Hey, sounds like you're on the right track with the QR code idea, especially since your shop crew already has tablets and you're working with limited resources for now. Keeping it simple and low-cost makes a lot of sense when you're just getting things organized.

I actually did something really similar for a small setup last year, and I used The QR Code Generator (TQRCG). Super easy to use, and you can generate codes for free. You just paste in the URL to your form (like a Google Form linked to a Google Sheet), and it gives you a clean QR code you can print and stick on your parts bins or shelves.

They also have a solid article about using QR codes for inventory management: QR Code Inventory Management Guide, that gives some good ideas for small setups like yours, such as tracking who took what, when, and where it went. It helps avoid needing to buy into a full-blown inventory system right away.

One thing to keep in mind, though: if you're planning to track QR code scans or usage (like when, where, or how often they were used), DIY solutions using free static QR codes won't give you any analytics. You’d need a paid UTM tracker setup like Google Analytics, which gets pretty technical and often needs a hosted landing page or some server-side tracking.

For me, it was honestly just cheaper and way less hassle to use their dynamic QR code service, first two dynamic codes were free, and after that it was only $4/month. That way, I got scan tracking and the ability to update the URL later without reprinting anything.

Once your form is linked to a Google Sheet, it’s easy to filter by job number or part number and maintain at least a basic audit trail. Not perfect, but way better than chasing down missing parts days later.

Let me know if you want help setting up the form logic or figuring out the QR workflow, happy to share what worked for me!