Guide · Calibration
Equipment Calibration Tracking
Equipment calibration tracking is the day-to-day job of knowing which instruments are in calibration, which are due soon, and where every certificate is stored. Done well, it's invisible. Done badly, it turns every audit and every customer question into a hunt through folders and inboxes.
Start with a real asset register
The foundation is a list of every item that needs calibration — not a rough guess, an actual register. For each item, record:
- Description and serial number.
- Location and responsible person.
- Calibration interval (3, 6, 12 or 24 months is typical).
- Last calibration date and next due date.
- The calibration certificate itself, attached to the record.
Set recurring intervals, not one-off dates
A due date on its own is fragile — as soon as you calibrate the item, the date is wrong. Track the interval instead, so the next due date rolls forward automatically each time you upload a fresh certificate. This is the single change that stops calibration tracking from decaying over time.
Reminders that reach the right people
Calibration reminders should go to the person who can actually book the calibration — usually a technician or quality lead — and to a manager as a backstop. A sensible default is 90 / 60 / 30 / 14 / 7 days before the due date, so there's time to book the lab and no last-minute scramble.
One system for calibration and inspection
If you're already using calibration tracking software, the same pattern extends to LOLER thorough examinations, PAT tests and any other recurring inspection. Keeping them together avoids duplicated registers and gives auditors a single place to look — see the LOLER inspection software guide for how that fits.
How FileGuard fits
FileGuard lets you create an item per instrument, attach every certificate, set a calibration interval and let reminders run automatically — with a full history so you can prove compliance on any given day. It's built for UK SMEs and works across multiple sites and users.