Asset Inventory at School — Complete Guide 2026

Why is school inventory different from a company's?

Asset inventory at school is one of those obligations that gives school administrators and principals headaches every year. Thousands of items spread across dozens of rooms, assets ranging from pencils to interactive whiteboards — and you need a precise overview for the school authority.

In this article, we'll show you how to handle inventory efficiently, in compliance with the law and without unnecessary stress — whether you work with paper, Excel or a specialized app.

Why is school inventory mandatory?

Schools as publicly funded organizations manage public assets. The law therefore requires regular inventory — and failure to comply risks penalties from the school authority and supervisory bodies.

What the law says

Act No. 563/1991 Coll. on Accounting — mandatory inventory at least once a year
Decree No. 270/2010 Coll. — inventory of assets and liabilities
Inventory must be completed no later than 2 months after the balance sheet date (i.e., by end of February)
Failure to comply may lead the school authority to request corrective action and impose penalties

What you need to inventory

School assets are divided into several categories. Each requires a different approach to records and control.

Minor assets (up to CZK 80,000)

School desks, chairs, cabinets
Teaching aids and didactic materials
Office equipment, small electronics

Long-term tangible assets

Buildings and structures (school, gymnasium, playground)
Machinery and equipment (boilers, HVAC)
Vehicles (school bus)

IT and audiovisual equipment

Computers, laptops, tablets
Interactive whiteboards, projectors, printers
Network equipment (routers, switches, servers)

Sports and outdoor equipment

Sports equipment and gear
School canteen and kitchen equipment
Garden machinery and maintenance tools

Inventory step by step

1 Preparation and planning

A successful inventory starts with preparation. Ideally begin in October–November to have time to complete everything by end of February.

Appoint an inventory committee (minimum 2 people)
Create a schedule — which rooms, when, who is responsible
Prepare an up-to-date asset list from accounting

2 Physical asset check

Walk through all rooms and compare the actual state with the records. Record every item you find.

Check room by room — systematically, not randomly
Verify inventory numbers, condition and location of each item
Record damaged, non-functional or missing assets

3 Labeling assets with QR codes

If you haven't labeled your assets yet, inventory is the perfect opportunity. QR codes will dramatically speed up future inventories.

Print QR labels for each item (Asset Manager generates them automatically)
Stick the QR code in a visible place on the asset
For the next inventory, just scan with your phone — a whole classroom in 5 minutes

4 Comparing with accounting records

Compare the physical state with accounting records and document all discrepancies.

Identify surpluses (assets physically present but not in records)
Identify shortages (assets in records but physically missing)
Propose disposal of non-functional or unnecessary assets

5 Documentation and protocols

Formal completion of inventory requires documentation to submit to the school authority.

Prepare the inventory report signed by all committee members
Attach a list of shortages and surpluses with proposed solutions
Prepare an annual asset change report for the school authority

Comparison of inventory methods

Method	Time per classroom	Error rate	Cost
Paper + pencil	30–45 minutes	High (rewrites, illegibility)	Minimal
Excel spreadsheets	20–30 minutes	Medium (typos, duplicates)	Low
App with QR codes	3–5 minutes	Minimal (automatic check)	From CZK 200/month

5 tips for a smooth inventory

Plan ahead

Start preparing by October at the latest. Leaving inventory until January is a recipe for stress and errors.

Involve teachers

Class teachers know their classroom equipment best. Give them a list and let them check their own rooms.

Use school holidays

Autumn or spring holidays are ideal for physical checks — no students in the rooms, peace to work.

Photograph problematic assets

Always document damaged or disputed assets with a photograph. It saves arguments with the school authority.

Invest in digital records

QR codes and mobile apps save dozens of hours per year. Return on investment is typically within 2 months.

From practice: Libochovice Primary School

The primary school in Libochovice switched to digital asset records with Asset Manager. After implementing QR codes, they discovered some assets recorded in accounting no longer physically existed. This allowed them to clean up records and save on asset insurance.

Inventory that used to take 3 weeks now takes 3 days. The administrator also generates the annual report for the school authority with one click — no manual data retyping.

Try Asset Manager at your school

Get ready for 2026 inventory with an app already used by dozens of schools across the Czech Republic. QR codes, mobile scanning, automatic reports for the school authority.

Try for free

Summary

Asset inventory at school doesn't have to be a nightmare. With a clear plan, the right tool and the whole team involved, you can complete it in a fraction of the usual time. The key is to start early, work systematically, and invest in tools that save you dozens of hours of work each year. Modern QR code apps like Asset Manager help not only with inventory but also with everyday asset records and school property management.

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