Equipment sign-out for makerspaces and tool libraries
Know who has the tools. Let the reminders send themselves.
Members scan a tool to borrow it and you see what's out. Automatic emails handle the routine follow-ups when a tool is late.
A reminder will go to sam@example.com.
- No app to install
- No borrower accounts
- Prints on ordinary paper
- Free for up to 10 items
How it works
From your spreadsheet to a scan in three steps
No accounts for borrowers and nothing to install. Just a QR code on each thing you lend out.
Step 1
Add your items
Type them, or copy the rows from Excel or Google Sheets and paste them once.
Your spreadsheet
Item Location Cordless drill Bench 2 Soldering station Electronics bay Tile cutter Shelf C Paste once ↓
1Cordless drill2Soldering station3Tile cutterFilled 3 boxes. Check them and press Next.
Step 2
Print the QR codes
One label per item on ordinary paper, or a single poster for the whole cupboard.
Labels, one per item
Cordless drillSoldering stationTile cutter✂ Cut out and tape on. Any printer.
Step 3
People scan to borrow and return
They put their name down and get the due date you set. Returning is the same scan and one tap.
Try it: tap “I've returned it”.
You have itPlease bring it back by Fri, Nov 20.Out
A reminder will go to sam@example.com.With Sam Lee · due Fri, Nov 20
Cordless drillReturned, thanksIt's back on the list for the next person.Available
For the organiser
See what's out and what's late
One list, filtered to Out or Overdue. Mark things returned, change a due date, or remind everyone who is late in one tap. The public page shows only what's available, never who has what.
Automatic reminders
Automatic emails handle the routine follow-ups
If you collect emails and leave reminders on, a late borrower gets one email a day with a return link until the item is back. You can switch them off and press Remind all yourself instead.
Example email
From The Sign-Out Sheet <hello@thesignoutsheet.com>
Subject Reminder: Cordless drill was due back Fri, Nov 20
Hi Sam Lee,
Cordless drill from Eastside Makers was due back on Fri, Nov 20. Please return it as soon as you can.
Return link: thesignoutsheet.com/i/…
Compared with a paper sheet
The list is half the job. Chasing late returns is the other half.
| Job | Paper sheet or spreadsheet | The Sign-Out Sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Keep a list of your kit | Yes | Yes, pasted in from your sheet |
| Record who took something | Someone writes it down, if they remember | Borrower scans the item |
| Spot late items | Read through the dates | Marked overdue automatically |
| Chase the late ones | You write the awkward message | Reminder email goes out by itself |
Pricing
Free until you outgrow it
Everything works free with up to 10 items in your list. Upgrade when you need to add more.
Free
$0
for good
Up to 10 items, everything included: QR codes, borrowing and returns, overdue list, reminder emails.
Monthly
$9
a month
Unlimited items for your group.
Yearly Save $18
$90
a year
Unlimited items for your group. Billed $90 a year, equivalent to $7.50/month.
Lifetime
$299
once
Unlimited items for your group, paid once.
FAQ
Questions
Do borrowers need to install anything or make an account?
No. They scan the QR code with their phone camera and it opens a web page. No app, no account, no password.
How do the reminder emails work?
When you set up, you choose how borrowers sign items out. If you ask for their email (or paste a member list with emails), anyone who is late gets one email a day with a link to return the item, until it's back. You can switch automatic reminders off and send them by hand instead. If you only ask for names, nobody can be emailed.
How does an item get returned?
The borrower scans the same QR code and taps "I've returned it". You can also mark it returned from your list, for example when someone forgets. If you would rather not take their word for it, switch on "I confirm each return myself" in Settings and the item stays out until you confirm.
What if someone forgets to scan?
The list is only as good as the scanning, like any sign-out sheet. You can fix it from your list: mark items returned or set a different due date. The app doesn't track where things physically are.
Do I need a label printer?
No. Labels print on ordinary paper from any printer; cut them out and tape them on. Or start with one poster QR for the whole cupboard: people scan it and pick the item from a list.
Can other people see who borrowed what?
No. The public page behind the poster shows only whether each item is available. Names and emails are visible to you, the admin.
How do I log in?
Your group has a private admin link, and your phone remembers it. Save your email in the group and you can get the link sent to you any time.
What happens at 10 items?
Everything keeps working: borrowing, returns and reminders. You just can't add an 11th item until you unlock unlimited items. You can unlock them any time from your dashboard, before or after you get there.
Can I get my data out or delete it?
You can delete your group, with everything in it, from the dashboard. For a copy of your data, email hello@thesignoutsheet.com.
Try it with the next few things your group lends out.
Free for up to 10 items. No card. Run by Alexander Thomas Goncalves-Soares in Portugal. Questions: hello@thesignoutsheet.com