Managing trenching and shoring equipment rentals is a balancing act that goes far beyond simply digging holes. It’s about operating with ironclad integrity, ensuring the right equipment arrives on-site, doesn’t vanish into the job site abyss, and ultimately makes its way back to the yard. Easier said than done.
That’s why fine-grained equipment tracking is essential for protecting profitability, preventing lost assets, and avoiding billing disputes. Visibility unlocks smarter, faster decisions, helping your business function flawlessly and scale as it evolves.
When it comes to equipment tracking, there are two types: serialized and non-serialized. One’s easy to keep tabs on. The other? Not so much.
Serialized gear has unique IDs for individual tracking. Non-serialized gear is tracked in bulk, like counting crates of soda, not bottles.
These are your high-value, individually tracked assets. Each item has a unique serial number or barcode, so you always know where it is, who has it, and when it’s expected back. Think hydraulic pumps or trench boxes, anything expensive enough to warrant close monitoring.
While easier for tracking, serializing every piece of equipment adds unnecessary cost and complexity when dealing with lower-value or interchangeable items. Non-serialized items are tracked in bulk or by category, not individually. This is more common for assets like beams or panels. These are essential, but harder to monitor on aper-item basis.
Shoring companies deal with both types; tracking serialized components is easier, but most inventory is non-serialized, making bulk tracking a challenge.
Equipment moves constantly, and without serialized IDs, it’s hard to know what’s where. Imagine sending 500 pieces to a job site. Then someone calls asking for 100 more. Later, 250 come back. Then 50 go out again. Eventually, someone insists everything was returned, but was it?
Shoring companies routinely move hundreds or thousands of items across job sites, and the real challenge is keeping tabs on what was sent, what got added, and what was actually returned.
Without serialized tracking, reconciling inventory can feel like solving a puzzle with missing pieces.
Keeping track of equipment isn’t just about neat spreadsheets; it’s about avoiding chaos on the job site, saving money, and not having to play detective every time something goes missing.
Proper tracking keeps your equipment from disappearing, reduces disputes, and helps you bill accurately. This visibility enables decisions that serve your customers better, optimize the full lifecycle of your assets, and boost your profit.

Some companies go full-on CSI and serialize everything, but for most, that’s not realistic.
Enter RUX’s unified equipment rental tracking software. It handles both serialized and non-serialized assets in real time, so you don’t need a spreadsheet army or a crystal ball to figure out what’s where. This is where equipment rental tracking software and serialized inventory management software shine.
With a unified system, you get full visibility, fewer errors, and less time spent playing detective, without having to tag thousands of pieces of equipment. RUX’s solutions deliver robust functionality that can handle the complexities of your industry, giving rise to a unified, frictionless system.
For accurate tracking, use RUX’s equipment rental tracking software that logs movements in real time and reduces manual entry. End-to-end visibility and sophisticated configurability give you a singular source of truth, no matter how sophisticated your industry’s needs.
When managing both serialized and non-serialized equipment in a unified rental tracking system, these best practices can help keep operations smooth and accurate:
In trenching and shoring, the real pain isn’t maintenance, it’s tracking gear through endless additions and returns. Serialized equipment helps, but bulk items? They’re the ones that tend to vanish.
If your equipment rental tracking still relies on sticky notes, whiteboards, or shouting across the yard, it’s time for a change. A unified platform can help you track both serialized and non-serialized rental equipment without losing your gear, your margins, or your mind.
Get in touch with the team at RUX to book a demo of our Equipment Rental Tracking Software for trenching, shoring, and boring operations.
RUX engineered oil and gas field service software to fit your operation—no patches, no guesswork. Business Applications built and configured for the oilfield service industry, our software solutions give you clarity and control to move forward with confidence.

