• University owned capital equipment must be tagged using a Stanford barcode tag and recorded in the Sunflower database within 30 days of receipt. 
• Sponsor-owned, loaned and leased equipment must be tagged using a Stanford barcode tag and recorded in the Sunflower database within 30 days of receipt. In addition, sponsor identification tags are affixed to equipment when and as required.
• U.S. Government owned equipment must have “U.S. Government Asset” identification strip affixed adjacent to Stanford barcode tag.
• Item Unique Identification (IUID) tags will be affixed in accordance with contractual requirements.
• Additional department-specific identification may be affixed at the discretion of the accountable department.

The following property requires tagging and recording in the Sunflower database:

• All Stanford-owned capital equipment
• All sponsor-owned equipment for which Stanford is accountable, regardless of cost or location; may include property at a Subcontractor’s facility
• Sponsors may require and provide special individual agency tags which must be affixed in addition to Stanford University tags.
• All equipment owned by a third party (other than the Federal government) for which Stanford is accountable.  Examples include loaned and leased equipment
• All donated capital equipment

Optional department identification tags may also be assigned to property, depending on department policies, or requirements. Examples:

• non-capital equipment
• items that departments track for utilization or management purposes

Stanford University barcode tags and overlays are provided by the PMO. A sample and description of each tag is available on the Property Tag Order Form on the PMO website.

When tags are needed, the DPA should submit their order directly to PMO following the instructions at the top of the form.

When the space allows, it is recommended to affix the tag on the equipment so that it directly faces the user and can be conveniently read or scanned without disrupting the item when it is in active use. Care should be taken to not cover manufacturer’s markings. When space on the front of the asset is insufficient, recommended alternative location is the front right side.

In some situations, it is not possible or feasible to affix a barcode tag to the equipment due to extremely small size of the equipment/property, inaccessibility, sensitivity or weather/tag deterioration factors. In these instances, the DPA must create an “Untaggable Asset Record” by affixing the barcode tag to a printed copy of the SFA property management database record. This record must be retained by the accountable department and be readily accessible for inventories, audit verifications, etc.  

The untaggables record file should be periodically reviewed and updated by the DPA to ensure accuracy.

Identification of material inventories or bonded store room operations is done in accordance with contract terms or specific project needs. Contact your University Property Administrator (UPA) for additional guidance. Also see Section 3.3 (Records) for additional information.

Replacements for barcode tags that are lost or damaged can be obtained from the PMO. The Property Tag Order Form contains a choice for requesting a replacement for an existing barcode tag number.

Typical examples of circumstances where a replacement tag is needed include:

• tag fell off of or was removed from asset
• tag affixed to an asset is damaged or illegible
• tag is removed by a service vendor

For replacement of Sponsor provided tags, contact your UPA.

Identification tags should remain on the asset for its entire useful life with only a few exceptions. Unless otherwise directed by the PMO, the DPA should only remove property identification tags when an item is:

• returned to the manufacturer for replacement
• used as a trade-in towards another purchase
• returned to the sponsor or other third-party owner
• when specifically instructed by PMO