Free tool & asset register template
The spreadsheet every tradesperson should have before the worst morning of the year: one row per tool, with the exact fields insurers and police ask for after a theft. Free CSV — no signup, no email gate.
Why a register wins insurance claims
After a tool theft, insurers don't pay out on "a van full of tools, maybe eight grand's worth". They ask for an itemised list — make, model and serial for each tool — plus proof of ownership and value, and evidence you met your policy's security conditions. Police can only return recovered kit they can match to an owner, and a serial number is how they match it.
This template captures all of that in one row per tool, so a claim becomes an export instead of an argument: attach the register to the crime report, send the same file to your insurer with your crime reference number, and keep the photos alongside as proof.
What each column is for
Asset ID
Your own short reference (T-001, T-002…) — used on QR labels, claims and handover sheets.
Description
What the item is, in plain words, including key accessories (batteries, cases, tripods).
Make / Model
Exactly as printed on the rating plate — this is how insurers verify replacement value.
Serial No
The single most important field. It turns 'a yellow drill' into provably your drill.
Purchase Date / Purchase Price
Lets the insurer settle new-for-old or apply depreciation without a standoff.
Location/Van
Where the item normally lives — which van, lock-up or site.
Assigned To
Who's responsible for it. Kit stops wandering when a name is against it.
Marking/Security
Forensic marking, postcode marking, tracker tags — evidence you met policy conditions.
Photo Ref
Filename of a photo of the tool and its serial/rating plate. A clear photo settles disputes.
Last Checked
When you last confirmed you still had it — keeps the register honest.
Notes
Warranty dates, calibration, distinguishing marks, anything a claims handler might ask about.
How to use it (ten minutes to start)
- 1
Download and open
The CSV opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers or LibreOffice. Three example rows show the level of detail to aim for — overwrite them with your own kit.
- 2
Start with the tools you'd claim for first
Don't try to do everything in one evening. Register the ten items you'd most hate to lose — usually cordless kit, SDS drills, lasers and test equipment — then work outward.
- 3
Photograph tool + rating plate together
One photo per item showing the tool and its serial plate, filename matching the Photo Ref column. Store the photos and the register somewhere that isn't in the van — cloud storage counts.
- 4
Update it the day you buy or sell
Add new kit while the receipt is in front of you, and mark disposals. A register is only as good as its last update.
Tip — do a "claim rehearsal" once a year at renewal: export the register, check every serial and photo is present, and re-read the overnight and in-transit conditions in your policy schedule.
A register proves it's yours. Tracking gets it back.
When you outgrow the spreadsheet, Localizit keeps the same record — make, model, serial, photos, value — against a covert tracker tag on each item, with geofencing, theft alerts and a live link you can share with the police.