ASTM E2604-21 PDF

Full title and description

ASTM E2604-21 — Standard Practice for Data Characteristics of Personal Property Asset Record. This practice provides recommended data elements and definitions for records used to manage personal property assets, supporting inventory, monitoring, disposition, and related asset-management activities.

Abstract

ASTM E2604-21 defines a concise set of data characteristics and element names that should be included in a personal property asset record to enable efficient asset management (tracking, inventories, condition reporting, disposition, and self-assessments). The practice is intentionally concise (informational practice) and is intended to be applied alongside an organization's contractual, safety, and regulatory requirements.

General information

• Status: Active (current practice).
• Publication date: 2021 (designation E2604-21; published early 2021 / current edition 2021).
• Publisher: ASTM International.
• ICS / categories: 35.240.60 (information systems / applications related to asset records).
• Edition / version: E2604-21 (current edition).
• Number of pages: 2.

Scope

This practice presents recommendations for data elements that may be included within an asset record and names and provides definitions of data characteristics commonly associated with asset-record data elements. It does not address contractual obligations or all safety concerns; users remain responsible for meeting applicable contracts, safety, health, and regulatory requirements.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition and recommended list of data elements for a personal property asset record (identification, serial number/UID, description, model, manufacturer).
• Ownership, custodian/responsible party, and location/location history fields.
• Acquisition details: acquisition date, cost, funding source, purchase order, vendor.
• Lifecycle and status fields: in-service date, condition, maintenance history, depreciation, and disposition status.
• Inventory and tracking identifiers: barcode/RFID/QR code recommendations and tagging metadata.
• Disposition and transfer information to support audits and property disposal actions.
• Metadata and data-quality notes (source, last update, verification flags) to support effective record maintenance and physical inventory processes.
• Emphasis on including the data elements necessary to support monitoring, physical inventories, self-assessments, and disposition activities.

Typical use and users

This practice is used by asset managers, property administrators, facilities and logistics teams, IT asset-management staff, procurement and finance groups, auditors, and software vendors/integrators that design or configure asset-register systems (CMMS, ERP, fixed-asset systems). It is applied when establishing or updating asset-record schemas, performing inventories, preparing for disposition, or aligning records for audit and compliance.

Related standards

ASTM E2604-21 is part of ASTM's asset-management family and sits alongside related practices and guides such as earlier E2604 editions (E2604‑15, E2604‑09), terminology and property-management standards (for example ASTM E2135 and other E-series asset-management documents), and broader asset-management frameworks (ISO 55000 series). Users commonly reference disposal and equipment-management practices (e.g., guides for disposal of personal property and equipment management process maturity) when applying E2604.

Keywords

asset record, personal property, fixed assets, inventory, asset data elements, asset management, disposition, asset tracking, UID, barcode, RFID, CMMS.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ASTM E2604-21 is a standard practice that recommends data characteristics and element names for personal property asset records to support efficient management of assets, inventories, and disposition activities.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers recommended data elements and definitions commonly associated with asset records (identifiers, descriptions, acquisition and lifecycle dates, custodian/location, condition/status, disposition data, and metadata for record maintenance). It does not impose contractual or legal requirements.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Asset and property managers, facilities and logistics staff, IT asset teams, procurement and finance personnel, auditors, and software vendors/integrators responsible for asset-register systems and inventories.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The E2604-21 edition is the current active edition (designated E2604‑21). Users should confirm the ASTM record for any later updates or revisions.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of ASTM's body of asset-management and property-management standards (previous E2604 editions and related E‑series guides and practices). Organizations commonly use it in conjunction with other ASTM guides for disposition, equipment management, and terminology and with international frameworks such as ISO 55000.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Asset record, data elements, inventory, personal property, asset tracking, disposition, UID, barcode/RFID, asset management.