Equipment Inventory

Last modified on 2022/11/08 13:22

Definition

The Equipment Inventory lists all workstations, printers, servers and network components in the IT infrastructure. Data inventory can be collected automatically using a discovery tool, or it can be entered manually for undetected equipment.

EndDefinition

      Open url.png  See the life cycle of equipment.

Each item of equipment:

  • Is associated with a model defined in a unique catalog entry.
  • Can have a bar code; these one can be automatically generated for several items of equipment associated with a given model.
  • Can have a financial cost; this one can be spread over several cost centers based on usage.
     

A specific process enables you to move equipment to the CMDB so that they can be managed as configuration items (CIs). They are equipment to closely monitor because they may have an impact on other items in the event of an incident or request. This impact can be in terms of availability or services provided to users.

Example

Example

  • Relationship between equipment and the CMDB:
    • Oracle server S131 hosts different applications: SAP, expense account, payroll software, etc.
    • Server downtime will lead to the unavailability of these applications. The equipment is therefore managed both in the Equipment Inventory and as a CI in the CMDB.
Notes

Notes

  • When an item of equipment is created:
    • Certain information is inherited from the model defined in the catalog.
    • The location and department of the main user will automatically be proposed.
  • Equipment SLA:
    • If an SLA is associated with the equipment type, it will apply to all incidents related to the equipment.
    • If several SLAs are associated with the equipment, the one with the shortest resolution time will be applicable.
Caution

Caution

  • The asset tag is used to identify an item of equipment during its entire life span in the IT infrastructure. You should only modify it if there is a data entry error.
  • When you delete a form, the action is final. If you want to keep the form without making it available in Product name - ev itsm.png, you can archive it by running the Discard wizard. You can then view it using the Archived filter.
BestPractice

Best Practice

  • We recommend that you use the Delivery Reception wizard.
    • Unlike the standard creation procedure where you are required to complete information in different tabs, this wizard enables you to specify general information on the equipment, financial data and attributes. It also enables you to generate bar codes if you have to create several items of equipment for a given supplier. Open url.png See the procedure.
    • It can also be used to perform stock entry for several items of equipment.
  • Modifications made to models in the catalog will automatically be propagated to existing equipment. Make corrections at this level only if there are specific conditions not to be included in the catalog.
  • If the status of the equipment is To be checked, select Asset Management > Administration > Inventory Anomalies to make the relevant corrections so that the equipment is correctly referenced in Product name - ev itsm.png.
  • To see all equipment under the responsibility of the main user, open the Employee form and select the Equipment tab.
  • Because software can be installed or reinstalled frequently on equipment, you should specify the licenses installed on servers so that you can see the technical configuration required prior to network deployment.
  • If an item of equipment is no longer used:
    • Run the Discard wizard to keep it with the Archived status. Enter a discard date and specify the status to indicate the reason for discarding the item of equipment.
    • Run the Delete wizard only if you do not want to keep the Equipment form.
  • To view equipment removed from the IT infrastructure, use the Archived filter.

Characteristics specific to versions 2016 and earlier

Equipment managed in the CMDB

  • You can also access to these items of equipment via the Extended CMDB > Equipment menu.
  • On this menu:
    • Modifications made to the forms will not be updated in the Equipment Inventory form in the Asset Management menu.
    • Certain wizards of the Equipment Inventory form from the Asset Management menu are not available.

Menu access

Asset & Configuration > Equipment > Inventory

Description of tabs

          Equipment.png

TabUpdateRules_After2016Versions

Create a new item Delete an item or association with a related item

Run the New wizard at the top of the tab

Fundamentals - Form - New wizard.png

Move the cursor over the corresponding item and click Trash icon.png

Fundamentals - Form - Delete wizard.png

Alphabetical order of the tabs

QuickAccess

Details

AssetTag

Asset Tag: Unique identifier placed on an item of equipment using a label or bar code when it is added to stock. This identifier does not change during the entire life span of the equipment even if it is moved or discarded.

Status

Status: Status indicating the condition of the item of equipment and its availability, e.g. active, out of order, etc.

Best Practice icon.png When the status of the equipment is To be checked, consult the inventory anomaly report.

Type

Type: Type (full path displayed) associated with the current object.

  • The type is inherited from the model.

    example  Equipment/Computing/Workstations/Laptops

Model

Model: Model associated with the equipment from which certain catalog information is inherited.

  • Update: Detected by the automatic discovery tool when the information is in the workstation BIOS.
Manufacturer

Manufacturer: Brand of the current object.

  • Update: Detected by an automatic discovery tool when the information is in the workstation BIOS or inherited from the model.
StandardBuild

Standard Build: Standard build of the workstation, defining the list of software that should be installed based on workstation usage. This list should be compared with the list of software actually installed on the workstation using the Installed Software tab. 

  • Only active standard builds will be proposed.
NetworkIdentifier

Network Identifier: NetBIOS name of the resource used to identify it within the network.

  • When a remote access software is installed, the hotline can use World icon.png to connect directly to it when troubleshooting.
MainUser

Main User: Employee responsible for the equipment and who must be able to return the equipment in its initial condition.

Best Practice icon.png Specify the other employees with access to the equipment in the Other Users tab.

SerialNumber

Serial Number: Serial number of the equipment, attributed by the supplier.

  • Certain items of equipment such as assembled PCs do not have any serial number.
Location

Location: Location where the current object is physically stored.

  • By default, the location of the main user will be used.
Department

Department: Department associated with the current object.

  • By default, the department of the main user will be used.
WarrantyType

Warranty Type: Type of warranty for the equipment.

example  On-site warranty

CriticalLevel

Critical Level: Value that warns the IT Department of the sensitivity of the current object when processing incidents or requests, indicated by Red star.png displayed in the form. The higher the critical level, the higher the object's processing priority.

EndWarranty

End of Warranty: Date on which the equipment is no longer covered by the warranty. 

  • It is automatically calculated when the equipment is created by applying the duration of the warranty (inherited from the model) to the Delivery Date indicated in the Financial Data tab.
SLA

SLA: SLA applicable to all incidents or requests related to the current object, used to calculate processing time for the IT Department.

InstallationDate

Installation Date: Date on which the equipment was installed in the IT infrastructure.

DiscardDate

Discard Date: Date on which the equipment was permanently removed from the IT infrastructure. 

  • When this date is reached, the status of the equipment in the inventory will be Archived.
  • Update: Use the form or run the Discard wizard.
LastAutomaticInventory

Last Automatic Inventory: Date of the last automatic inventory of the equipment updated using a discovery tool.

LastPhysicalInventory

Last Physical Inventory: Date of the last manual control inventory for the equipment.

Comment

Comment: Comments on the form. You can also add images or tables in this field using HTML tags.

Financial Data

FinancialDataTab

Data on the purchase, depreciation, renewal and charge back of the current object.

Open url.png See the list of fields

FinancialDataTab_FieldsList
  • Supplier: Name of the supplier where the asset was purchased.
  • P.O. Number: Purchase order number of the asset.
  • P.O. Number (EasyVista): Purchase order number of the asset associated with a delivery managed in Service Manager.
  • Invoice Number: Asset supplier invoice number.
  • Purchase Date: Purchase date of the asset.
  • Target Implementation Date: Delivery date of the asset.
  • Delivery Bill Number: Asset supplier delivery number.
  • Analytical Cost Allocation: Analytical cost allocation account associated with the order.
  • Fixed Asset Number: Reference number of the asset for accounting purposes. Note: Several assets can be referenced using the same number.
  • Depreciation Rule: Rule indicating the depreciation method of the asset, i.e. straight line or declining balance.
  • Net Book Value: Net book value of the asset to date, based on the depreciated value.
    • Calculated field: Purchase Price - Depreciation Expense to date
  • Depreciation Expense: Depreciated amount of the asset to date.
    • The amount is reset to zero when the asset is totally depreciated or sold.
    • Calculated field
  • Purchase Price: Purchase price of the asset.
  • Monthly Charge Back: Cost of the asset charged back every month to different cost centers.
    • Allocation to costs centers: In the Amount Charged Back tab.
  • Renewal Value: Estimated price for replacing the asset on the renewal date.
  • Scheduled Renewal: Date on which the asset should be renewed.
  • Reform Number: Specified when the asset is discarded.
  • Buy Back Value: When the asset is acquired through leasing, this is the buy back amount to be paid at the end of the contract to acquire the asset.
  • Transfer Date: Date on which the asset was sold.
  • Transfer Value: Selling price of the asset.
  • Transfer Net Book Value: Net book value of the asset on the transfer date, based on the depreciated value.
    • Calculated field: Purchase Price - Depreciation Expense at transfer date
    • If the asset is sold before the end of its depreciation period, this value is used to calculate capital gains or losses. 
  • Capital Gain/Loss: Amount of capital gains or losses when the asset is sold before the end of its depreciation period.
    • Calculated field: Transfer Value - Net Book Value

example  Transfer of an asset

  • Purchase price: €1,000
  • Depreciation rule: Straight line for 5 years, 20% of its value every year
  • Transfer value: The asset is sold for €500 after 2 years
  • After 2 years, 40% of the asset's purchase price has been depreciated ==> Depreciation expense = €400
  • Transfer net book value = Purchase price - Depreciation expense = €600
  • Transfer value - Transfer net book value = - €100 ==> this is a capital loss

Processors

Number of processors and cores available for the workstation.

example  8 cores for 2 quad core processors.

  • This information is detected by an automatic discovery tool.

Consumption

Information on the hourly energy consumption and equipment usage rate inherited from the model and used by Green IT.

Recycling

Note: Only for archived item of equipment

Information on equipment recycling used by Green IT (contractor in charge of recycling, equipment discard date and recycling date).

  • The contractor is selected from the list of suppliers.
  • Update: In this tab or run the Recycling of Assets wizard available when you select Asset Management > Equipment > Green IT.

Inventory Data

InventoryDataTab

List of information on the current object detected by an automatic discovery tool.

Amount Charged Back

AmountChargedBackTab

Details of the current object's charge back to the relevant cost centers. The amount charged back can be broken down by cost center calculated using their sharing value coefficient. Open url.png See the examples.

Invoices

InvoiceTab

List of invoices linked to the current object.

  • Update: Run the Invoice wizard.

Attachments

AttachmentTab

List of documents associated with the current object.

Discussions

DiscussionTab

List of discussions associated with the current object.

  • Users can access discussions based on their domain and the visibility of the discussion. Users must also belong to a group authorized to take part in discussions, i.e. in the Group form, the Discussion Enabled box must be selected.
  • Enter the keywords you want in the Search field and press < Enter >.
  • To cancel the search criteria and return to the complete list of discussions, provided you have the relevant rights, click within the box and then click Discussion - Delete icon.png.

Installed Software

InstalledSoftwareTab

List of software installed on the current object.

  • Different reports are used to display the differences between the required configuration and the software actually installed on workstations.
  • Update: Use the automatic discovery tool via detection rules defined for software or in this tab when software cannot be detected, e.g. printer drivers. You can also use an integration model based on the Software connector.

Licenses

LicenseTab

List of licenses associated with the current object.

  • Update: In this tab or run the Link to a License wizard or in License forms > Related Equipment tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Relationships Equipment Licenses connector.

Related Equipment

RelatedEquipmentTab

List of other equipment locally associated with the current object.

example  Screen associated with a server.

  • Update: In this tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Relationships Equipment Equipment by Asset Tag or Relationships Equipment Equipment by Serial Number connector.

Other Users

List of employees who can use the equipment but who are not responsible for it.

  • Update: In this tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Other Users (Equipment, Contracts, Licenses, CI) connector.

All Contracts

List of all contracts associated with the equipment.

  • Update: In this tab or run the Link to a Contract wizard or in Contract forms > Equipment tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Relationships Equipment Contracts connector.

Pending Contracts

List of contracts associated with the equipment whose end date has not been reached.

  • Update: In this tab or run the Link to a Contract wizard or in Contract forms > Equipment tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Relationships Equipment Contracts connector.

Best Practice icon.png To associate several items of equipment with a given contract, display the Equipment Inventory in List mode, select the equipment you want and run the Link to a Contract wizard.

History of Changes

HistoryOfChangeTab

List of all modifications made to the form. 

Added to the Active Assets by Investment Number

List of investment requests that initiated the adding of the equipment to the IT infrastructure.

Added to Active Assets by Request Number

List of change requests that initiated the adding of the equipment to the IT infrastructure.

Release Projects

ReleaseProjectTab

List of release projects linked to the current object.

  • Update: In this tab or in the Transition > Release Projects forms > All CI tab.

Attributes

AttributeTab

List of attributes linked to the current object.

  • Only attributes compatible with the model type can be associated.
  • Update: Using an automatic discovery tool, e.g. processor, speed, memory, disk space. Can also be inherited from the model or by adding in this tab when specific conditions exist. You can also use an integration model based on the Attributes (Equipment, Contracts, Licenses) connector.

Capacities

CapacityTab

List of capacities linked to the current object.

example  Disk Space, Power

  • Update: In this tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Capacities (Equipment, Contracts, Licenses) connector.


All statistics on equipment usage since installation.

  • Update: Automatically at each usage inventory.

Incidents

IncidentTab

List of incidents associated with the current object.

  • Update: In Incident forms.

Service Requests

ServiceRequestTab

List of service requests linked to the current object.

  • Update: In Service Request forms.

Change Requests

ChangeRequestTab

List of change requests linked to the current object.

  • Update: In Change Request forms.

Actions

ActionTab

List of actions associated with the current object.

  • Update: In Incident/Request forms when an action linked to the current object is created.

Problems

ProblemTab

List of problems associated with the current object.

  • Update: In Problem forms.

Known Errors

KnownErrorTab

List of known errors associated with the current object.

  • Update: In Known Error forms.

Events

EventTab

List of events associated with the current object.

Destocking

List of consumables removed from stock in response to incidents or change requests involving the equipment.

example  Toner cartridge delivered with a printer, or a mouse delivered with a computer.

  • Update: When a destocking movement is entered in an action involving an incident/request for the equipment.

Related Projects

RelatedProjectTab

List of projects linked to the current object.

  • Only project managers can associate a project with the current object. If this is not the case, no projects will appear in the list.

Procedure and Wizards

How to create an item of equipment via stock entry

Step 1 (optional): Create the equipment model.

Note: The equipment must be associated with a previously defined model in the catalog.

1. Select References > Catalogs > Equipment Catalog in the menu.

2. Click + New.

3. Complete the information required.

4. Click Finish.

5. Complete the information required in the different sections.
 

Step 2: Run the wizard.

1. Select Asset & Configuration > Equipment > Inventory in the menu.

2. Run the Delivery Reception wizard.
 

Step 3: Enter information on the equipment received.

1. Complete the main information on the new item of equipment.

2. (optional) Click Assign Contracts and select all contracts associated with the new item of equipment.

3. Click Next.

4. Specify other information such as the model associated with the new item of equipment, the delivered quantity, the warranty end date, the status, etc.

5. Select the method for creating bar codes.

Note: When the uniqueness check is activated for the asset tag, an error message will be displayed if there is a duplicate.

  • Manually, by clicking Enter the Bar Codes.
    The number of rows displayed is equal to the quantity of equipment received.
             Equipment - Create bar codes.png
    • Specify the bar codes of each item in Asset Tag.
    • Specify the information required.

       
  • Automatically, by clicking Generate Bar Codes.
             Equipment - Generate bar codes.png
    • Indicate the root value (first characters of the bar code), the increment start value and the number of positions or characters after the root.

      example  Root = 666, Number of positions = 5, Start value = 68

           3 items of equipment received ==> 3 bar codes will be generated: 66600068, 66600069, 66600070

    • Click Generate Equipment.
      The window for entering bar codes manually will appear.
    • If required, modify the generated bar codes.
       

Step 4: Generate the Equipment forms.

1. (optional) Click Receive another Equipment to create another item of equipment instantly.

  • Repeat the procedure in step 2.

2. Click Generate Equipment.

3. (optional) Specify the email notification information.

4. Click Finish.
The Equipment forms will automatically be created.

Wizards

Accept Transfert
Attach Equipment
Delete
Delivery Reception
Discard
Energy Consumption Simulation
Execute Script
Extension of Use
Install / Move
Invoice
Link Asset to Project
Link to a Contract
Link to a License
Manage in the CMDB
New Attribute
New Change Request
New Event
New Recurent Work Order
New Request / Incident
On Loan
Pre-Assignment
Purchase on End of Lease
Recycling of Assets
Replace
Residual Value
Return of Loan / Repair
Return to Stock
Send to Repair
Software Recalculation
Transfer Proposal
Update

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