Overview
Unlike an Interlock, a GoTag is just a durable adhesive label — no wiring, no power, no auto electrician. Anyone can fit one in a couple of minutes. What deserves the two minutes of thought is where it goes: the tag will be scanned daily, by operators in a hurry, in glare and dust and rain, for years.
Before you start
- Role
- Anyone can fit the physical label; registering it against the equipment record afterwards is a Technician task
- An unused GoTag (physically fitting a used or peeled tag is pointless — peeling destroys it)
- A clean rag and a suitable surface cleaner
- Two minutes with the machine parked
Fitting steps
- 1
Choose a flat, external location. Pick a spot on the equipment's frame or bodywork that's flat, rigid, and easy to reach without climbing — ideally somewhere an operator naturally stands during a walk-around, like near the cab door or a step.
- 2
Avoid harsh-exposure spots. Keep the tag away from areas that take direct abrasion (against other equipment or loads), chemical splash, or extreme heat such as exhaust manifolds. The label is durable, not indestructible.
- 3
Clean and dry the surface. Wipe away dust, oil, and grease, and let the surface dry fully. Adhesive applied over a dirty or oily surface won't hold under vibration.
- 4
Favour a little clearance from bare steel where the choice is easy. NFC is short-range by design and reads best with slight clearance from a large metal panel directly behind the tag. It still generally works mounted flat on metal — just prefer a slightly recessed or non-metal-backed spot when one is available.
- 5
Press firmly and hold. Apply the label smoothly to avoid trapped air bubbles, then hold firm pressure for the time recommended on the backing for a full adhesive bond.
- 6
Have a Technician install it against the equipment record. The physical fit means nothing to the platform until a Technician runs the install in the mobile app, which reads the chip's factory identifier and binds the tag to the machine — see Re-Tagging Equipment.
Placement reference
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Flat, rigid panel at standing height | Curved, flexing, or vibrating panels |
| Near the cab door, steps, or the walk-around path | Behind attachments or anywhere requiring a climb |
| Somewhere visible — the tag is meant to be found | Hidden spots (that's the Interlock's placement rule, not the tag's) |
| A wipe-clean surface | Surfaces that shed paint, rubber, or rust |
| Slightly recessed or off bare steel, when easy | Pressed hard against heavy plate if an alternative exists |
Fitting more than one
A machine can carry more than one GoTag — for example, one on the exterior as the primary scan point and a second inside the cab as a backup. This is optional, but it means a single damaged or obstructed tag doesn't cut off easy access to the equipment's record. Each tag is installed separately and both resolve to the same machine.
Tip
If the machine also has an Interlock, keep the two apart deliberately: the Interlock is mounted hidden for tamper resistance, while the GoTag is meant to be found and scanned easily. See Installing Your Interlock if you're fitting both at once.
Edge cases
- Painted or wrapped machines — fit the tag after painting or wrapping. Paint over a tag can block both the QR read and the NFC signal, and a wrap peeled later takes the tag with it.
- Machines that live outdoors — UV and weather are within the label's tolerances; direct abrasion is the real killer. Choose the sheltered side of a panel over the exposed one.
- Attachments and small plant — anything an operator inspects can carry a tag; pick the largest flat face available and accept that very small or heavily curved items may read better by QR than NFC.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Corners lifting after a few days | Surface wasn't clean/dry, or panel flexes | Fit a fresh tag on a better surface — a lifted tag won't re-bond, and peeling destroys it |
| NFC reads poorly where it's mounted | Heavy steel directly behind the tag | Use QR day-to-day; when the tag is eventually replaced, choose a spot with a little clearance |
| Tag fitted but the app can't find it | The tag was never installed by a Technician | Run the install flow — see Re-Tagging Equipment |
| Label creased during application | Folded on fitting | A crease can crack the NFC chip — test both scan methods, and replace the tag if NFC has died |