What to use instead of a sign-out sheet.
Written by a company that makes checkout software. The paper sheet is still the right answer for some teams, and we say which.
The short answer
Keep the paper sheet if one cupboard, one team and a weekly glance are enough. Move to a Google Form feeding a sheet when people sign out from different places. Move to checkout software when you need to know who has what right now, chase overdue returns, or stop two people booking the same thing. Free plans exist: ItemTally (1 editor, 10 borrowers; we make it), Shelf.nu (1 user) and Reftab (50 assets).
At a glance
| Tool | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The paper sign-out sheet | One cupboard, a small team, things that come back the same day | A clipboard and a pen |
| A Google Form feeding a sheet | People signing out from different rooms or sites | Uses tools you probably already have |
| A spreadsheet with a barcode scanner | A larger kit room with one person at the desk | The sheet plus a USB scanner |
| ItemTally | Teams where people take things themselves and you need them back | Free for 1 editor and 10 borrowers; €19/mo for 5 editors and 50 borrowers |
| Shelf.nu | Teams where everyone who borrows will have a login | Free for 1 user; Team $67/mo or $370/yr, unlimited users |
| Reftab | A small IT loaner pool | Free for up to 50 assets; $125/mo for the paid plan |
Why the sheet stops working
A sign-out sheet records events: someone took a thing, someone brought it back. What you actually need to know is state: what is out right now, with whom, and since when. Paper makes you work that out by reading every line. It works for a while, and then the sheet fills up, a line gets missed, and the camera that was “returned Friday” is in someone’s car.
How to choose
Ask three questions. Do people sign out from more than one place? Then paper is out. Do you need to chase late returns? Then you need something that knows due dates and can send a reminder. Do people book ahead? Then you need reservations that stop clashes. If the answer to all three is no, keep the clipboard; it’s a fine tool. If any is yes, try one of the free plans above for a week before you buy anything.
Software prices from each vendor’s pricing page on 16 October 2026.
The options, from paper to software
-
The paper sign-out sheet
- Best for
- One cupboard, a small team, things that come back the same day
- Price
- A clipboard and a pen
Name, item, date out, date back, signature. It works because it's by the door and everyone understands it. It stops working when the sheet is full and filed, when you need to know who has something without walking to the cupboard, or when someone forgets the return column and the item is "out" forever.
-
A Google Form feeding a sheet
- Best for
- People signing out from different rooms or sites
- Price
- Uses tools you probably already have
A form with name, item and due date writes each sign-out to a spreadsheet, so the record survives and you can sort it. The weak point is the return: the form records events, not state, so working out what's still out means matching rows by hand. No reminders unless you script them.
-
A spreadsheet with a barcode scanner
- Best for
- A larger kit room with one person at the desk
- Price
- The sheet plus a USB scanner
Label each item, scan it into the sheet, type the borrower's name. Faster and fewer typos than paper. It still lives on one computer, can't send reminders, and two people editing at once is where the numbers stop adding up.
-
ItemTally
That's us- Best for
- Teams where people take things themselves and you need them back
- Price
- Free for 1 editor and 10 borrowers; €19/mo for 5 editors and 50 borrowers
(That's us.) The sheet's columns become a scan: borrowers pick their name at a kiosk or on their own phone, scan the label, sign, and get a due date. The Out view shows what's out right now, reminders carry a Return button, and the return link works without an account. Import your existing sheet as CSV to start.
ItemTally vs ItemTally, in detail -
Shelf.nu
- Best for
- Teams where everyone who borrows will have a login
- Price
- Free for 1 user; Team $67/mo or $370/yr, unlimited users
Custody and kits on the free plan, bookings and self-service check-out on Team. Unlimited users at one flat price, EU-hosted and open source. A strong option if every borrower can have an account. See our comparison.
ItemTally vs Shelf.nu, in detail -
Reftab
- Best for
- A small IT loaner pool
- Price
- Free for up to 50 assets; $125/mo for the paid plan
The free plan covers check-out, reservations with calendars, overdue loan emails and loan limits for up to 50 assets. Good for a help-desk laptop pool; priced for IT teams beyond that.
Questions people ask
What should an equipment sign-out sheet include?
At minimum the borrower's name, the item and its number, the date out, the date due back, the date returned and a signature. Without the return date column, you can't tell what's still out.
When should we stop using a paper sign-out sheet?
When you can't answer "who has it?" without walking to the cupboard, when overdue items need chasing every week, or when two people turn up for the same thing.
Can borrowers sign out equipment without an account?
In ItemTally, yes. Borrowers pick their name at a kiosk (with a PIN if you set one), and they return from a link that needs no account.
Sources
- Shelf pricing page checked 16 October 2026
- Reftab pricing page checked 16 October 2026
- ItemTally pricing checked 16 October 2026
Your sign-out sheet, as a scan.
Free forever for 1 editor and 10 borrowers. Import your sheet as CSV.
Free for one editor and ten borrowers, with unlimited items. No card needed.