Using QR and Bar codes with GearLog

By attaching QR codes or barcodes to your gear or your lists you can make the following tasks much quicker and easier:


  • Searching for gear and then performing an action like inspecting it, checking it out, or returning it
  • Searching for a list
  • Adding gear to a list
  • Removing gear from a list

If you are using our free platform, then you are limited to using QR codes generated by the GearLog platform. And, of course, you somehow still need to robustly transfer that QR code to a tough tag or label.


If you are using our paid platform, then you can attach QR codes or barcodes that you have purchased from tag suppliers (e.g. Toughtags). This saves you the effort/cost of generating your own tough labels.


When it comes to using a scanner, you have two options:

  • On both our free and paid platforms the GearLog App has a scanner built into it that uses your phone/tablet's camera to read QR codes and barcodes. This has the advantage of not requiring any additional hardware for scanning but does require you to use the GearLog App.
  • Alternatively, on our paid platform, if you are using our web browser version (e.g. on your laptop or desktop) instead of the GearLog App you can also use commonly availably barcode scanners which pair wirelessly with your laptop. This does require the purchase of such a scanner but means you don't have to use the GearLog App. Also, such scanners give a faster read and can also read barcodes which are 'etched' into the gear as opposed to black and white labels.

Pick a topic below to get more detailed tips:


  • To obtain the QR code click the QR icon on a piece of gear or on a list. You can then print out the QR code using a label or tag printer and attach it. There is no need to 'assign' the QR code - GearLog included the ID of your gear when it created the QR code.
  • To open a piece of gear using the GearLog App select Tools -> Scanner and scan the QR code. You can choose what action to take when the scan completes and the gear opens (e.g. inspect it).
  • To open a list using the GearLog App, simply select Tools -> Scanner and scan the QR code.
  • To add a piece of gear to a list using the GearLog App tap the 'scan onto list' icon on the list to open the scanner and then scan the gear you would like to add.
  • To remove a piece of gear from a list using the GearLog App tap the 'scan off list' icon on the list to open the scanner and then scan the gear you would like to remove.
  • To obtain the QR code use a specialist supplier like Toughtags. If you would like to include your serial number under the barcode you can use the 'Account -> Export Your Data' tool in GearLog to get a spreadsheet you can send to the tag supplier. Alternatively, many equipment manufacturers now include a barcode on their products anyway - so you can just use the one supplied on the equipment.
  • To assign the QR or barcode to a piece of gear in the GearLog App tap the QR code icon on the gear and choose 'Scan Third Party QR Code or Barcode'. Scan the code to assign it to the piece of gear you have open. Afterwards the 'Identification info' section of the gear entry will show you the contents of the QR or barcode scanned in.
  • To assign the QR or barcode to a list in the GearLog App tap the QR code icon on the list and choose 'Scan Third Party QR Code or Barcode'. Scan the code to assign it to the list you have open. Afterwards the list information will show you the contents of the QR or barcode scanned in.
  • To open a piece of gear using the GearLog App select Tools -> Scanner and scan the QR code. You can choose what action to take when the scan completes and the gear opens (e.g. inspect it).
  • To open a list using the GearLog App select Tools -> Scanner and scan the QR code.
  • To add a piece of gear to a list using the GearLog App tap the 'scan onto list' icon on the list to open the scanner and then scan the gear you would like to add.
  • To remove a piece of gear from a list using the GearLog App tap the 'scan off list' icon on the list to open the scanner and then scan the gear you would like to remove.
  • To obtain the QR code use a specialist supplier like Toughtags. If you would like to include your serial number under the barcode you can use the 'Account -> Export Your Data' tool in GearLog to get a spreadsheet you can send to the tag supplier. Alternatively, many equipment manufacturers now include a barcode on their products anyway - so you can just use the one supplied on the equipment.
  • To assign the QR or barcode to a piece of gear in the web browser version of GearLog simply edit the gear and position the focus in the 'Contents of the third party QR or barcode' field and scan the barcode. The reader is basically just a bluetooth keyboard and spits the contents of the barcode into the field. Save the gear and afterwards the 'Identification info' section of the gear entry will show you the contents of the QR or barcode scanned in.
  • To assign the QR or barcode to a list in the web browser version of GearLog simply edit the list and position the focus in the 'Contents of the third party QR or barcode' field and scan the barcode. Save the list and afterwards the list information will show you the contents of the QR or barcode scanned in.
  • To open a piece of gear in the web browser version of GearLog simply use the Search tool and scan the barcode. You can choose what action to take when the scan completes and the gear opens (e.g inspect it). The search setting 'Auto search' is really useful here since it will fire the search as soon as the scanner delivers the search results without needing to click the Search button.
  • To open a list in the web browser version of GearLog, simply open the 'Filter and Search' panel on the lists page, position the focus in the 'List ID or QR/Barcode contents' field and scan the barcode. GearLog will filter down to the list after the barcode is read.
  • To add a piece of gear to a list in the web browser version of GearLog, simply use the Search tool as above but choose 'Add to list' from the drop down of actions to take when the scan completes.
  • To remove a piece of gear from a list in the web browser version of GearLog, simply use the Search tool as above but choose 'Remove from list' from the drop down of actions to take when the scan completes.
*NB if you would like to use an external laser scanner with the GearLog App then simply pair it with your device over Bluetooth and use the features (such as Search) exactly as described above for the web browser version. Tap in the App text fields wherever you want the bar code to appear and scan it. Be aware many phones will hide their on-screen-keyboard when an external device like a bar code scanner is connected - but all good scanners will have a mode which enables the phone keyboard to be shown as well (check with your manufacturer or before purchasing if you want to mix and match like this).