Open Inventory for School

Manage shared devices without slowing down a lesson.

Open Inventory connects device records, carts, labels, assignments, and count cycles in a self-hosted application. It tracks physical inventory; it does not replace mobile-device management, identity management, or safeguarding systems.

Self-host the open-source stack Browse GitHub

MIT licenseSelf-hostedNative iOS app

Two school staff members checking a well-used cart of shared tablets

Capture path

Take a photo · review the draft · save the record

Operational problem

Less reconstruction, more traceable state.

Devices move between classrooms, carts, and borrowers. When serial numbers, condition notes, and returns live in separate lists, staff lose a reliable view during handover and scheduled inventory checks.

Capture carts and individual devices by photo or existing code
Record issue, return, location, and the next due inventory count
Separate permissions for teaching staff, technicians, and administrators

Real Open Inventory web capture with photo-rich demo records for School — Unaltered capture from the running web app. Every visible record was created specifically for this demo.

A workflow at the point of use

From a physical object to a usable record.

Capture starts with a camera or an existing code. Structured fields and deeper workflows are added without hiding the transaction being made.

Capture at the cart

Photograph new equipment in the room and review any suggested title, type, or tags before saving.

Serialise devices

Give each tablet or measuring device its own identifier and state while cables and sensors can remain quantity stock.

Scan the handover

Resolve the correct device from its code and confirm the recipient, room, issue, or return.

Run count cycles

Schedule recurring checks and reconcile counted quantities by location without deleting the previous result.

Relevant capabilities

The data model behind this use case.

These capabilities are part of the same MIT-licensed application. Open Inventory does not split them into closed industry editions.

Devices and quantity stock

Track tablets individually and keep cables, sensors, or classroom consumables as quantities.

QR and barcode labels

Connect devices, carts, and cabinets to the corresponding record or approved scan workflow.

Issue and return history

Keep lending, reservation, return, and cancellation events instead of replacing the previous assignee.

Rooms, carts, and cabinets

Represent where equipment belongs and where it is currently recorded.

Roles by responsibility

Separate read, capture, lending, stock, and administrative access for different school roles.

Documented data exchange

Validate CSV imports and use CSV or the REST API for supported inventory data.

Real native Open Inventory app capture with demo data for School — Real app capture from the iOS Simulator · demo data

Native iOS app

SwiftUI · included in the repository

Run inventory checks at the device cart.

The native SwiftUI app scans identifiers, captures condition photos, and performs authorised actions against the school's own instance.

Resolve a device by inventory code or serial number
Add photos and condition notes where the device is stored
Retry upload stages without creating duplicate records

Camera and scanner operations run on a physical iPhone

Read the iOS implementation notes

Open source is part of the operating model

Keep device records under the school's operational control.

Open Inventory is MIT-licensed and deployable with Docker. Source, migrations, API, and iOS code are inspectable; the school still defines hosting, account policy, retention, backups, and any optional external services.

MIT-licensed source

Docker setup with PostgreSQL

Checked-in OpenAPI 3.1 contract

Native iOS source included

Run it on your infrastructure

Start with one reviewed record.

Start the Docker stack, photograph one real object, and inspect the resulting fields and media before choosing a wider rollout.

Docker guide Next use case: Trades