera, particularly in low light. That said, small does not have to mean unreliable. Print resolution is what sets the floor. We print at 1200dpi using digital UV inkjet, which holds clean, sharply defined edges on every module, so we regularly produce QR codes far smaller than would normally be seen that scan reliably, first time. A lower resolution press will blur those edges at the same size and the code becomes unreadable. The other factor is data. The more a code carries, the more modules it contains and the smaller each one becomes, so keep it short, such as an asset number rather than a long URL. Where a tag will be read at arm's length or in a poorly lit plant room, size it up accordingly.
Quiet zone. Every QR code and Datamatrix needs a clear margin around it. Crowd the code with a logo or a border and scanning becomes unreliable.
Contrast. Black on white reads best. Printing codes in a brand colour, or on a dark or metallic background, reduces contrast and slows recognition.
Finish. A high gloss finish looks smart but can throw glare back at a camera flash, especially in dim conditions. A textured or matt finish scatters that light and is usually the safer choice for assets in workshops, plant rooms and storage areas.
Code type. QR codes are the default and are well suited to most asset labels. Datamatrix is worth considering where space is tight, such as on small tools or instruments, because it holds a similar amount of data in a smaller footprint.
The human-readable fallback. Always print the asset number alongside the code. If a tag gets scuffed or a camera cannot read it, somebody can still type the number in and carry on. It is the single cheapest insurance policy in asset labelling.
The Register, the Tag and the Scan
Software vendors have spent years making asset management easier, and Oracle has now removed both the hardware and the cost from the scanning step. What remains is the physical link between the item and its record.
At Custom Labels, we have been manufacturing labels since June 1997, and producing QR code labels for over 25 years, from fixed web addresses and sequential numbers through to the variable data packages that modern asset systems rely on. We can print QR codes, barcodes and Datamatrix codes on any of our label and tag ranges at no extra cost, and we will happily advise on size, contrast and finish for the environment your assets live in.
If you are rolling out camera-based scanning and want to check your tags are up to it, we can produce customised samples so you can test them with your own phones before committing to a full run.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from scanning a QR code with my phone's camera app? A standard camera app returns the raw data, such as a link or a number, which you then have to enter somewhere manually. PeopleSoft's scanning sits inside the asset system, so a scan opens the asset record directly or adds the item to an inventory count, with updates syncing straight back.
Can you scan asset tags with a phone camera? Yes. PeopleSoft Asset Management now supports scanning asset QR codes and barcodes using the native camera on a mobile device, with no additional hardware, apps or integrations required.
How big should a QR code be on an asset label? It depends on print quality, how much data the code carries and the scanning conditions. Printing at 1200dpi with digital UV inkjet, we regularly produce QR codes at 7mm square that scan reliably. Codes holding more data, or those read at distance or in poor light, need to be larger.
Why won't my phone scan my asset tag? The most common causes are a code printed at too low a resolution for its size, insufficient contrast between the code and its background, no clear quiet zone around the code, glare from a glossy finish, or physical damage to the label surface.
Should I use a QR code or a Datamatrix on an asset label? QR codes suit most asset labels and are widely recognised. Datamatrix is a better fit where space is limited, such as small tools and instruments, because it stores similar data in a smaller area.
Do I still need a handheld barcode scanner? Not necessarily. A dedicated scanner is faster for large estates and more robust on site, but a phone is perfectly capable for smaller estates and periodic spot checks.
What is a ghost asset? A ghost asset is an item that still appears on your asset register but no longer exists, having been sold, scrapped, lost or stolen without the record being updated. Estimates suggest 10% to 30% of business assets can drift into this state without active management.
Talk to Us About Scannable Asset Labels
If you are reviewing how your assets are tracked, or your current tags are not scanning reliably, our team is happy to help. Call 01278 433800, email sales@customlabels.co.uk, or order a sample pack to test our labels with your own devices.
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