Free fixed asset register template
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Free fixed asset register template (PDF). Record cost, depreciation method, accumulated depreciation and net book value. Download free.
Commercial Director
Key takeaways
- A fixed asset register records each capitalised asset with its cost, depreciation method, accumulated depreciation and net book value.
- It exists for accounting and tax: it supports the balance sheet, depreciation expense and the disposal calculations at year end.
- Australian entities commonly depreciate using the ATO effective life under either the prime cost or diminishing value method.
- A fixed asset register is financial; pair it with an operational asset inventory so finance and operations share one asset ID.
Updated 4 June 2026
How to use: download the PDF, print or complete digitally on any device.
- PDF format, ready to print or fill on screen
- Use as-is or customise to suit your operation
- Go digital in MapTrack for photos, alerts and audit trails
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What is a fixed asset register template?
A fixed asset register is the accounting record of an organisation capitalised assets: the items of property, plant and equipment that are recorded on the balance sheet and depreciated over their useful life rather than expensed immediately. For each asset it records an asset number, a description, the acquisition date and cost, the depreciation method and rate, the accumulated depreciation to date and the resulting net book value. It is maintained by finance and is the basis for the depreciation expense in the accounts and for the gain or loss recognised when an asset is sold or scrapped.
A fixed asset register is distinct from an operational asset inventory. The inventory answers where an asset is and who holds it; the register answers what it cost, what it is worth now and how it is being depreciated. In Australia, entities typically depreciate assets over the effective life published by the Australian Taxation Office, using either the prime cost (straight-line) or diminishing value method, and a complete register is essential for an audit and for the year-end tax position. In MapTrack, asset records carry both the operational and the cost data, so the same asset can be tracked in the field and reconciled to the finance register through a shared asset ID.
Learn more about asset tracking in MapTrack.
Benefits of using this fixed asset register template
- Accurate accounts: a complete register underpins the property, plant and equipment balance and the depreciation expense in the financial statements.
- Tax ready: recording method, rate and effective life supports the depreciation claimed in the organisation tax return.
- Clean audits: auditors can trace each capitalised asset from acquisition through depreciation to net book value without rework.
- Disposal accuracy: net book value at the date of sale or scrap gives the correct gain or loss on disposal.
- Insurance basis: cost and written-down value inform sum-insured and replacement decisions across the asset base.
- Control and accountability: a maintained register prevents ghost assets and ensures disposed items are written off, not depreciated forever.
- Capital planning: asset age and net book value across the register highlight assets nearing the end of their useful life so capex and replacement can be budgeted ahead of time.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move your asset registers from paper to MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
- Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
- Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
- Ability to share forms digitally.
- Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
- Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
- Electronic signatures.
- Edit forms later without reprinting.
- Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
- Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).
- Maintain a live asset register with location, condition and custody history.
- Schedule and track calibration, certification and warranty expiry dates.
- Generate depreciation and total-cost-of-ownership reports per asset.
Book a demo to see how MapTrack handles asset registers.
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“Bloody amazing! We used to spend 1-2 days a week tracking and managing our generators alone.”
Steve McAllister
Asset Coordinator, Saunders International
What to include in a fixed asset register template
This fixed asset register template covers 10 key areas:
- Register details: entity name, prepared by, financial year and the date.
- Asset number: the unique reference linking the register to the operational asset ID.
- Description: the asset and, where useful, its class (for example plant, vehicles, IT).
- Acquisition date: when the asset was first ready for use.
- Cost: the capitalised acquisition cost, including amounts brought into the asset value.
- Depreciation method: prime cost (straight-line) or diminishing value.
- Rate or effective life: the annual rate or the effective life used to calculate depreciation.
- Accumulated depreciation: total depreciation charged to date.
- Net book value: cost less accumulated depreciation at the reporting date.
- Disposal: date, proceeds and gain or loss where the asset has been sold or scrapped.
How to use this fixed asset register template
- Set your capitalisation policy and list the assets that belong on the register.: Confirm the threshold above which purchases are capitalised rather than expensed, then list every asset that meets it. Group assets into classes such as plant, vehicles and IT so depreciation rates and reporting can be applied consistently across similar items.
- Record the acquisition details and cost for each asset.: For each asset, enter the acquisition date and the capitalised cost, including any installation or delivery amounts that form part of the asset value. Use the supplier invoice and the asset number that links back to the operational inventory so finance and operations agree.
- Choose a depreciation method and rate for each asset or class.: Select prime cost or diminishing value and record the rate or the effective life used. In Australia the Australian Taxation Office publishes effective lives by asset type, which many entities adopt for both tax and accounting to keep the calculation defensible.
- Calculate annual and accumulated depreciation and the net book value.: Apply the method and rate to calculate the depreciation for the period, add it to the accumulated depreciation, and subtract that from cost to get the net book value at the reporting date. Carry these figures into the financial statements.
- Record disposals and remove assets that no longer exist.: When an asset is sold or scrapped, record the date and proceeds, compare them with the net book value and recognise the resulting gain or loss. Remove the asset from the active register so it is not depreciated after disposal, a common cause of overstated accounts.
- Reconcile the register to the ledger and review it at year end.: Reconcile total cost, accumulated depreciation and net book value to the general ledger control accounts, and verify the existence of assets against an operational inventory or physical check. Resolve differences before the financial statements are finalised and the register is signed off.
In MapTrack, you can manage your full asset register digitally. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full fixed asset register template as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this asset register?
Update the fixed asset register whenever an asset is acquired, improved, transferred or disposed of, and run the depreciation calculation every reporting period, typically monthly or annually depending on how often you report. Reconcile the register to the general ledger at least at year end, and verify the existence of registered assets against an operational inventory or physical count before the accounts are finalised. Many organisations also review depreciation methods and effective lives annually to confirm they still reflect how the assets are used.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- AASB 116 - Property, Plant and Equipment (recognition, measurement and depreciation of fixed assets)
- ATO - Guide to depreciating assets (effective life, prime cost and diminishing value methods)
- ISO 55001 - Asset Management Systems (systematic control of the asset base)
Need to manage your full asset register digitally?
Register every asset in MapTrack, attach digital forms, and get a complete history of every inspection, service and compliance record.