Four core prerequisites (must-have)

Prerequisite 1 — Asset baseline must be reconciled first

The most common failure mode: the system goes live and you discover the actual tooling count is 30% short of the books. RFID isn't here to "find" tools you already lost — it's here to make sure you don't lose them again. Spend 1–2 weeks on a thorough manual count to align the baseline before going live.

Prerequisite 2 — Separate "assets" and "supplies" cleanly

Not everything needs an RFID tag:

Type	Examples	Method	RFID?
Assets	Tooling, fixtures, molds, gauges, power tools, portable / large equipment	Per-item check-out / check-in / count	✅ Yes
Supplies	Bolts, washers, sandpaper, cutting fluid, wipers	SKU-level in/out ledger	❌ No

Sort the asset list and the supply SKU list first, then size tag count and system configuration.

Prerequisite 3 — ERP interface available

AssetaGuard reconciles books and physical inventory with ERPs via standard REST API + CSV import/export — it does not replace your ERP:

ERP system	Integration time
Yonyou / Kingdee (standard interface)	1–2 weeks
Custom ERP	Depends on the interface, 2–4 weeks
No ERP at all	AssetaGuard ships a lightweight asset + supply ledger you can use directly

⚠️ Real-time MES integration is not in the current product scope — please contact us for custom work if needed.

Prerequisite 4 — Worker cooperation mechanism

Technology isn't the bottleneck. If people don't cooperate, the system stalls. Recommendations:

Training: 30 minutes per worker, the operations are simple (one tap with the handheld)
Tie the workflow: check-out / check-in tied to the badge / crew performance — cooperation follows naturally
Don't let workers "back-fill" data manually — that immediately produces fabricated records

Recommended (not strictly required, but smooths rollout)

Recommended 1 — Pick a pilot line / pilot shop

Don't roll out plant-wide at once. Pilot one line or one tool crib for 2 weeks first, then evaluate plant-wide rollout pace.

Recommended 2 — Assess weak-signal stations

Shop floors often have weak or no signal (basement shops, metal-shielded stations, remote facilities). AssetaGuard's mobile app supports online / offline dual mode natively — offline cache + auto-sync when network restores — so "no signal" isn't a blocker, but it helps to know which stations are offline ahead of time so you can plan sync timing.

What you do NOT need to prepare

No need to replace your ERP: AssetaGuard integrates, doesn't replace
No need for a working MES: If you want WIP tracking / MES integration, that's a roadmap direction (see Factory WIP & MES Integration with RFID — From Shipped Tooling Management Toward WIP Tracking), but tooling check-out + asset counts + supply ledger capabilities don't depend on MES
No need to roll out plant-wide: Pilot one line, see data in 2 weeks
No need for a 5+ person IT team: One person to coordinate + one of our deployment engineers is enough

Additional prerequisites for roadmap capabilities

If your goal goes beyond "tooling check-out + monthly counts" into gate-reader auto-report-out / real-time MES integration / equipment inspection SOPs / calibration reminders, evaluate these additions:

Roadmap capability	Additional prerequisite
WIP gate readers	Process routing stable for 3+ months + gate placement design
Real-time MES integration	MES system has APIs + IT teams on both sides committed
Equipment inspection SOP	SOP form engine requirements workshop
Calibration / maintenance reminders	Calibration / maintenance cycle master data tidy
On-metal / high-temp tags	On-site environment test + tag selection

These scenarios are co-build directions — AssetaGuard designs and rolls them out with the first manufacturing pilot customers.

Pace once you're prepared

Week	Key milestone
W1	Asset baseline + supply SKU + tag selection
W2	First batch of tags + worker training + pilot line live
W3	Data comparison + decide on plant-wide rollout pace

By the end of week 2, tool find time and monthly shrinkage usually show clear improvement.

Next step

If you meet at least 3 of the 4 core prerequisites, we recommend a tooling check-out + asset count pilot directly. The AssetaGuard manufacturing template includes tooling check-out, asset counts, and supply ledger modules. Apply for the manufacturing pilot.