How do I scan an asset QR code?

Requires Basic

Quick answer

Just point your smartphone camera (or any QR scanner app) at the label. The code contains the asset’s core data — ID, name, type, and serial number — directly as text, with no internet connection needed. With the serial number, you can find the asset in Notory via search; with the ID, you can fetch it via the API in a single step.

Prerequisites

Required role Anyone — no login required to read the code

— the QR code itself is readable offline. To then open the asset in Notory or fetch it via the API, you need a logged-in account or an API token with the read scope, as usual.

Asset QR codes are included on all plans. The only prerequisite is that a QR label has been printed and attached.

Instructions

GUI (web interface)

1. Scan the code. Open the smartphone’s camera app and point it at the label. The scanner shows the content — the asset’s core data as a compact text structure (JSON), for example:

   Contents of an asset QR code

   {
     "id": "a2f1c9e4-7b3d-4a11-9c2e-8f6b1d0a7e55",
     "name": "ThinkPad T14 – Vertrieb",
     "type": "hardware",
     "serial": "PF-3X9K2L"
   }

   This uniquely identifies the device even without a network connection — handy in the basement, server room, or an outdoor warehouse.

2. Open the asset in Notory. Log in to Notory (on your smartphone or computer), open Assets, and type the serial number or name from the code into the search. Clicking the result takes you to the detail view.

   Screenshot pending scan-asset-01 Asset search with the serial number from the scanned QR code entered, and the matching asset in the list

   The serial number from the scan, entered in the asset search — one match, one click.

3. Keep working right away. All actions are available in the detail view — e.g. setting the status to Maintenance, issuing the device via “Issue / return”, or updating its data.

API (curl)

The id from the scanned code is the asset ID — use it to fetch the asset without searching, in a single step (scope read):

Fetch scanned asset by ID

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer inv_dein_token" \
  https://demo.notory.io/api/v1/assets/a2f1c9e4-7b3d-4a11-9c2e-8f6b1d0a7e55

Alternatively, search using the serial number from the code:

Find asset by serial number

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer inv_dein_token" \
  "https://demo.notory.io/api/v1/assets?search=PF-3X9K2L"

A typical field workflow: scan, identify, issue right away —

Issue immediately after scanning (scope write)

curl -X POST https://demo.notory.io/api/v1/assignments/checkout \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer inv_dein_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "asset_id": "a2f1c9e4-7b3d-4a11-9c2e-8f6b1d0a7e55",
    "assignee_name": "Max Mustermann"
  }'

Possible errors: 404 (the asset is deleted/in the recycle bin or belongs to another tenant), 401 (missing or invalid token), 409 on checkout (already issued).

What happens behind the scenes?

• The code is pure data: The QR code doesn’t contain a web address, but the core data as JSON (id, name, type, serial). This is why reading it works with any scanner app and without a connection to the server — but it also means nothing opens automatically; jumping over to Notory is a deliberate second step.
• Snapshot in time: The name/serial number in the code reflect the state at the time the label was printed. The id stays valid forever — it’s the reliable anchor, even after renames.
• No data exposure: Anyone who just scans the label sees exactly those four core data points — details like cost, location, or assignments stay protected behind login and tenant isolation.
• Recycle bin: If the asset is in the recycle bin, the API returns 404 — it’s only retrievable again after restoring it.
• Stocktaking at scale: For systematically counting entire inventories, Scan & Stocktake (Pro+) is the better approach.

Related topics

• Generate & print a QR code
• Scan & Stocktake — count inventory on the go (Pro+)
• Issue and take back devices
• Search & filter assets