Understanding QR Code Swapping and Management in Shelf

The QR Code Swapping Feature

How it works

1. Navigate to the asset page
2. Click the dropdown menu and select "Relink new code"
3. Use the camera to scan a new QR code
4. Confirm the swap

Good to know: Once you link a new code to an asset, the previously-linked code becomes unlinked — it stays owned by your workspace and can be re-linked to a different asset or kit at any time. No code is ever burned or wasted.

Types of QR Codes in Shelf

Two types of alternative codes exist in Shelf:

Unlinked Codes

• These are codes that belong to your workspace but aren't attached to any asset
• You can request unlinked codes specific to your workspace

Unclaimed Codes

• These are the codes used to generate asset labels for the Shelf store
• They can be used to swap codes on existing assets or create new assets/kits
• If an asset using an unclaimed code is deleted, that code stays owned by your workspace and becomes available to re-link to a different asset or kit within it

Scenarios and Use Cases

Scenario 1: Swapping with an Unlinked Code

• You have "Asset A" with its original QR code
• You request an unlinked code for your workspace
• You swap Asset A's code with the new unlinked code
• Result: Asset A now has the new code, and the old code becomes unlinked (available for use with another asset in that workspace)

Scenario 2: Swapping with an Unclaimed Code

• You have "Asset B" with its original QR code
• You have unclaimed codes from the Shelf store
• You swap Asset B's code with an unclaimed code
• Result: Asset B now has the new code (claimed by your workspace), and the old code becomes unlinked — still owned by your workspace and available to re-link to a different asset or kit

Scenario 3: Deleting an Asset

• You delete an asset that had a QR code linked to it
• Result: The QR code becomes unlinked but stays owned by your workspace. You can scan that physical sticker again and the app will show an Unlinked QR Code page with options to create a new asset/kit or link to an existing one. See Fixing Incorrectly Assigned QR Sticker Codes for the full walkthrough.

Scenario 4: Archiving an Asset

• You archive an asset instead of deleting it
• Result: The QR code stays linked to the asset. Scanning the sticker opens the asset page with an Archived badge, and the code works as before once you reinstate the asset.

Best Practices and Tips

• Always double-check before swapping codes to ensure you're using the correct new code
• Keep track of your unlinked and unclaimed codes to maintain an organized system
• Remember that swapping codes doesn't change any other asset information -- it only changes the QR code associated with the asset
• An asset holds one Shelf QR code at a time. Linking a new Shelf code replaces the old one, and the old code goes back to your workspace's pool. So if an item has had several Shelf codes over time, only stickers with its current code resolve to it, and the earlier codes are unlinked codes you can put on anything. This applies only to the QR codes Shelf issues: with the Alternative Barcodes add-on, the same asset can also carry extra codes, including External QR codes from your own system, and adding them never replaces its Shelf code
• Scans stay with the asset they were made on. A scan is recorded against the asset or kit the code pointed to at that moment, with the code that was scanned. After a swap or a re-link, the earlier scans stay on the earlier asset, and the asset's Last scan card shows the newest scan recorded on the asset, whichever code it was made with. Scans made before 16 October 2026 were assigned to the asset or kit each code pointed to on that day, so a code swapped before then carries its older scans with it
• Made a mistake and need to fix a wrongly-linked sticker? See Fixing Incorrectly Assigned QR Sticker Codes

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues while swapping codes or have questions about code management, contact the support team at support@shelf.nu.