# Find tools in circulation

See every tool and item currently outside storage — on machines, at assembly, or at a service vendor — and locate any specific one.

Source: https://support.toolingmetrics.com/en/production/guides/find-tools-in-circulation/
Updated: 2026-10-29

**Prerequisites:** Tools and items are tracked through Pick Lists, Tool Transfers, and Return Lists. Items moved outside this flow will not show a correct location.

**Required permission:** Production → Tools, Production → Machines, Inventory → Items, and Inventory → Serialized Items — User or above. A User sees only the records they created.

## See all tools outside storage

1. In the sidebar, click **Production → Tools**.
1. Use the **Location** filter to group the list by where tools currently are: **Machine**, **Storage Location**, or **Warehouse Access Point**.
1. Each row shows the tool's current location badge. Tools located on a machine or at a WAP are in circulation; tools at a storage location are in storage.

![Tools index filtered to Machine, showing tool IDs, names, assemblies, machine locations, remaining life, and status.](https://support.toolingmetrics.com/guides/tools-in-circulation-eng.webp)

*Fig. 1: Tools index filtered by location — everything currently on machines, in one list.*

## Check an item's circulating quantity

1. In the sidebar, click **Inventory → Items** and open the item.
1. The Overview shows the two quantity totals relevant to circulation:
   - **On Hand** — in storage locations.
   - **In Circulation** — picked to machines, tools, or operators and not yet returned.
1. For serialized, serviceable items, open **Inventory → Serialized Items** to check each unit's condition, including **Under service**. The item Overview does not show a separate Under Service quantity.
1. Click the **Locations** tab to see exactly where every unit is, including machines and tools holding the item.

![Serviceable serialized item I/24/0029 overview with On Hand 33 and In Circulation 2.](https://support.toolingmetrics.com/guides/item-overview-eng.webp)

*Fig. 2: The item Overview shows On Hand and In Circulation totals. Under service is a serialized-item condition, not a separate total on this screen.*

## Locate a specific tool or serialized item

1. For a tool: open it from **Production → Tools** — the current location shows on the Overview. The **Moves History** tab shows how it got there.
1. For a serialized item: open it from **Inventory → Serialized Items**. Status badges show its state — *Used*, *Need service*, *Under service* — and the **Moves History** tab shows its current holder and full movement trail.
1. To see what is mounted in a machine right now, open the machine from **Production → Machines** and check the **Components** and **Item List** tabs.

## Notes

- Tools and items that cannot be found physically but show a location in the system indicate a movement that bypassed the system — resolve with an [Inventory Adjustment](https://support.toolingmetrics.com/en/inventory/guides/perform-inventory-adjustment/).
- Items at a service vendor are tracked through [Service Orders](https://support.toolingmetrics.com/en/purchasing/guides/create-service-order/) — the order shows expected return dates for overdue follow-up.
- To monitor circulation continuously, build a dashboard widget grouping items by condition or tools by location — see [Create a dashboard](https://support.toolingmetrics.com/en/analytics/guides/create-dashboard/).