Tag Tales: Lost in the Drawings

In engineering environments, asset information rarely disappears. More often, it becomes fragmented – spread across drawings, documents, models, and disconnected systems. 

Asset tags sit at the center of this problem. 

Tags identify the physical equipment that makes up a facility. But over time, both tags and drawings are copied, edited, and reissued across multiple sources. Eventually, no one is quite sure which version is correct – or where the most reliable information lives. 

Common last known locations 

In many organizations, asset tag data can be found in:

• Legacy paper drawings and scanned records 

• PDFs and spreadsheets created during different project phases 

• Engineering document management systems 

• Maintenance and operations systems 

• Lead applications such as ERP and EAM (e.g. SAP and Maximo) 

• 3D models and digital twin environments 

  
  

Each source tells part of the story. None tell the whole story. 

The result is duplicated data, conflicting information, and a growing reliance on manual checks to fill the gaps. 

When relationships go missing 

Asset tags do not exist in isolation. Assets belong to systems, loops, and hierarchies. These relationships are essential for understanding how a facility operates and how changes should be managed. 

When asset information is fragmented, those relationships are often implied rather than defined. Engineers are left piecing things together from multiple drawings, documents, and systems - increasing effort, cost and risk. 

Bringing asset information back together 

Cad-Capture’s AIM (Asset Information Management) Suite addresses this by placing the asset – and its tag – at the center of the information landscape. 

The AIM Suite enables organizations to: 

• Automatically identify and categorise asset tags across drawings, documents, and models 

• Correct incorrectly entered tags at the meta-data level 

• Maintain relationships between assets and systems 

• Ensure a single, trusted version of asset information 

• Connect legacy documentation with modern digital twin initiatives 

  
  

Instead of being lost in the drawings, asset information becomes structured, traceable, and reliable. 

Why this matters 

When asset tags are fragmented, organizations lose time, confidence, and control. When asset information is managed consistently across its lifecycle, engineering teams can work more efficiently, reduce risk, and support long-term digital initiatives. 

This post is the first in a series exploring common asset information challenges and how an asset-centric approach helps resolve them.