QR code inventory lets you put a scannable label on any item in your inventory. A crew member points the mobile app at the label and instantly sees what the item is, how much stock you own, and — if they manage inventory — can check it out to a job or check it back in. Every scan is logged, so you get a running picture of what's moving through the yard.
It works for both rental gear you send to customers and internal-only items like stake drivers and shop tools.
The Short Version
- In inventory on the web app, open an item and turn on Create a scannable label for this item.
- Print the label (one or a whole sheet) and stick it on the item, bin, or case.
- In the mobile app, open Inventory Scanner and point the camera at the label.
- Identify the item, and optionally check it out or in — attached to a rental or as general inventory.
Enabling a QR Label (Web App)
QR labels are turned on per item, so you decide which gear is worth tagging.
- Go to Inventory and open the item you want to tag (or start a new item).
- Find the QR inventory label section.
- Check Create a scannable label for this item.
A label preview appears along with the print controls. Apex generates a unique code for that item the moment you enable it — nothing else to configure.
You can also opt in while you're creating a brand-new item: the add-item form has the same QR choice, so the label is ready the second the item is saved.
Printing Labels
Once a label is enabled, use the print controls in the same section:
- Set Number of labels (1 to 100). Print one for a single case, or a full sheet for a stack of identical folding chairs.
- Click Print QR Labels.
- A print sheet opens with the code, the item name, and its category on each label. Hit Print labels and send it to any printer.
Stick the label somewhere it survives the field — the case, the bin, the frame, the storage shelf. For items you own in bulk, one label per physical unit (or per bin) works best.
Replacing a Lost or Damaged Label
If a label gets torn, faded, or lost, open the item and click Replace damaged or lost label. Apex issues a fresh code and the old label stops working immediately. Reprint and re-tag the item.
Scanning in the Mobile App
The scanner lives in the Apex Rental Pro mobile app, on both iPhone and Android. See Mobile App if you don't have it installed yet.
- Open the app and go to Inventory Scanner.
- The first time, allow camera access. Apex only uses the camera while the scanner is open.
- Point the square at any Apex QR label. It reads automatically — no button to press.
The app looks the label up and shows you:
- The item name and category
- Total stock you own
- An internal item note if the item isn't offered to customers
Every scan is recorded, so even a plain "what is this?" lookup shows up in your activity.
Checking Items Out and In
If your account can manage inventory, the scan result also gives you check-out and check-in controls.
Attach to a Rental (or Not)
Under Attach to a rental or job, you'll see:
- General inventory — a plain check-out or check-in that isn't tied to any event.
- A list of nearby rentals — events within about two weeks that actually include this item, each showing the event title, date, quantity on that rental, and whether it's already been picked up.
Pick the rental you're loading for, or leave it on General inventory for a yard-level move.
Check Out / Check In
Tap Check Out when gear leaves the yard, or Check In when it comes back. Apex records the action against the item — and against the rental, if you selected one — and it lands in your recent scans and the admin analytics.
Apex keeps the numbers honest:
- You can't check out or in more than you actually own (for stock-tracked items).
- When a rental is selected, you can't exceed the quantity on that rental.
- Repeated check-outs or check-ins against the same rental can't add up past what that rental holds.
Checking In a Whole Rental as "Picked Up"
When you Check In an item that's attached to a rental, Apex also runs its normal mark as picked up workflow for that entire rental — the same transition you'd trigger from the calendar. The app asks you to confirm first, since it affects the whole job, not just the one item.
Your Recent Scans
Below the scanner, the app keeps your last few scans handy so you can see what you just touched — item name and whether it was checked in, checked out, or tied to a rental.
Tracking Activity (Admin Analytics)
Admins get a full operational view on the web app under Analytics → Inventory QR. Pick a day range and you'll see:
- Labeled items — how many of your items have a QR label enabled.
- Scans, check-outs, and check-ins for the period.
- Top items by activity.
- Recent activity — who scanned what, when, and against which rental.
Use it to spot your busiest gear, confirm a load went out, or see who last handled an item.
Gotchas
- A phone's built-in camera won't do the work. An Apex QR code scanned by a regular camera app just opens a page telling you to use the Apex Rental Pro mobile app. Identifying items and check-out/in only happen inside the app.
- Labels are per item, not per category. Enable and print a label for each item you want to track. Bulk items can share one label per bin or unit — whatever matches how you physically store them.
- Scanning is open, acting is gated. Any signed-in user can scan to identify an item. Only inventory managers see check-out/in, and only admins or managers can mark a rental picked up.
- Stock tracking drives the limits. Items with availability tracking enforce your on-hand total; untracked internal items stay permissive so you can still log movement.
- Replaced labels stop working. If you regenerate a label, reprint it and destroy the old copies — the retired code will not scan.