Method for receiving and reconciling physical inventory data against an asset management system from a remote location

A method of taking a physical inventory and reconciling the physical inventory against an asset management database, the method comprising:

• scanning with a hand held scanner bar codes identifying locations and bar codes identifying assets to create inventory data;
• transferring the inventory data from the hand held scanner to a web server;
• converting the inventory data into an intermediate database;
• placing an identifying indicia on a portion of each record in the asset management database;
• and then
• making a copy of the asset management database available on the web server;
• reconciling records in the intermediate database against corresponding records in the copy of the asset management database on the web server by way of a web browser;
• and
• updating the asset management database with records accepted during the reconciling by:
• writing the updated records without the identifying indicia.

A method of reconciling a physical inventory of assets against an asset management database and identifying assets not located in the physical inventory, the method comprising:

• placing identifying indicia on each location code in the asset management database;
• taking the physical inventory using a portable bar code scanning device that saves physical inventory data in a data file within the portable bar code scanning device;
• transferring the data file to a web server;
• transforming the data file into an intermediate database;
• reconciling records of the intermediate database against corresponding records in the asset management database;
• writing location codes, associated with assets, to the asset management database without the identifying indicia;
• and
• identifying assets not found during the physical inventory in the asset management database by identifying location codes having the identifying indicia.