ServiceTag is designed to be useful on one Android phone with no account and no server. The phone is the source of truth.
Local-first by design
- NFC tags identify equipment; they do not contain its records.
- Maintenance history stays on the phone and is auditable.
- What is due, and the equipment's health, are recalculated from recorded facts.
- Files are ordinary files in storage you choose.
- Backups are explicit, logical and portable.
- Reminders are scheduled on the phone; no outside reminder service is needed.
When it uses the network
Routine use needs no network at all. The app has only two deliberate outbound connections, and both happen only when you set them up or ask:
- Save as document: downloading a web reference over HTTPS when you ask to keep it as an attachment;
- Home Assistant season sync: reading from the Home Assistant address you configure.
The local Developer API listens only on the phone itself. The Home Assistant token is kept in the phone's secure key store and is never included in backups, exports or Transfer Packs.
Why it asks for each Android permission
| Permission | What it is used for |
|---|---|
| Notifications | Local maintenance reminders; asked when first needed, not at launch. |
| NFC | Reading and writing tags. Android shows no permission prompt for it. |
| Start at boot | Re-arming reminders after the phone restarts. |
| Internet | The on-phone Developer API, Save as document, and Home Assistant. |
| Location | Only for the Home Assistant option that works on your home Wi-Fi, because Android reveals the Wi-Fi name only with this permission. It is not used to find where you are. |
| Background location | Only if you turn on background checks on your home Wi-Fi; refusing it simply keeps checks to when the app is open. |
| Wi-Fi and network state | Recognizing your home Wi-Fi and running network-aware work. |
| Attachments folder | Only the folder you pick, through Android's folder picker; not general storage access. |
Backups and Transfer Packs carry equipment data, not device secrets, so a restored phone may ask you to re-enter a Home Assistant token.
How ServiceTagPro differs
ServiceTagPro is a hosted platform for organizations. Records live in each organization's ServiceTagPro workspace, every request is checked against the person's current access, and the ServiceTagPro Android app keeps authorized records available offline for a limited time. Personal ServiceTag data is never moved into ServiceTagPro automatically.