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CNC Tool List and Offset Log Worksheet

Offsets are the most edited numbers on a CNC machine and the least documented. This worksheet keeps the tool list, holder, stick-out and offsets in one table so a second shift or a recalled job starts from known values.

Download:

Tool #	Description	Holder	Stick-out (mm)	Geometry length offset (mm)	Wear offset (mm)	Effective length offset (mm)	Diameter (mm)	Last checked
						-212.4
						-185.66
						-170.2
						-201.35
						-190.7

Tools listed

Largest negative wear

-0.04

Largest wear offset (most negative)

-0.04

A growing negative wear value usually means the tool is shortening from wear or the offset is compensating for a setup error.

Geometry holds the measured tool length from presetter or touch-off. Wear holds small operator adjustments. Sign conventions differ between controls, so confirm yours before relying on the sign.

Keep ERP tooling data aligned with the shop floor

Optional: a review of how tool master data and machine offsets could be compared automatically.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the worksheet

Add one row per tool pocket. Record the holder and stick-out at the time the tool is measured, then enter the geometry length offset from the presetter or touch-off. Put operator adjustments in the wear column, never in geometry, so you can see how far a tool has drifted. The effective offset column adds the two. Update the last checked date whenever you re-measure. Export to Excel to share with the tool crib or to keep a dated copy per job.

Geometry versus wear

Most controls (Fanuc, Haas, Siemens, Heidenhain in its own form) separate the stored tool length into a geometry value and a wear value. Geometry is the measured length. Wear is a trim. Keeping them separate lets you reset wear to zero on a fresh insert without losing the measurement, and tells you whether a tool is truly wearing or whether the original measurement was off.

Never type a correction into geometry during a run unless you have remeasured
Zero the wear value after any insert index or tool change
A wear value that keeps growing in one direction signals a tool or holder problem

Common mistakes

Shops lose time when the table in the control does not match the paper list, so treat the control as the live source and this sheet as the record. Other frequent errors are mixing metric and inch values, forgetting that a different holder changes length, and reusing a tool number for a different cutter between jobs without clearing offsets. If tool data flows from your ERP or tool management system, compare it periodically to what is actually loaded in the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between geometry and wear offset?

Geometry is the measured length or radius of the tool. Wear is a small adjustment applied on top as the tool wears or to hit a tolerance. The control applies both, so keeping them separate preserves the original measurement.

Can I log inch values?

Yes, the columns are numeric. Change the unit in your own copy after export, and keep the whole sheet in one unit system to avoid mixing values.

How often should offsets be verified?

Verify at setup, after any crash or tool change, and at the interval your control plan sets for critical features. Reverify after a holder change because stick-out changes the length.

Does this replace a tool management system?

No. It is a lightweight record for shops without one, or a handoff sheet alongside one. Larger shops with presetters often use dedicated tool management software.

If tooling data sits in your ERP or a tool management system, Netray can build a read-only check that compares it to what machines report. This worksheet works on its own.

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