Tools

Tools are the durable, returnable equipment you maintain WITH — a welding machine, a torque wrench, a drill — as opposed to consumable parts (screws, welding wire) which you track under Inventory > Parts. Each tool gets its own reference (TOOL-1, etc.).

Tool vs part

Register an item as a Tool when it is reused rather than consumed: it does not have a stock quantity and is not deducted when used on a job. Register screws, lubricants and other consumables as Parts instead.

Tool fields

Filtering by category

On the web, the Tools list can be filtered by category, and its tree view groups tools by category or by location. In the mobile app, tap “Filters” next to the search field to show a single category and/or a single location; the choice is remembered on the phone.

Linking tools to a work order

Open a work order, go to the Parts tab, and use the "Tools used" section to attach the tools applied on the job. This records which tools were used without affecting any stock.

Optional calibration

For measuring instruments (torque wrench, micrometer, multimeter), enable "Requires calibration" on the tool and set an interval. FreeMaint then tracks the next due date and reminds the assignee before it expires. Leave it off for tools that do not need calibration — nothing changes for them.

Availability

Viewing tools is available on every plan. Creating and editing tools (and logging calibration) requires the Business plan.

QR codes on tools

A new tool gets its QR code when it is created. For an existing tool, open it and click "Generate QR Code" in the QR Code card (this needs permission to edit tools and the Business plan). The same card offers "Copy Link", "Download" (PNG) and "Print Label" (a PDF label with the name, reference and location). Stick the label on the tool or its case: scanning it with the mobile app shows "Open tool", and a scan without an account shows only its name, reference, status and location. The tool's own barcode is recognised too, and a code never changes once generated.