Know where your reusable containers are, what they carried, and what happened to them — with a closed-loop workflow that runs on WMS logic and works with QR codes today and RFID tomorrow.
Commissioning — each container receives a stable asset ID, a human-readable number, a QR code label, and an optional RFID tag. Contents are never inferred from the container itself.
Transfer order & manifest — store requests a move; the system produces a manifest that lists container IDs and declared contents as separate records.
Truck loading — dispatch scans build the load; the manifest prints with stacking and clearance facts the crew can verify physically.
Receiving reconciliation — destination scans reconcile against the manifest automatically; missing or unmanifested containers become exceptions, not surprises.
Empty return & exception handling — contents associations clear on return while asset identity and history persist; conflicting or missing reads go to a review queue.
| Principle | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Asset ≠ contents | Reading a container tag identifies the box; contents are declared on shipments and cleared on empty return. |
| Last observed ≠ confirmed | Scans suggest location; operators confirm it. Conflicting observations are flagged, both records kept. |
| QR codes first, RFID optional | The loop runs on phone cameras optically scanning QR codes from day one; radio-based passive UHF RFID adds hands-free capture when validated. |
| Auditability | Events are append-only with idempotency keys, timestamps, operator and device attribution, and CSV export. |
| Offline tolerance | Handhelds queue reads offline and replay in order; duplicates are suppressed by idempotency. |
A typical first step is a small, measurable pilot — for example a few dozen tagged containers across two locations for several weeks — with baseline measurement first and jointly agreed pass/fail thresholds. Scale-up happens only if the numbers justify it. Every parameter is adjustable to the operation.
RFID records container movements at scanning checkpoints. During a pilot, we test tag placement and read performance with your actual containers, contents, and operating environment before recommending a wider rollout.