---
key: scan-an-asset-in-the-field
title: Scan an asset in the field
audience: staff
section: operational-assets
routes: ["/assets/field"]
permissions: ["assets.records.read"]
features: ["operations.assets"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Look up a van, trailer or kit by its tag or barcode on the technician screen, see whether it is ready, and pick the inspection, issue, meter or evidence action you came to do, even offline.
keywords: [scan, barcode, QR code, asset tag, technician, tech, offline, look up equipment, field]
related: [record-field-work-on-an-asset, find-an-operational-asset, check-which-assets-are-ready-to-dispatch]
---

In the sidebar, open **Equipment & Fleet**, then **Field Scan**. The page address is `/assets/field`. The heading reads **Operational Asset Field**. Scan an asset's tag, see whether it is ready to go out, and open the form you need, even with no signal.

## Before you start

- Each action has its own permission. The standard Technician role can only look assets up here; the Owner, Admin and Dispatcher roles can record.
- Nova keeps the last 40 assets opened on this device, so you can open them with no signal.

## Steps

1. Under **Scan Or Lookup**, type the asset tag or serial number into **Scan or lookup code** and press **Locate asset** (or Enter). Or press **Scan image** to photograph the barcode or QR label; on a computer it asks for a picture file.
2. Or pick from the lists under the box: **Recent field assets** when the box is empty, or, once you type two characters, **Search matches** and **Offline-ready recent assets** (the ones saved on this device). Tap one to open it.
3. The asset card opens with the **Checklist** panel below it. It shows the readiness and lifecycle badges, tag, branch and class, **Dispatch eligibility** (anything blocking or warning) and **Custody awareness** (whether someone holds it).
4. Under **Field quick actions**, press what you came to do: **Inspect**, **Restock**, **Charge**, **Replace**, **Report issue**, **Upload evidence**, **Record meter**, **Take assignment** (or **End assignment**) or **Transfer**. **Inspect**, **Restock** and **Charge** also fill in a summary.
5. Or switch panels with the buttons on the card: **Checklist**, **Contents**, **Supplies**, **Issue**, **Service**, **Meter**, **Document**, **Custody** and **Queue**. Each panel is explained in [[record-field-work-on-an-asset]].
6. Before you leave, check that **Pending sync** reads 0. Nova sends waiting actions by itself when the connection comes back; **Sync now** sends them straight away.

## What you see

- Three tiles: **Pending sync** (actions waiting to be sent), **Conflicts** (actions Nova refused) and **Readiness** for the open asset. **Open operational surface** opens the asset's full page.
- A line under the lookup box says **Online**, **Degraded** or **Offline**. Offline, the card adds a banner saying when its details were saved, and new actions wait on the device.
- **Queue** opens the **Offline Queue** panel (it also shows under **Start Field Work** when no asset is open). Each action shows **Pending**, **Syncing**, **Synced** or **Conflict**, with the reason for a conflict. **Retry** sends a conflict again, **Dismiss** removes an action (one never sent is lost for good) and **Clear synced** tidies away the sent ones.
- Waiting actions live in this browser on this device. Send them from the same device, and do not clear the browser's data while **Pending sync** is above 0.

## If something looks different

- **Start Field Work** with **No asset selected**: nothing is loaded yet. Use the lookup above.
- "Asset not found for scan code" or "Scan code matches multiple assets. Use a more specific asset identifier.": type part of the name instead and pick the asset under **Search matches**.
- "Asset not available offline yet. Open it once while online before using field scan offline.": you have no signal and this asset was never opened on this device.
- "No scannable code was detected in the selected image.": retake the photo closer and in better light, or type the tag.
- "Camera image scan is not available in this browser. Use manual lookup instead.": this browser cannot read codes from a photo. Type the tag, or use Chrome on an Android phone.
- A quick action is greyed out: hover over or tap it to read which permission it needs. **End assignment** is also greyed out when someone else holds the asset.

[[route:/assets/field|Open Asset Field]]