Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for keeping track of a number of articles, especially for example articles that are being carried while travelling on business and/or vacation. Details of articles to be kept track of are registered with a processing means and each article is provided with an identification means. When it is desired to check for the presence of the articles, for example upon closing a briefcase, the processing means polls the various registered articles to check for their presence and issues an alarm if an article is missing.