My furnace has the install date in sharpie on it, along with maintenance dates.
The main sewer line has the last time it was cleared, who cleared it, and where the blockage was.
An industrial label printer makes these easy.
So does a sharpie.
This is my preferred method. "Permanent" things go on the thing with sharpie. Other stuff gets sharpied on some masking tape and stuck on.
If my furnace ever walks off and takes the install date with it... chances are the install date's no longer relevant. Otherwise the documentation for my furnace is... on the furnace.
Sounds too simple, I’m skeptical it could ever work.