ALSO Asset Tracking
Get started in minutes with this step-by step guide.

Activate your
ALSO IoT account

  1. Once your reseller orders the Ground subscription within the ALSO IoT Platform, you’ll get an email to activate the account
  2. Click on Complete your account link to activate a new Ground and start using it
  3. This account is needed to activate the tracking device(s) and collect the data

IMPORTANT: Whether you ordered a single asset tracking device or the starter kit, you need an active subscription for the ALSO IoT Platform to retrieve the data from device(s)!

Unboxing

asset-tracking-illustration-2
  1. Open the box to find your Asset Tracking device(s), SIM card(s) and the Welcome card
  2. Check that a tracking device(s) has an activation code on the back lid
  3. Write down and save the activation code(s) as you might need it after mounting the device(s). You’ll need this code for the device activation procedure

Activate tracking device(s)

  1. Go to https://also.allthingstalk.com and log in with your credentials
  2. Enter your Ground and click on +NEW DEVICE button at the upper left corner
  3. Type the Activation code provided with the tracking device and click FIND
  4. Done! You will now see the device sensor assets created in your Ground
  5. Feel free to rename your devices; hover over the device’s name, click on the pen icon, rename it and click enter
  6. Repeat this process for the rest of tracking devices, if applicable

Inserting a SIM card and batteries

    1. SIM card:
      1. This tracking device uses a Micro SIM card. Open the tracker; a SIM card holder is located at the bottom of device
      2. Insert the SIM, with keyed corner first and gold plates oriented down towards the main board. Refer to the video for a more visual explanation.
      3. CAUTION: When handling the tracking device, be careful not to touch the GPS antenna to minimise the risk of damaging the sensitive GPS amplifiers with static discharge.

    2. Batteries:
      1. Insert 3x AA batteries as show in the video. Be careful about its polarity!
      2. Once inserted, the LED will flash continuously. If it does not, it means the unit has not yet reset. In this case, remove the batteries for a minute or two to allow any residual charge to drain, and then reinsert them
      3. Refer to this link for more details about LED flashing intervals
      4. Check that you receive the sensor data (location, battery, etc.) in your Ground. Make sure you have a clear line of sight (outdoors) to satellites so the device can successfully assign its location
      5. Repeat steps a. to d. for other tracking devices
      6. CAUTION: It is very important to use 1.5 V Lithium, or 3.6 V Lithium thionyl chloride (LTC) AA batteries. If you use normal Alkaline AA batteries then they will only operate for about 50% of their useful life.

      7.  

Device installation

  1. The Asset Tracking device can be mounted on any asset you want to track by using screws, bolts, cable ties, or with a good quality industrial adhesive
  2. If possible, choose a mounting point that will not result in elevated temperatures (for instance, mounting the device at a direct sunlight on the dash of an non-ventilated cabin may cook the batteries, leading to abnormally short service life)
  3. After installing device(s), it’s time to visualise the data within your Ground in ALSO IoT Platform

Visualise the data

  1. Since you’ve added your device(s) in the Ground, data has shown up, you’ve probably mounted device(s) to the asset of your choice, now you’ll perform a user friendly data visualisation
  2. Create a compelling Pinboard to visualise both a device’s location and its location history. The device’s location will first be shown as the text object (lat, long)
  3. To add a visual control, click on the pen icon at the upper right corner and then on the “New pin”. Choose the “Location” control and select the “location” asset from your device. Don’t forget to Save the changes!
  4. Repeat the step for the “Location History” control and save it, as well
  5. Additionally, you can share this pinboard or embed it to another web page. Refer to this article for more details

Add ready-to-use applications

  1. With the “Geofence” app, you can easily get email or web notification when a device enters or leaves a predefined area (geofence)
  2. Go to “Applications” tab on the left sidebar and select “Geofence” tile
  3. Create a virtual fence, select the device related to this perimeter and define your notification channels
  4. You can also add the “Location History” app within the “Applications” tab and visualise where the devices has been travelling within any time interval of your choice.